FOUR DAYS OF SNOW & ICE EDUCATION
Galvanize your team's industry expertise with SIMA's workshops and sessions for key roles in snow & ice
TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY
Download the app for a full schedule.
New in '24
Session Tracks
Each session has a color coded dot representing various roles in snow and ice and recommendations on experience level of the information being presented.
OPTION 1: Sales & Estimating Workshop
π΅π’π
Novice, Intermediate
Winning business in the snow and ice management industry requires precision-like focus on setting goals, knowing your numbers, choosing your ideal clients and building and presenting proposals to help you seal the deal. Learn all of this and more during this interactive workshop:
- Prospecting and Qualifying Leads - Marty Grunder, The Grow Group
- Estimating and Job Costing - David Gallagher, Spiritus Business Advisors
- Developing and Presenting Proposals - Andy Lakatosh, Inspire You
- Sealing the Deal + Bonus Sales Q&A - Michael Sloopka, Selling Solutions
OPTION 2: Hiring & Retention Workshop
π΅π π£
Novice, Intermediate
Consistently named as the #1 challenge in the snow and ice management industry, this workshop will cover the key topics that should be part of your hiring and retention efforts:
- Hiring Todayβs Team Members - Eddy Zakes, CSP, Earth Development; Amy Tincher and Allison McDowell, Rocky Fork Co.
- Interviewing Best Practices - Scott Lesak, CSP, Kasel Rocks Landscaping
- Onboarding and Training - Michael Vollmers, ASM, Iron Valley Equipment
- Engagement and Retention - Team Presentation
CLASSROOM SESSIONS
Jumping into making your own brine is a decision that shouldnβt be made lightly. Charles Glossop, CSP, has spent nearly 30 years refining his brine making operation. Heβll discuss the factors that should be considered to determine whether brine making is your next move.
Donβt dismiss the costs that go into adding brine making to your operations. Adding brine will require investments in labor, materials, equipment, storage and more. Mike McCarron will share how to identify and assess those costs and provide strategies to ensure you achieve a return on that investment.
If youβre going to invest in liquids, you need to make sure you know the science behind successful application strategies. Diana Clonch is a long-time consultant to the industry and will teach attendees how brine works, when it doesnβt, the importance of scenario planning, application and treatment options, common issues and how to troubleshoot if your first attempts donβt achieve your desired goals. Much of this class will be reinforced in the outdoor sessions.
OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES
-
Best practices for brine making
Jeremy Darling / JC Grounds Management
Learn the basics of how to make brine, including the tools and equipment that are needed, measurement tools, and quality control best practices.
-
Blending best practices and non-chlorides
Joe Cashin / Innovative Surface Solutions and Dave Lenz / Middlesex Ice Control
Salt brine only gets you so far β for enhanced performance youβll need to learn how to blend brine with other chemicals and explore the non-chloride options that are available to amp up performance.
-
Calibration
Outdoor Pride Landscaping
Brine is on board and your application rates are set. Confirm your equipment is spraying the correct rate by calibrating your equipment for optimum application.
-
Application best practices
Ryan Jackson, Zach Kulasa and Tyler Clemans / EMI
See application best practices in action. Weβll get equipment moving to show proper spray patterns, nozzle types, etc. to ensure youβre maximizing your investment and your service applications.
-
Equipment maintenance and safety
Alex Glossop / Hantho Farms
Extend your investment by making sure you safely know how to make the brine and how to maintain your equipment.
What Makes the Great Teams Great
Don Yaeger
Great teams understand their βwhy.β They feel collectively connected to a greater purpose. Learn how to constantly remind your players and employees of who they are in service of while being acutely aware of the downstream beneficiaries. The impact is often much more than the immediate customerβwhen we can connect and truly feel why what we do matters, it heightens the amount of discretionary effort we put into our tasks and responsibilities. The more a company creates βFeel-it Momentsβ or βMission Momentsβ for team members to understand their greater purpose, the better off the team will be when it comes to enduring any challenges along the way.
Sponsored by Caterpillar
Break the Blue Collar Stigma to Attract the Next Generation of Talent
π΅π£ | All
Mikayel Ter-Grigoryan, Just for Snow
CapX, Labor & ROI of Liquids
π΅π | Novice, Intermediate
Jordan Smith, Storm Equipment
Death & Destruction - Are You Ready for It?
π΅π π£ | All
Amanda Pruss, SIMA; Doug Freer, CSP, Blue Moose Snow; William Akehurst, Akehurst Landscape Service
Negotiate Your Way to Success
π΅π’π | All
Michael Sloopka, Selling Solutions
Team Productivity & Performance Management
π΅π | Novice, Intermediate
Rick Kier, CSP, Forge Ahead Consulting
Subbing Across State Lines
π΅π’π | Intermediate, Accelerated
Jeff Heller, CSP, Innovative Maintenance Solutions & Christopher Kolt, American Service Pros
Accounting for Inflation in Your Snow & Ice Business
π΅ | Novice, Intermediate
Sydney Smyers Conway, Know Your Worth Pittsburgh
Mergers & Acquisition in the Snow Industry
π΅ | Intermediate, Accelerated
Don Mahoney, CSP, ASM, Mahoney & Associates; Roger Zino, Socratic Dialog & David Hare, Kian Capital
Staff Accountability Secrets for Rapid Growth
π΅π’ | Novice, Intermediate
Danny Kerr, Breakthrough Academy
Reduce Salt without Reducing Service
π | Novice, Intermediate
Michael Wagner, CSP, ASM, Designscapes Colorado
Strive for a Win-Win with Property Managers
π΅π’π | All
Panelists TBD
How Much are Your Clients Worth?
π΅π’π | Novice, Intermediate
Doug Freer, CSP, Blue Moose Snow
Leadership Lab: Get Unstuck!
π΅π’π π£ | All
Christy Uffelman, CEO & Founder, EDGE Leadership Solutions
Tame the Chaos: SOPs for Overwhelmed Owners
π΅π’π π£ | Novice, Intermediate
Danny Kerr, Breakthrough Academy
Documentation: It's in the Details
π΅π’π π£ | Novice, Intermediate
Jenny Girard, ASM, RM Landscape
Improve Hiring with Tech & Flexibility
π΅π£ | All
Laura Means, Brian-Kyles Landscapes; Carlos del Pozo, Team Engine
Is Your Company Ready for a Business Management System?
π΅ | Novice
Stephanie Leveling, The Integra Group
From Team Member to Team Leader
π | Novice, Intermediate
Angel Campos-Chavez, Imageworks Landscaping; Jake Howard, ASM, Outdoor Pride Snow & Ice Management
Marketing Your Business to the Next Level
π΅π’ | Intermediate, Advanced
Darci Knowles, Darci Creative
Peer Talk with PA Snow Pros
π΅π’π π£ | All
Panelists TBD
New for 2024 are our βHow do I? β¦β mini-sessions. Hear quick tips covering these topics:
10:45 am
- Conduct an effective meeting π π΅π’π£
- Melt more in less time π
- Develop an onboarding program π΅π π£
- Build my brand π΅π’
11:10 am
- Conduct a job hazard analysis π
- Sell liquids to my property managers π’π
- Reduce the risk of an insurance claim π΅π’π π£
- Conduct a client lunch and learn π΅π’π
The Power of Women in Snow
π΅π’π π£ | All
Amanda Ochoa, Tricon Group; Jillian Burns, CSP, Burns Landscaping; & Katelin Pufnock, ASM, emi landscape
Emerging Climate Trends Impacting the Industry
π΅π | All
Frank Lombardo and Rob Reale, WeatherWorks Inc.
SIMA Foundation Research: Compensation & Benefits Survey
π΅π£ | All
Steve Wolf, WolfWorks Consulting
Build a Seasonal Staffing Plan
π΅π’π π£ | Novice, Intermediate
John Mocharko, Acacia Facility Services & Evan Tachoir, Consultant
Practical Approach to Using AI & Tech for Growth, Efficiency & Execution
π΅π’ | All
Patrick Baglien, Vue Robotics; Todd Reinhart, Reinhart Landscape & Snow; & Isaac Howell, Acacia Facility Services
Steve Lerch
Our collective culture and modern consumer behaviors are changing and evolving faster than at any other point in history. The way consumers spend their time, gather information, make purchases, communicate, and even the voices they trust look drastically different than they did even two years ago. If you expect to sell to these people, to influence these people, to form relationships with these people, you have to start by understanding them and understanding how to talk to them.