ACR round table spawns new org

[Beth n Rod]

This was an exciting weekend in PA. Yesterday after the ACR round table Tom & Barbara Vogel were gracious enough to open up their shop and allow a group of business owners from all over the country to meet and discuss the future of our industry. The meeting continued into today. While we do not have all of the details worked out at this time, what we do have is the drive and desire to create a new organization, something timely, that is very much needed today.

One thing was clear to us all as we talked. We want, and need to hear from anyone who has ideas, suggestions or the desire to help.

I'm sure those who attended will be glad to chime in.

Beth

[Douglas Hicks]

OK, I'll chime in. I will probably not join your org, but a strong org in PW, will be a benefit to me even if I do not join you. A good org will show that pw work as a whole is an honorable & worthy proffession. One of the problems with some of the orgs I belong to is that membership is open to almost anyone. This includes those who do crap work & do not adhere to whatever standard the org claims to espouse. There needs to be some kind of disipline available, even to the point of removal of certain indivduals/companies. To do that, you need to be able to prove low quality work and lack of ethics.

In Grease Police Association, we have chosen to rely on pictures of work performed.

Congratulations on the new start-up.

The above is my opinion, and does not reflect on any professional org I belong too.

[PA Dutchman]

Originally Posted by Beth n Rod

This was an exciting weekend in PA. Yesterday after the ACR round table Tom & Barbara Vogel were gracious enough to open up their shop and allow a group of business owners from all over the country to meet and discuss the future of our industry. The meeting continued into today. While we do not have all of the details worked out at this time, what we do have is the drive and desire to create a new organization, something timely, that is very much needed today.

One thing was clear to us all as we talked. We want, and need to hear from anyone who has ideas, suggestions or the desire to help.

I'm sure those who attended will be glad to chime in.

Beth

Best of luck to you. I lost interest when I read "see you in the spring".

[FCPWLLC]

Thanks to Tom and Barbara for allowing a free flow of ideas even if they aren't sugar coated. LOL

Continue the talks as long as Contractors interests are always priority to increase professionalism and raise the bar for us all.

[Beth n Rod]

Originally Posted by PA Dutchman

Best of luck to you. I lost interest when I read "see you in the spring".

Gary-

Don't confuse constraints on the number of people that ACR can accommodate in their building with the new organization or what is being done. You are very welcome to participate.

Beth

[A C F]

I was there for the Saturday part. I feel the group had the "proper approach" for getting things up and running.

With that in mind I will try to help if someone feels there is a something I can do. Bear in mind, I have just finished my first season.

[PressurePros]

I just posted more than I am willing to post here on my contractors only section of my forum. I will reiterate one statement because I heard it mentioned several times..

"The new leader needs to be non controversial"

Show me a true leader that is non controversial. Sheep and cattle are non controversial. A leader by his or her very virtue is going to be innovative and want to take action. This never sits well with everyone because people are inherently afraid of change. If nothing changes.. nothing changes. I'll rally behind anyone that stands up and says "this is how the other org messed things up and here is my approach to do it differently"

Tom definitely has the fervor to take that stance.

As was stated by several, the org is going to need to sell itself on benefits. What Michael was trying to say, in my opinion was misconstrued. I knew where he was coming from. He, like all of us, willl shy away from another org that does things "business as usual". I was going to volunteer what my skillset has become..internet marketing but, after the statements that alluded to those that conduct business on the internet as "bottom feeders" I was a little disenchanted to make any type of commitment or commentary.

[Mathew Johnson]

Well said Ken...

I missed the meeting both Sayurday and Sunday, but I am sure they have a nucleus of people that have prior Org expierence to get this up and running.

Good Luck To ALL!!!

[John Orr]

I'd like to say "Thanks!" to Tom and Barbara for hosting another great Roundtable. I'm very much looking forward to the next days and weeks as details of the proposed new org take shape. Please keeps your ideas and concerns coming - no one has a desire to repeat the mistakes of the past.

[mbryan]

Focus on quality, and do not allow those who perform shoddy work to join, and remove unethical contractors from your org when they are found out, and I think you will go a long way.

If you build on a strong foundation, it may take longer, but your organization will be stronger for it. The reason the current orgs are failing is they allow anyone who can meet their low requirements join. Be the best and accept only the best, and never waiver from your goal.

I think Ken is right that you need somebody that is innovative and not afraid to stand up and say what he feels. Maybe not necessarily as the President, but as somebody who the President answers to. You need someone who is always keeping their eye on the goal of your organization to snap you in to place if you get off track.

In any great society, the guy who dreamed the dream was rarely ever part of the group that actually managed. Christ had St. Paul, Alexander had the generals of the Macedonian Army, Thomas Paine had Thomas Jefferson. Look to history and you will see that you need a figurehead that has a dream and refuses to part with that dream for anything, and do yourself a favor and keep him out of the day to day management of your organization.

[Don Phelps]

The things that have been said on the phone so far about the gathering are in some ways, promising.....But disturbing in others. It's starting to sound more and more like disgruntled members of other orgs trying to exact their vengeance on old ghosts.

Is the agenda still being driven by personal greed or can anyone get past that?

I hope to hear from others in the days to come. Hopefully they will also have some good things to say about a more congenial host.

[Beth n Rod]

Originally Posted by Don Phelps

The things that have been said on the phone so far about the gathering are in some ways, promising.....But disturbing in others. It's starting to sound more and more like disgruntled members of other orgs trying to exact their vengeance on old ghosts.

Is the agenda still being driven by personal greed or can anyone get past that?

I hope to hear from others in the days to come. Hopefully they will also have some good things to say about a more congenial host.

To me it seemed much more like a group of people looking for a place to call home. People want to be helpful, they want to give something positive. Everyone is in business to make profit. Nothing wrong with that. There were former members and BOD members there yes, but that's to be expected. If they are not happy with the org they have now, they will naturally look for a new home. Mainly there were lots of ideas, concerns, and brainstorming going on. This is the first time in years the momentum has felt strong enough to me to really do this. It will take a long time to get to a place we all want it to be, but many hands make light the work....let's do this!

Beth

[Beth n Rod]

Originally Posted by PressurePros

I was going to volunteer what my skillset has become..internet marketing but, after the statements that alluded to those that conduct business on the internet as "bottom feeders" I was a little disenchanted to make any type of commitment or commentary.

I can understand your feelings on that if it were the case but I believe you took that statement out of context with what Mr. Hinderliter was saying. He was referring to the anonymous posters who create the trouble and not people like yourself who above board posters. I was paying keen attention to what this man has to say because he brings great experience and value to the table. His opinion of "bottom feeders" is no less valid than of those against low-ballers. It is the same thing.

Perhaps you should reconsider.

As far as your "mantra" as it was put on another bbs, I don't know where you got the negative impression about the email list. It was for the purpose of getting everyone involved who wanted to be. I handed around the paper myself and asked everyone I did to give the information. There was no bias nor was there any exclusion. I don't think you understood.
Anyone who wants to be involved can send us an email. There is no club of exclusivity and there will not be.
For the basis of the readers...Let's not go jumping to conclusions with little information. Ask questions to get your answers just as thoroughly as you would a customer to make sure you know all the facts.
It is quite easy to spread misinformation which contributes to unproductive interactions just to clear the air. This only makes things harder for the volunteers to get things accomplished.

There are plenty of folks who have a common desire for a new org due to the lack of one for the industry's representation. If you don't want one, step aside and let those who do get the work done. No one is making money off of this effort and it is purely voluntary so if you can help, you are most certainly welcome to.

Rod!~

[PressurePros]

Rod, you may have missed something Brian had replied when Beth had mentioned a section of TGS that would be hidden from public eye. He was asking if there was a way that only the email list gathered that day could participate in the forum discussion. (ie you sign up for the forum and if your email addy doesn't match the one in the database, you cannot get in). This conversation followed suit by someone asking if the same task could be achieved via IP exclusion. Rick P then mentioned dynamic name servers and said it couldn't be done. I'm sure you recall this portion of the discussion. I knew your email list was a non biased gathering of names, Rod. I was not even thinking of that list when I made my comment.

I do understand this was a brain storming session. These type of think-out-loud sessions will yield many outstanding, albeit unpolished, ideas. It takes someone to say, "nah that may not work and here is why, lets try this alternative". Secret Squirrel is my hot button for the other failed org. I'm probably overly sensitive to ANYTHING that resembles the old way of doing business.

I do want to help. My participation is going to be very limited. So is everyone's for the very fact that we own businesses. If someone can break this thing down into small tasks, maybe 100+ volunteers can each do something whether it be research, make phone calls etc. Perhaps compiling a definitive list of these tasks and asking for volunteers to complete this list is the first step to affirmative action.

Developing a national org from the ground is way out my skillset and financial capability. I'm like everyone else.. spoon feed me a digestible portion of this and I would be willing to do what I can.

[John Orr]

Originally Posted by Douglas Hicks

...One of the problems with some of the orgs I belong to is that membership is open to almost anyone. This includes those who do crap work & do not adhere to whatever standard the org claims to espouse. There needs to be some kind of disipline available, even to the point of removal of certain indivduals/companies. To do that, you need to be able to prove low quality work and lack of ethics.

This issue was discussed and I expect will be addressed.