Organization: PCA

After a career spent overseeing the transformation of an industry, Jon Danuser retired from MCAA member Johnson Controls in June 2020. During his career, Jon was an active member of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Eastern Missouri (MCA-EMO), where he served in various leadership positions including board president. As Jon embarks on this new chapter in his life, he said, “What I am going to miss the most is all of the people I have had the privilege to work with and the customers we served over the years.”

When Jon joined Johnson Controls in 1978 as construction sales engineer, his job was estimating pneumatic thermostats, valves and copper tubing. At the time of his retirement as market director for the company in June 2020, he was overseeing the work of more than 250 people in Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois designing, maintaining and installing highly sophisticated building controls, fire alarm/suppression and security systems.

Digital Age Changes Everything

“The digital age changed everything,” Jon said. “I remember when they first introduced computers to manage just the HVAC systems; they were 32K and the size of a refrigerator and cost $50,000. Today they can operate a total building out of one panel. Also, technology and remote monitoring have totally altered energy management and maintenance. Technology is increasingly rapidly and has transformed everything.”

Association Reaps Benefits

A mechanical engineering graduate of the University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri University of Science & Technology), Jon enjoyed his association with the MCA of Eastern Missouri (MCA-EMO). He served as a member of the board from 2006 through March of 2020. He held various leadership positions over the years, including a stint as MCA-EMO board president from 2009 to 2011, and as treasurer before that.

“MCA-EMO is a great organization of industry peers,” Jon said. “I learned a lot about all aspects of our industry by being on the board. It was a great advantage to be able to interact with our leaders and future leaders over the years.”

According to Jeff Rush, P.E., president of Icon Mechanical Construction & Engineering, LLC and current president of MCA-EMO, “It’s been a privilege to work with Jon, both in the construction marketplace and as a board member of the MCA. Few people in our industry have been as involved or given more freely of their time to support the construction industry as he has. Jon always brings a depth of knowledge, friendly personality and positive approach that will be missed by all. Congratulations Jon on behalf of the MCA and thank you for the support you’ve shown the organization over the years.”

Labor Relationship Evolves

Jon also truly enjoyed working with members of the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 and seeing the dynamic growth of their relationship with management over the years. “Everyone has worked hard to improve relations between Local 562 and management, and to improve our industry as a whole. Working together we’ve also improved overall perceptions with our owners/customers.”

Jon served on the Joint Apprenticeship Committee for 10 years. “It was a very valuable experience,” he said. “Developing the labor force has been a source of pride for the whole organization, as evidenced through Local 562’s new training center.”

“What Jon did best was to look out for the entire industry,” said John O’Mara, business manager, secretary-treasurer for Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562. “He approached our relationship like a true partnership and the communications he brought to it was phenomenal. We didn’t always agree on everything, but we could always find some common ground. Jon was always about fixing the situation and making it right for both sides. He treated our members with respect and always made sure the workforce had what they needed. When you walk into a room, he’s one of those people you want to see. He always brings a breath of fresh air to the conversation.”

Expertise Yields Top Installations

“The whole industry has upped its game,” Jon added. “Our region has some of the highest technical and management levels in the country. The St. Louis region has a very high level of technical expertise and skilled labor ability that’s simply not available in other regions. Combined with a strong Midwestern work ethic, our industry is producing some of the top mechanical installations in the country.”

Investing in the Future

MCA-EMO also has benefitted from investing in the future. “I think the organization has done a great job of managing its finances and its business to improve its financial standing which allows it to invest in the future. “A prime example is the success of our student chapter at the University of Missouri-Columbia,” Jon said. “They have placed first in the national competition and consistently rank within the top Final Four teams in the nation. Sometimes our members get to recruit among these top students. It’s a win/win for everyone.”

Additionally, the MCA-EMO has raised its level of training, offering advanced courses for project managers, estimators and other professionals. “It’s been a 15-year work in progress, but I feel we’ve really turned the corner,” Jon added. “I believe our chapter’s training is now among the best in the country. The MCA-EMO board, committee members, leadership and staff have done a superior job of continuous improvement to better its membership.”

Beginning a New Chapter

Now that he’s retired Jon is enjoying time with his family and the “no stress” era he recently entered, although his blood pressure hasn’t dropped! “As soon as we can lock down this COVID-19 virus, I want to do some traveling. It’s the beginning of a new chapter in my life. What I am going to miss the most is all of the people I have had the privilege to work with and the customers we served over the years.”

MCAA wishes Jon all the best. We’ll miss you, too.

The UA is offering a free program open to all MSCA/MCAA contractors and UA members on residential plumbing. Learn how to pull back the blinders and navigate the service call through a holistic approach. Identify customer essentials and expectations. Is it a quick fix? Permanent solution? Prevention of future episodes? In this webinar attendees will learn an “all the above” approach on how to educate and provide customer driven solutions.

Additionally, metrics will be offered to measure appropriate delivery of customer service. Tactics for building consumer confidence during and after the service calls will be demonstrated.

August 26, 2020 from 10:00am – 12 PM EST 

https://zoom.us/j/97736243044
Meeting ID: 977 3624 3044

There is no pre-registration for this course. Attendance is limited to 300 people
and will be  on a first come, first serve basis. 

 

VIEW PROGRAM BROCHURE

MCAA Member Neptune Plumbing & Heating Co. has been named a Top Workplace by cleveland.com and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. This is the company’s first year on the list, which includes a record 175 honorees. Neptune is the only full-service plumbing company among them. Company co-Presidents Adam and Michael Wallenstein credit the company’s talent and culture for earning the recognition.

Neptune Plumbing relies on its talented, seasoned employees and strong corporate culture to create a work environment that doesn’t follow traditional molds.

By combining tradesmen best practices with cutting-edge technology for the field, Neptune Plumbing created a working environment – and employee experience – that uses plumbing innovations to build employee engagement, customer trust, and a professional advantage in a competitive market.

“This recognition is first and foremost because of our employees. Ever since this company started in my grandparents’ basement, we have values that we hoped our employees not only embraced, but believed in. Being named a Top Workplace in Northeast Ohio validates that,” said Neptune co-President Adam Wallenstein.

Neptune has served its community for over 60 years. The company uses plumbing innovation like CAD-design plumbing systems to meet the needs of its customers.

“I believe the way we embrace industry trends deserves a little bit of credit toward us making the list too. To have a 24/7 service department is crucial to our business. Having a Prefabrication Division makes us efficient when those calls come, but also gives our employees an added sense of pride in their work. Not a lot of businesses in our sector do what we do, the way we do it,” Wallenstein said.

“Our TRIDENT Core Values have shown through for quite some time now. This recognition – and the only one from the plumbing sector on the list – is proof our people are some of the best in the trade. And they prove it every single day with their attitudes, effort and integrity,” said Neptune co-President Michael Wallenstein.

Through values that have lasted three generations and employee opportunities to heighten capabilities in the industry, the Neptune Plumbing presidents credit the company’s talent and culture for making the list.

MCAA members are using new solutions, teamwork and creative problem-solving to approach fast-track COVID-19 projects in their communities. W.L. Gary Company, Inc., is just one example. The MCA of Metropolitan Washington, Inc. member played a role in expanding patient care facilities in Maryland.

Transforming a Parking Lot Into Critical Care Facility

W.L. Gary Company assisted in the installation of a STAAT Mod^TM Critical Care Unit in the parking lot of the Adventist Healthcare – Fort Washington Facility in Fort Washington, MD.

To activate the modular solution, sewer and water lines from the existing utilities had to be connected to the STAAT Mod^TM unit. The scope of work included excavating two lines that were connected to the utilities, running new four-inch lines to a point underneath the STAAT Mod^TM unit, and then testing, inspecting, and backfilling the lines.

Working through challenging weather and safety conditions, the W.L. Gary Company, Inc. team, led by Foreman Daniel Valdez, completed the work in less than a week.

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Converting Office Space Into Patient Rooms

W.L. Gary Company, Inc. also collaborated to transform four floors of hospital office space into additional patient rooms. The team spent and a half week on construction per floor, facing several challenges along the way.

One floor’s entire medical gas system was compromised and needed to be replaced. The team prepared new medical gas lines and replaced all of the outlets in one week, resulting in over 30 patient beds.

The building’s plumbing included galvanized pipe and cast-iron drain lines that needed to be cleared and repaired to avoid future issues with the building’s restrooms.

Service elevators were shared with hospital staff and patients. To mitigate the possibility of contracting COVID-19, W.L. Gary Company, Inc. followed appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and safety precautions. Team members avoided areas with coronavirus-positive patients, and an air-scrubber was installed to avoid any cross-contamination.

Steamfitters Local Union 602 member Travis Jackson, a foreman and service technician for W. L. Gary Company, Inc., juggled manpower, supplies, client expectations, and an accelerated schedule to make the project a success. Challenges were addressed as they arose, with all parties collaborating to create effective solutions for each.

Efforts like this one and those of many other MCAA members showcase the importance of teamwork in helping our communities cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re all in this together.