In this episode, Cotney Attorneys & Consultants CEO Trent Cotney gives an update on the latest happening with federal mandates that affect contractors. Cotney provides a refresher of each mandate and its current status for those who just can’t keep these ever-changing legal matters straight. Recently, the OSHA ETS was blocked by the Supreme Court, while the health care standard which requires vaccinations if you work in a place such as a hospital is still standing. However, there’s one more that has yet to be resolved: the Federal Contractor Vaccine Mandate, which required not only workers that are working in federal jobs have vaccines, but anyone who is working on that project including anyone working from home. Cotney says that contractors can expect additional legal arguments over this mandate. Cotney reminds contractors that they are not out of the woods yet. It’s important to stay aware and up-to-date to what mandates will affect our industry and how. Luckily for you there’s an easy way to do that. Just tune into this episode and our others with Cotney.

Steve Farkas, director of business development with CEMCO, sat down with WC for a long overdue conversation.

Farkas gives us the latest news with CEMCO and how they have changed their business model within the past two years, such as changing the way they do business to more national level based relationships opposed to regional or local.

“Because of the changes within the domestic steel mill having dropped a lot of capacity…has really caused us to strengthen our bonds with domestic steel manufacturers,” Farkas said.

In the midst of the current economic conditions, Farkas says CEMCO is focused on strengthening and building relationships and technological advancements in software.

Without giving away any secrets, Farkas shares with listeners what they can look forward to from CEMCO. He talks developing and altering product lines, trends he’s seen throughout his time in the industry, and how those give him an insight into the future of the industry.

And what does Farkas/CEMCO think the next decade of the construction industry looks like? Unfortunately, they foresee the labor shortage continuing to be a huge pressure.

“What we have seen as an initial response is an increase in panelization, modular type building…requiring a lot less labor on the jobsite.”

You can look forward to seeing Farkas and the rest of the CEMCO team at INTEX this April in Texas.

By now we are sure you’ve met Walls & Ceilings’ Contractor of 2021, California Drywall. Headquartered in San Jose with satellite offices in San Francisco, Livermore, Santa Clara and Atwater, California Drywall definitely keeps busy. W&C Editor John Wyatt and Associate Editor Hannah Belloli talked with President and Owner of California Drywall, Steve Eckstrom, on what this honor means to him and his team.

“To be named the best of the year…I feel a lot of pride in that,” Eckstrom tells W&C. 

As Cal Drywall celebrates its 75th anniversary, Eckstrom discusses what it means to stay up-to-date as a contractor after all that time. And being in Silicon Valley as Eckstrom is, there is tremendous pressure to stay ahead of the curve.

Not only do you need to be on top of your game or the latest technology, you have to be on top of your trade and your craft, or you’ll get left behind. And when that happens, Eckstrom says, it’s hard to catch back up.

Eckstrom also shares some of Cal Drywall’s exciting prospects and plans for 2022, the construction tech he is currently excited about, and what he thinks the future of the wall and ceiling contractor looks like.

The U.S. Supreme Court weighed in on the vaccine mandate ETS proposed by the Biden Administration, and more legal challenges are likely ahead. Trent Cotney, CEO of Cotney Attorneys & Consultants, breaks down what contractors need to know in this episode.

Starting the year off right could be a matter of making the right decision at just the right time. Trent Cotney, CEO of Cotney Attorneys & Consultants, shares his top tips for what contractors should focus on as we kick-off 2022 in this episode.

Even with over 40 years in the spray foam industry, Tom Harris isn’t comfortable with the term “expert.” He’d refer to himself as a seasoned veteran of the polyurethane foam industry. Yet, it’s undeniable that he possesses great knowledge on the subject, knowledge that our industry could benefit from.

Harris joins WC’s John Wyatt and Hannah Belloli to talk about his journey with the industry and how he ended up where he is today. He shares his observations of the industry over the years, some of the common mistakes he still sees contractors making today, and highlights how the design community needs our support. You can learn more about what’s to come for the spray foam industry (HINT: a training program for every person involved in the spray foam process), and more by tuning in. 

In April of 2022, the High Performance Insulation Professionals (HPIP) are bringing the industry an Insulation Career Fair & Training Expo. And WC Publisher Jill Bloom and Associate Editor Hannah Belloli chatted with Apryl Simmons, Apprenticeship & Credentialing Coordinator at Serrato Corporation, Greg Kurdna, President at Henges Insulation, and Emily Bremmon, Operations Manager at HPIP, to get the inside scoop on what you can expect at the event. The event, that’s training mixed with the opportunity for job seekers to come and interview and network with employees looking to hire (or those interested in training) is an event for a contractor at any stage of his career. And good news, Greg Kudrna is hiring. The three also discuss why the insulation industry is a good career choice. Not only is it year round work, but there is potential to make an incredible amount of money. Learn more about the event and where to register by tuning in! Visit insulationtraining.org for more on HPIP.