Charleston, SC- Our first meeting of 2025, the Service Management Forum, was a great success, with over 40 attendees joining us. Everyone came ready to share, learn, and progress together. The event fostered meaningful discussions, setting a strong foundation for the year ahead. 

“This was my first time at this forum, and I have learned so much! As an introvert, it’s comforting to work within small teams and switch up throughout the day. It’s interesting to see that we have similar struggles between different companies regardless of how big or small and very comforting to see others willing to help,” stated Stacey Tejeda from Environmental Systems, Inc.

 To roll out our first day of meetings, we had our guest speaker, Matt Phillips, a Leadership and Mental Toughness Coach. Matt engaged the group, focusing on equipping them to navigate challenges with confidence and resilience. His interactive program included three trainings: Intro to Mental Toughness and defining it, Build Your Stand, and Unleash Your Routines. To get started, tables discussed how they would define someone who is “Mentally Tough” and what type of people or group they think of and why. Sharing these across the room gave others different perspectives on what it means to them. Attendees then had the chance to write out their own stand, which was brainstorming behaviors, principles, and values that drive their day-to-day decision making. He had attendees form groups that will keep in touch to hold each other accountable to get their personal goals on track.  The second half of the day was spent having members share about KPI’s and Goal Setting and a panel discussion on Creating a High-Performance Culture.  

“Matt’s workshop was exhilarating! Being on a mental and physical self-improvement journey for the past two years, I especially enjoyed the 'Ethos, Build Your Stand' section of the Mental Toughness program,” said Chris Stokes of Air Controls. “This exercise helped us define who we are, allowing us to show up as our best selves for others. It provided a meaningful roadmap and a sense of purpose, making every day more intentional and fulfilled!” 

The last day of our meeting consisted of a mix of member shares, panel discussions, and a best idea implemented. We had three members presenting on Technician Authority: Angela Bedard with Environmental Systems, Inc., Jeff Forbes with Standard Plumbing & Heating, and Frank Quintanar with J&J Air Conditioning. Another highlight was JD Triplett from Cox-Powell Corporation sharing his Best Idea, Cox-Powell’s CARE (Customer Assurance Review Evaluation) Service® Preventative Maintenance plan, which they use to make sure that their customers are being taken care of.  

“As someone new to the HVAC industry, I’ve already gained a wealth of knowledge that will help me grow in this field. The discussions, networking, and overall energy of this group have been fantastic,” said Maya Taylor from Service Unlimited.  

Upcoming Forums include BIM/Prefab, Small/Special Projects, and Human Resources! If you are interested in learning more about attending a meeting or becoming a member of The Unified Group, contact Janet Kelleher at [email protected].