A Record Breaker

The 2024 NAEC Spring Educational Conference welcomes its biggest crowd to date.

The National Association of Elevator Contractors’ (NAEC) 2024 Spring Educational Conference welcomed its largest crowd to date when it met April 14-17 at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Miramar Beach, Florida. Amid sunny, temperate days, the 315 attendees enjoyed robust education sessions, two golf tournaments, several networking-heavy receptions and more in a relaxed and lush setting along the Gulf Coast.

The family-friendly event was organized strategically, allowing for a large amount of education, while keeping blocks of time free for recreational activities like biking along the boardwalk, walking along the beach or sharing a cocktail with a colleague. The 18 education sessions offered ranged in topic from market trends and mergers and acquisitions to code updates and troubleshooting. According to NAEC Executive Director Rená Cozart, the conference offered more continuing-education credits than ever before, with eight CET® credits, four CAT® credits, one safety credit and 0.7 QEI credits.

From the Welcome Reception to the Dregs Party, spirits were high. Long-time industry experts were able to catch up with old friends while also getting to know the many newcomers on hand. According to NAEC President Sean Madden, “the conference is a great time to learn from one another.” NAEC National Development Officer Lori Wolking agreed, adding that the enthusiastic participation of the attendees and sponsors made this year’s event a resounding success.

Sunday, April 14

As usual, the Spring Conference began with a slow wind-up Sunday afternoon. Registration and hospitality opened at 11 a.m., allowing attendees most of the day to come by and pick up their name badges, enjoy a cup of coffee and a snack and shake the hands of other arrivals. By 3 p.m., concurrent Supplier Member, Associate Member and Contractor Member sessions got underway. They were followed by a well-attended Accessibility and Residential Committee meeting that was open to all.

The evening’s Welcome Reception was held outside on the Grand Lawn and sponsored by Kohtler Elevator. Veronica Querales, Kohtler’s CEO, welcomed the large crowd to the conference and the reception, encouraging them to enjoy the evening. The resounding applause she received was an indication that she needn’t worry – enjoyment was already underway. The food was plentiful and included Gulf Coast fare the likes of Gulf shrimp, mashed sweet potatoes, skirt steak, myriad salads and banana pudding. Drinks and music flowed well beyond the impressive sunset. Some of us stayed later than expected thanks to engaging conversations that made exiting a slow process.

Monday, April 15

At Monday morning’s Opening Breakfast, Cozart announced that the more than 300 fully registered attendees were “breaking all NAEC records.” She thanked breakfast sponsor The Peelle Co. before introducing a new NAEC promotional video highlighting the upcoming United 2024 convention to be held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in September.

Cozart introduced Madden, who delivered the first of the morning’s two keynote addresses. He began his State of the Association address by announcing the new NAEC officers who would begin their tenure in September at United. They are:

• Bill McGrath – president elect
• Amy DiPaolo – vice president
• Travis Carlisle – secretary
• Anita Seymour – treasurer
• Blake Pilgrim – vice treasurer

Madden then asked all committee members to stand and be recognized. He acknowledged the membership committee, saying they signed up 30 new NAEC members in the last 75 days. “It’s great to see people volunteer their time and talent,” Madden said.

He pointed to some of NAEC’s newest programs and committees, including QEI, NexGen and Women in Motion, as evidence that NAEC has “momentum.” “With the NAEC staff, we have so much happening now,” he said, adding: 

“This is NAEC’s 75th anniversary and having a strategic plan has helped to guide our growth and focus us for the future. A new strategic plan is in the works and will begin being implemented in the next few months.”

Madden was followed by the EW President T. Bruce MacKinnon, who presented the State of the Industry. He highlighted results from a recent EW survey of the U.S. industry (p. 110), along with other research, which painted a picture of a steady industry and reason for optimism. Amid cheers from the crowd, he declared the current state of the industry as “good.” He touched on hot-button topics such as AI, IoT, private equity, skills shortages, wage increases and education and training programs, but managed to keep things light and the crowd laughing by interspersing photos of his dogs into his PowerPoint presentation. Wolking closed out the breakfast with applause for sponsors and information on how to get involved in United 2024.

Education sessions commenced shortly after breakfast, with one of the first two sessions led by Smart Elevator Tech’s Margaret Lourenço, who discussed “Pit Ladders and Access Safety.” Lourenço explained the new A17.1/CSA B44 2022 Elevator Code requirements for pit ladders, reviewed existing requirements and provided suggestions on how to inspect for compliance. She also addressed ongoing areas of safety concern in accessing pits and mechanisms to address them. Held concurrently next door, “Market Trends” were covered in depth by Vantage Elevator Solutions’ Dan Walsh and Daniel Baltzegar.

After a short coffee break, the day’s second set of education sessions kicked off. “Door Lock Monitoring” was led by Baltzegar. He discussed the challenges associated with the retrofitting of Door Lock Monitoring to existing elevators and the different technologies that have been applied. He touched on the safety code and the prudent design characteristics associated with these monitoring systems, along with the associated requirements of ASME A17.1 and A17.3.

Risk Strategies’ Luke Shipp and Trey Walker discussed “Why Risk and Safety Matter.” To a packed room, they talked about the importance of risk management and the direct and indirect costs to your business. They stressed how having a defined safety plan for workers’ compensation, auto liability and general liability can help position a business and its employees for success in today’s environment.

The rest of the day was reserved for the Official Golf Tournament held at the Links Course on the grounds of the Sandestin Resort. Attendance and enthusiasm were high for the popular conference pastime, and the weather was near perfect, as well. Combined, it made for a good time, no matter how well you were hitting that day.

Tuesday, April 16

Tuesday promised a full day’s worth of education. Ten sessions were spread throughout the morning and afternoon, including five leadership sessions and five technical sessions that offered continuing-education credit. The morning sessions kicked off with John Curzon’s “Why Your Brand Matters,” which took a fun, insightful look into the world of brand-building. He gave examples of marketing campaigns that worked and some that didn’t to help illustrate the power of catchy wording, use of color, font choice and more. The interactive session was lively and packed. Concurrently, Wurtec’s Terry Rodebaugh presented “Residential Elevator Emergency Two-Way Communications.” Rodebaugh reviewed the potential risks associated with not providing proper communications equipment and service, while comparing and contrasting residential and commercial requirements.

Following a short coffee break, two more sessions commenced. “A18.1 Code Update – 2023” led by Handi-Lift, Inc.’s Doug Boydston covered the changes made in the 2023 version of the ASME A18.1 standard. Next door, Santiago Arambula of relayr discussed “The Rise of Connected Elevators; Propelling Reliability and Efficiency.” Arambula stressed the growing importance of connectivity because of increased urbanization and an aging population. He touched on the potential impact of AI on the future of elevator service and the growing interest in IoT-powered systems.

The last two sessions before lunch drew big crowds. Presenters Jeff Eaton of Lift Business Advisors, Inc. and Dominik Sachsenheimer of Maven Group, LLC teamed up to give a comprehensive overview of “Merger & Acquisition Trends in the Elevator Industry.” They touched on valuation, deal structure, prepping your business for your eventual exit, and some of the differences between selling to an OEM versus a private-equity buyer. Meanwhile, Chris Strawn of ESTS was helping his audience understand the two options for testing fire alarm initiating devices under ASME A17.1 and NFPA 72 in his session, “Testing FAID from Outside the Hoistway.”

Many attendees took to the quaint Baytowne Village for lunch. Offering a wide range of restaurants and boutiques along the waterfront, the village was walking distance from the conference building and became a town of elevator professionals as conference attendees met up for lunch or stopped along the streets and walking paths to chat with friends passing by. Being midweek and not quite the tourist season, it was peaceful and not especially crowded, making for a nice outdoor getaway before the afternoon sessions.

Christopher Short and Joe Jenson of Southern Elevator Co. kicked off the afternoon’s sessions with “Targeted Maintenance & Technology.” They explained how to leverage technology to maximize efficiency in maintenance agreements while providing transparent task-based customized maintenance programs. Ryan Coley of Rightway Elevator/AEG also presented to the after-lunch crowd with “Technical Troubleshooting and Sequence of Operation.” He focused on how the sequence of operation works, going through the step-by-step process of an elevator controller answering a call. He discussed how to troubleshoot each step and how to identify what is missing out of that sequence of operation. 

The final sessions of the day were delivered by Andrew Darnley of Nationwide Lifts and the Women in Motion committee. Darnley presented on “Door/Interlock Solutions for ¾ x 4 Code.” He reviewed a compilation of solutions available to address the residential elevator 3/4 x 4 code. He discussed various doors, interlocks and latching mechanisms. Meanwhile, the “Navigating Horizons: Women in Motion Roundtables” featured four discussion topics: work-life balance, adapting to marketing trends, fostering inclusive workplace culture and strategizing for customer loyalty. The lively session packed plenty of conversation, anecdotes, advice and no small share of laughs into an hour and a half.

The evening’s reception was conveniently held in the foyer area outside of the education session meeting rooms. Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails flowed as the crowd enjoyed a relaxing hour before heading off to dinners on their own for the evening.

Wednesday, April 17

The Women in Motion committee held an early morning breakfast for those tough enough to wake up for it following a late night. The room was filled, and conversation was in surplus. Attendees stood and introduced themselves, many offering insight into their experiences in the industry and why being a part of Women in Motion mattered to them. Future meetings and discussion topics were announced. The meal ended with a requisite group photo.

Four education sessions Wednesday morning would round out the conference’s offerings. Cloud Monitoring’s Bali Harmath delved into AI and IoT and how they are revolutionizing elevator systems in his presentation titled, “Intelligent Elevators: Integrating AI and IoT for Smart Urban Mobility.” Concurrently, Brittany Brothers of SnapCab discussed “What Your Customers Are Saying: Transforming Unbiased Feedback to Sales Growth.” She discussed results of in-person interviews that revealed some harsh truths and winning strategies when it comes to cultivating relationships and delivering on promises.

After a brief coffee break, Formula Systems’ Cornelius Walls took to the stage to discuss “A17 2019/2022 Code Change for 3-D Door Protection” and how they are impacting the riding public and the industry as a whole. The final session of the conference was led by Chad Young of Elevator Strategic Hub. He discussed “How Business Operating Systems Take the Guesswork Out of What’s Next.” He said businesses need a dynamic playbook that allows for injecting energy into organizational vision, turbocharging communications and deploying powerful tools to revitalize structure, processes and overall performance.

Many played in the afternoon’s No Frills Golf Tournament held at the Sandestin’s Baytowne Course, while others chose to relax in anticipation of the evening’s Dregs Party. Held on the sandy shores of the resort’s marina, the casual bayside party featured fresh seafood, cocktails, music and games. It also brought together attendees of the Spring Conference and the NexGen Retreat, which would begin the following day. A final party for some and a first for others, the Dregs, as usual, did not disappoint.

Planning is already underway for next year’s Spring Educational Conference, which will take place March 16-19 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.