The Unified Group hosted their owners in the beautiful Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, for the 2024 Annual Meeting and Owners' Forum! The event provided ample opportunities for both group discussions and networking, resulting in a time that was not only enjoyable and memorable but also incredibly productive for all attendees.

Gary Griffin of B&I Contractors kicked off day one as our meeting MC. A major highlight on the first morning included The Unified Group rolling out their Core Values. These will be emphasized and incorporated into all future meetings moving forward. Stacy Shiflet from Blauch Brothers then delivered an important presentation on Fraud Awareness and Rationalization. He focused on valuable insights into identifying potential red flags and understanding the importance of vigilance in protecting organizations.

“Being new, all of it was a highlight. It was apparent from day one that this is a group that’s dedicated to making everyone feel welcome and comfortable to share their ideas and thoughts,” stated Danielle Lang of Glassman Corporation.

This year, we’ve seen so many remarkable experiences in Members visiting one another! Gary Myers of Intech Mechanical shared some of the highlights and valuable takeaways from these visits, showcasing the connections and collaborations within the group. 

Garrett Alstrup of Legacy Mechanical shared, “I love seeing these visits posted on social media and seeing them shared in the newsletter. I personally have had great take aways from our visit with Gary Myers.” 

Our next day started out with 2024 Forum recaps followed by the Company Culture and Core Values panel discussion. Our panelists discussed what they are currently doing to build a successful company culture and how their organizations show employee appreciation. Members also broke out into smaller groups for a Strategic Plan Breakout. “The breakout table discussions are always enriching,” said Pansy Romo of Intech Mechanical. “The diversity of experience across the groups of table attendees is priceless.”

On the last day of meetings, Mike Kerner of Cox-Powell shared about working with XOi Technologies, Garrett Alstrup of Legacy Mechanical presented on BuildOps, and Carol Duncan of General Sheet Metal spoke about Open Book Management. These Best Ideas are a great segment to show what other companies have been implementing to accomplish tasks in their workplace. 

 “One of the many great things about this group is that when you share one of your challenges, the other people at the table get very engaged to help you with solutions, with as much care and consideration as if it was their own company,” Kevin Cowley of Mechanical Service & Systems stated. 

After the 2024 Annual Meeting, members of The Unified Group returned with stronger connections, fresh ideas, and a renewed sense of unity.

Upcoming forums include Service Management, BIM/Prefab, and Small/Special Projects. If you’re interested in learning more about attending a meeting or becoming a member of The Unified Group, contact Janet Kelleher at KelleherJ@TheUnifiedGroup.com.