JUNE 2024
MVP AWARD RECIPIENT AUDRA FROMME
CRETE UNITED
Congratulations, Audra! Thank you for all that you do!
Cox | CEO
GANDHI GOT IT RIGHT
CEO MESSAGE
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “A man of character will make himself worthy of any position he is given.” A great example of this can be seen in the life of a military officer named William Tecumseh Sherman, considered one of the country’s greatest generals and strategic thinkers. Sherman served under General Ulysses S. Grant in the Civil War. At one point, President Lincoln offered Sherman the position of head of the Union Army, but he declined, saying Grant was the better fit. After the war, he was asked to run for President; again, he deferred to Grant, who he believed would be the better leader. What we see in Sherman is a man deeply tied and connected to reality. He was a man who came from nothing and accomplished great things without ever feeling that he was in some way entitled to the
honors he received. He regularly and consistently deferred to others and was happy to contribute to a winning team, even if it meant less credit or fame for himself.
At Crete, our culture is based on the premise that your title means nothing; your behavior means everything. We must be willing to put our egos aside and realize that it is never about us and always about the team. Great leaders can lead or follow; weak leaders need the spotlight to feed their egos. Sherman deferred to Grant not because he was weak but because he was comfortable playing the role necessary for the country to succeed. We should all strive never to let our ego prevent Crete from winning.
Mike
BITAC HIGHLIGHTS
Courtney Miller from the National Sales team closing deals and showcasing her expertise at BITAC (Buyer Interactive Trade Alliance and Conference).
WELCOME LEGACY MECHANICAL!
Legacy Mechanical Services is our first partner in Georgia. Legacy Mechanical is based in Kennesaw, Georgia, with a strong emphasis on mechanical engineering, maintenance, and HVAC. Their mission is to continue on the path of growth and to always strive to increase their value to their customers with passion and professionalism.
RLJ BRAVES DAY
Carly Krupa and April Sayer had the pleasure of attending a Braves game with RLJ, one of Crete’s largest national clients. The event was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the professional relationship with RLJ outside of the office.
CHEERS TO CHESNEY
The National Sales Team recently enjoyed a lively bonding event filled with margaritas and a Kenny Chesney concert, providing a chance to relax and connect outside the usual work environment.
CREATIVE TEAM BONDING CELEBRATION
The MIS Team recently held their first team-building event, attending a guided painting class. This celebration marked the successful completion of 11 Spectrum implementations with our partners and the clearance of our backlog, allowing us to achieve our target of migrating over 80% of our current partners to Crete’s ERP.
CRETE UNITED
CRETE UNITED AWARD
EXCELLENCE IN TEAMWORK
Congratulations!
MVP NOMINATIONS
Paul Pruitt, Crete United
Stacey Carpenter, C&C Service
Audra Fromme, Crete United
Jay Bimshas, SAM Mechanical
Carlos Verde, Crete United
Arlindo Dalomba, Crete United
Christina Pham, Crete United
Mike Terry, S-Mechanical
Paul Bertrand, Dynaire
Daniel Severin, ProStar
Mike Goodwin, AIS
Stacey Markovich, C&C Service
Jose Bastida, DesignBuild Mechanical
Robert Cass, ProStar
Chris Steele, ProStar
Stacy Bulow, John’s Service & Sales
Taylor Hull, ProStar
MVP AWARD
RECIPIENT
Audra Fromme Crete United
CRETE UNITED AWARD
RECIPIENTS
Daniel Severin ProStar
Arlindo Dalomba Crete United
Jose Bastida DesignBuild Mechanical
Taylor Hull ProStar
MVP AWARD NOMINATIONS
What
INDUSTRY INSIGHT: FINANCE & INCENTIVE MANAGEMENT
FERC APPROVES ORDER 1920 & ORDER 1977
WHAT IS ORDER 1920?
This Order has the end goal of making the grid more reliable for the growing demand firecasts if the US:
• Enforces Long Term Planning
• Requires transmission providers to develop long-term regional transmission plans at least every 5 years
• Requires that providers consider various scenarios during planning and ensures that these are publicly enforced
WHAT IS FERC?
The FERC ( Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) is an agency of the US Government that regulates the interstate transmission and wholesale sale of electricity, natural gas, and oil pipelines.
WHAT POWER DO THEY HOLD?
• Ensures that no monopolies exist in the marketplace
• Enforce mandatory reliability standards
• Reviews and approves interstate pipeline projects
HOW DO THEY ENFORCE THIS?
• They audit potential violators
• Impose civil penalties
• Take companies to federal court to stop certain activities, or incentivize them to take specific action
WHAT IS ORDER 1977?
This Order has the end goal of speeding up permitting and ensuring companies are environmentally responsible.
• Allows FERC to step in and issue a permit if the state denies it, allowing proposals to avoid the lengthy statelevel denial process
• Requires that providers address landowner concerns instead of facing landowner concerns later in the process
SUMMER FORECAST
As we approach the summer of 2024, meteorologists are forecasting above-average temperatures across much of the United States. As outlined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) above, many regions, particularly in the South and West, are expected to experience prolonged heatwaves with temperatures soaring well above seasonal norms. The Northeast is also expected to see warmer-thanaverage conditions, albeit less extreme weather than their western counterparts.
The forecasted prolonged high temperatures will have a significant impact in the HVAC systems and
their ability to maintain a comfortable environment. The additional stress can lead to more frequent breakdowns and the need for repairs.
In preparation for the increased demand on these systems, pre-season maintenance will be essential on mitigating potential issues and ensuring systems are ready to perform under the increased strain of summer heatwaves. This will not only avoid the added expense and operational impact of potential emergency service calls, but also allow the systems to run at optimal efficiency reducing energy spend and greenhouse gas emissions.
SUSTAINABILITY RECYCLING
UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS, IMPACT, & CHALLENGES
Since the birth of the modern environmental movement in the 1970s, recycling has always been a core strategy of environmental protection and conservation efforts. Many of us participate in recycling on a regular basis without much thought, from recycling paper and cardboard at home to tossing an empty plastic drink bottle into a recycling bin at a park or store. We likely don’t give much thought to what happens to that cardboard or bottle after it is placed in the recycling bin, but the impact of that simple action – separating recyclable materials from waste destined for the landfill – is crucial to the broader effort to build a more sustainable world.
HOW DOES RECYCLING WORK?
Put simply, recycling is taking something that can’t be used anymore and making it into something new rather than just throwing it out. The complete process of recycling can be complex, but in general the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) outlines 3 main steps:
• Collection: Once a consumer or business determines a recyclable material is no longer able to be used, it is placed in a recycling bin to be collected by a private or municipal hauler.
• Processing: The materials are transported to a processing facility, sorted, cleaned of contaminants, and prepared to be sent to a manufacturing facility.
• Remanufacturing: Recyclable materials are made into new products at recycling plants or other facilities.
RECYCLING: BY THE NUMBERS
Communities across the United States have offered recycling services for decades, and the practice of sorting recyclable materials from waste has become more commonplace over the years. Per the EPA, the recycling rate never exceeded 15% until 1990, but the growth in recycling was significant in the following years, with the 2018 recycling rate coming in at 32.1%. The following exhibits show the progress that has been made in ensuring trash, or municipal solid waste (MSW), does not all end up in a landfill: Municipal Solid Wate Recycling and Composting Rates:
SUSTAINABILITY RECYCLING
UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS, IMPACT, & CHALLENGES
It is clear that we have made a great deal of progress in normalizing the practice of recycling - in 2018, nearly 70 million tons of MSW was recycled! To give more insight into what exactly is being recycled, the below graph shows the percentage of waste recycled by material
Total Municipal Solid Wate Recycling by Material, 2018 –69.1 Million Tons
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
WHY DOES IT HELP?
Recycling helps the environment by reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills, conserving natural resources, preventing pollution, and reducing the emission of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) that worsen the effects of climate change. It helps the economy by representing a domestic source of materials, saving energy, and supporting American manufacturing.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES TO RECYCLING EFFORTS?
Although most Americans report that they want to recycle, there is widespread confusion about what can and cannot be recycled, leading to recyclable materials ending up in trash carts and waste ending up in recycling carts. In addition, for the materials that are properly recycled, domestic markets are not currently strong enough to absorb all the material that is being produced. Historically, much of the recycled material produced by the United States was shipped overseas; however, changes in international policies and economic conditions have limited that outlet. Until markets in the United States are more developed, recycling efforts will not be fully optimized.
TIPS FOR RECYCLING BETTER
It is always best to consult the recycling practices in your local municipality, as what constitutes a “recyclable material” can be slightly different depending on your location. That said, the following general tips should be considered when recycling regardless of location:
1. Bottles, cans, paper, and cardboard are generally accepted in all recycling programs.
2. Keep food and liquid out of your recycling (materials should be clean but do not need to be spotless).
3. Do not include loose plastic bags or bagged recyclables in recycling.
4. Many plastics cannot be made into new products and the “recycling arrows” do not necessarily mean a container can be recycled (recycle plastics by shape – bottles, jars, jugs, tubs – and always check your local jurisdiction).
5. Don’t “wishcycle” – if you are unsure, it is most likely better to throw an item into the trash than risk contamination of sorted recyclables.
6. Consider reducing consumption and reusing items in addition to recycling – when using the “3 R’s” together, we can maximize our positive impact on the environment.
Recycling is a vital strategy in our overall efforts to build a more sustainable world – we have made great progress in recent decades, but opportunities still exist to continue to increase our recycling rate moving forward.
KUDOS
NEW HIRES, ANNIVERSARIES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Piper Electric
Top Student - Bailey Sishc, 3rd Year Apprentice
Top Student - Gabe Daurio, 1st Year Apprentice
RELCO
Domenic Fernandes, A.S. Degree in Business Admin
NEW HIRES
Crete United
Ron Gevry, VP of Operations, Central/West
Pro Tech Mechanical
Richard Trenbath, Operations Manager
Stanmark Electric
Aaron Valles, Jr. Estimator
RECENT PROJECT WINS
Crete Building Services, Orlando
Randy Marion Cadilac Dealership - $1,000,000+
Piper Electric
Project Chorro - $11.6M with good possibility of $500K in additional scope
Stanmark Electric
2840 Quitman St - $57,600
ANNIVERSARIES
Crete United
4 Years: Ashleigh Crow
1 Year: Cam Fenton
Pro Tech Mechanical
16 Years: Ryan Whiteside
10 Years: Dan Amaro
4 Years: Nick Sanchez
3 Years: Joe Martinez
3 Years: Pedros Silva
3 Years: Juan Zapata
Stanmark Electric
11 Years: Danielle Kelley
3 Years: Alex Seymour
TraMar
24 Years: Mike
22 Years: TJ
12 Years: Dallas
12 Years: Adam
8 Years: Jeremy
2 Years: Hilary
1 Year: Misael
ED ANTICI: ESTEEMED ENGINEER & COMMUNITY LEADER
MSS
Edwin “Ed” Antici is a dedicated and respected professional engineer with a career spanning decades, currently serving as an HVAC Estimator at MSS since 2005. At 87 years old, Ed is a proud family man, married to Madeline since 1961, with six children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. His commitment extends beyond work; he has been the Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Shreveport Council 1108 for 30 years and a long-standing member of St. Pius X Church. Ed’s diligence, loyalty, and respected presence make him a remarkable figure both in his industry and his community.
CREW OF THE MONTH! PIPER
ELECTRIC
This month, we congratulate Piper Elctric’s Owens Corning Shingle Manufacturing Crew for earning Crew of the Month! They successfully upgraded the facility’s control system, completing the project under budget and on schedule despite its complexity. Their dedication and efficiency set a high standard for excellence in every project. Great job to all involved!
THE KEY TO SUCCESS PRO
TECH MECHANICAL
In Pro Tech Mechanical’s ongoing commitment to growth and excellence, their bi-weekly PM training sessions are still going strong!
CBS DRIVES FUN AT LOEWS GOLF TOURNAMENT CRETE BUILDING SERVICES
Crete Building Services had a fantastic day at the Loews Hotels Golf Tournament, where CBS proudly served as a Gold sponsor. The team relished every moment, from offering refreshing beverages to adding excitement with the GOLF BALL CANNON!
TOPGOLF AND GOOD TIMES RELCO
The RELCO appreciation event at Topgolf proved to be a resounding success, delighting all attendees with a lively atmosphere and engaging activities. While some crews were unable to join us due to ongoing project commitments, their dedication and contributions were greatly appreciated and missed during the event.
HANDS-ON SAFETY MAJOR
MECHANICAL
The Annual Safety Meeting at Major Mechanical was a success, emphasizing their commitment to safety with training on essential topics like Fall Protection and Hazard Communications. Hands-on sessions allowed employees to practice using safety equipment firsthand. Moving forward, Major Mechanical aims to prioritize safety through knowledge, vigilance, and proactive measures, ensuring a secure and empowered workplace for all.
SWINGING FOR SUCCESS
CSI was thrilled to sponsor the Adams Five Star Schools Education at the Five Star Classic held at Topgolf. For over 30 years, the Five Star Education Foundation has been the nonprofit partner of Adams 12 Five Star Schools, funding inclusive opportunities that prepare students for their future.
NATIONAL HVAC TECH DAY
PRO TECH MECHANICAL
Pro Tech Mechanical celebrated National HVAC Tech Day a day early with a delicious breakfast to recognize the Service Team’s outstanding contributions.
SAFETY TOPIC
NATIONAL LIGHTNING AWARENESS WEEK
LIGHTNING SAFETY
This week is National Lightning Safety Awareness Week. During LSAW, we at Crete United reflect on the significant progress made since the initiative began, reducing U.S. lightning fatalities from the average 55 deaths per year to less than 30. This improvement underscores the importance of heightened awareness and proactive safety measures. We encourage everyone to educate themselves on lightning safety and take necessary precautions when thunderstorms are imminent. Stay safe and informed!
LIGHTNING FACTS
• The most dangerous times tend to be immediately before a storm hits and right as it moves away.
• About 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occur in the US each year.
• The US has averaged 51 lightning fatalaties per year over the last 30 years.
• Since the first Lightning Safety Awareness Week, the number of annual lightning deaths has dropped to almost half.
• Only about 10% of people struck by lightning are actually killed. The other 90% must cope with varying degrees of discomfort and disability, sometimes for the rest of their lives.
• The vast majority of lightning victims each year are typically male.
DO’S AND DON’TS
DO
• Go inside when you hear thunder or see lightning
• Find a sturdy house, building, or car with a hard-top roof
• Stay indoors for at least 30 minutes after you last hear thunder
DONT
• Retreat to dugouts, sheds, pavilions, picnic shelters, or other small structures
• Use or touch electronics, outlets, or corded phones
• Go under or near tall trees, swim or be near water, be near metal objects or windows
For more information about lightning safety please visit this link: National Lightning Safety Council
HUMAN RESOURCES
Designed for use by both employees and partners, this new tool aims to streamline communication and centralize all event requests. Once submitted your request will be reviewed and somone from the Marketing team will be in touch with you shortly.
TELEHEALTH FOR WHEREVER YOU ARE
Not feeling well? Skip the wait, avoid the drive and get care sooner with telehealth from Lyric. Services are free to you and any member of your immediate family — even if they’re not on your medical plan.
Whether you’re at home or travelling this summer, you have convenient and easy access to:
• Virtual Urgent Care: Get 24/7 on-demand appointments with licensed physicians and pediatricians. They can diagnose and treat common conditions such as allergies, cold/flu, rashes and more, as well as prescribe medication.
• Virtual Counseling: Licensed therapists can provide support for a range of mental health concerns such as stress/anxiety, depression and substance abuse. Virtual psychology and psychiatry services are also offered for a fee.
• Virtual Veterinary Care: Through GoLexi, Lyric’s 24/7 pet care service, you can schedule consultations with licensed veterinarians. Ask questions, get a second opinion and discuss behavioral issues, training and wellness.
To schedule a virtual visit for yourself or your pet, call 866-223-8831 or visit portal.getlyric.com. You can also download the free “Lyric Health” app Health plan or provider questions?
We’re here to help. Call 888-326-7401, Option 2.
PARTNER RESOURCES
