HR often sits in a strange space inside organizations. Employees are wary because they see HR as working for management, not for them. Leadership, meanwhile, gets frustrated when HR leaders say they want to be “strategic” but then spend their time bogged down in the tactical weeds. Over the years, I have worked closely with HR leaders in different contexts. Too often, I … [Read more...] about Show Me the Value: Why HR Needs Receipts
Training
Learning from the Front Lines: Insights from Auer Steel’s BrewCast Series
At HVACR trends we have been following innovative channel leaders like Auer Steel and Heating Supply and their excellent outreach programs for the past year. Contractors know that the business is about more than equipment. Success depends on how well you engage homeowners, develop talent, and prepare your team for what is coming next. This fall, Auer Steel is curating … [Read more...] about Learning from the Front Lines: Insights from Auer Steel’s BrewCast Series
HARDI Emerging Leaders Conference 2025 – Feedback from Channel Leaders
The HARDI Association has built a strong program for emerging leaders, and at the HARDI Emerging Leaders Conference July 22 -24th over 100 HVACR Emerging Leaders had a packed agenda with great speakers and presentations over the full program. I was intrigued by the event, as I saw it had great speakers and presenters including Dr. Bharani Nagarathnam. Dr. Bharani is the … [Read more...] about HARDI Emerging Leaders Conference 2025 – Feedback from Channel Leaders
Talent Isn’t a Trait. It’s a Trajectory.
If you were to ask ten people what “entrepreneurial talent” looks like, there is a very good chance that you’d get ten different answers. Some focus on mindset, others on past results. Some consider traits like curiosity and drive. Dr. Jeff Magee’s “Player Capability Index” takes a structured run at defining entrepreneurial talent by mixing elements of motivation, personal … [Read more...] about Talent Isn’t a Trait. It’s a Trajectory.
Opinion: MDM-NAW Shift highlighted Data Analytics as a key discipline for 2025
Modern Distribution Management (MDM) Shift event was held last week (May 13-15th in Englewood, Colorado). The event has continued to evolve over the past 9 years, and it was once again attended by who's who of distribution leaders. Many leading distributors also presented at MDM Shift ranging from large public companies - Ferguson & Motion Industries to family-held … [Read more...] about Opinion: MDM-NAW Shift highlighted Data Analytics as a key discipline for 2025
Update: Auer Steel & Heating Supply HVACR Advocacy continues in 2025
We started following the Auer Steel and Heating Supply Company in 2024. It was interesting to see on social media a distributor who was committing resources to HVACR advocacy and outreach. The team was going to local high schools, tech colleges and hosting events every month to get the next generation inspired to join the HVACR Channel. Auer Steel's goal (led by Jon Hirsch) … [Read more...] about Update: Auer Steel & Heating Supply HVACR Advocacy continues in 2025
Attracting the HVAC Industry’s Next Generation
"Workforce development" is the new euphemism that many are using to describe the need for employee recruitment, development, and retention. It's all about how to attract and keep talent. It's about finding your "next generation." The why is that, as much as technology companies would like everyone to believe that technology will enable improved production and help reduce the … [Read more...] about Attracting the HVAC Industry’s Next Generation
Update : Auer Steel continuing to partner with end customers to recruit future associates
The Auer Steel and Heating Supply Company team continues to create programs that matter for their end customers and the channel. In September, we first started featuring Auer Steel's work (led by Jon Hirsch) to bring that next generation of HVACR professionals into the industry. They as a HVACR distributor are one of the most active advocates promoting the benefits of the … [Read more...] about Update : Auer Steel continuing to partner with end customers to recruit future associates
Auer Steel, investing for customer and the next generation’s success
As I was going through my story idea notebook on what to write for this week's column, I saw a LinkedIn notification on a posting from Jon Hirsch. I started following Jon's work as Director of Business Development for Auer Steel & Heating Supply Company (HVACR distributor with locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and North Dakota) about a year ago. What jumped … [Read more...] about Auer Steel, investing for customer and the next generation’s success
HVAC Fault Detection Insights from Schneider Electric
Consulting & Specifying Engineer (CSE) magazine is conducting a training webinar on Thursday, April 25th with a topic of "What the benefits of HVAC fault detection, plus how to specify it." The description for the webinar is: Within commercial buildings, it is estimated that poorly maintained, degraded or improperly controlled equipment wastes an … [Read more...] about HVAC Fault Detection Insights from Schneider Electric











