DENVER — The Unified Group’s 2025 Safety Forum brought nearly 20 HVAC industry leaders from across the nation to Denver last month to discuss fostering a genuine safety culture, defining and upholding non-negotiable safety standards, promoting mental health resources and more.
“The highlight of this forum was reconnecting with this group and getting their unique insights, as well as knowing we are not alone in our struggles and frustrations,” Melissa Melendez of Intech Mechanical said.
On day one, Becca Auen, licensed professional counselor and certified clinical anxiety treatment professional, led a powerful session on mental health in the workplace. Her session focused on handling distressing calls, keeping composure while deescalating tense situations, having the right mental health resources available, and taking the appropriate next steps when challenges arise.
Auen’s session sparked meaningful, open discussion among members about how to better recognize and respond to mental health challenges within their teams. Participants shared their own experiences, strategies and ideas for creating safer, more supportive work environments, emphasizing that prioritizing mental health isn’t just important, it’s essential to strong leadership and company culture.
“Getting to look at challenges from different perspectives provided valuable information and insights,” said Tammy Barnes of Blauch Brothers.
Day two of the forum began with small group discussions on managing distractions, which included exploring how to decrease risk and increase performance. Panels that day included “One Safety Policy, Two Worlds: Aligning Standards for Service & Construction,” “EMR/Workmans Comp” and “Establishing Disciplinary Pathways for Employee Violations.”
One of the highlights was a presentation on how to identify and empower “safety champions” in the field and office, by J&J Air Conditioning’s Frank Quintanar, Chris Sandoval and Alejandro Cortes. Jon Whitehurst of Cox-Powell and Ken McFadden of Legacy Mechanical presented on how to develop clear disciplinary pathways for employees and what effective corrective action looks like, which was another vital topic of the day.
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“Exchanging best ideas and what works for others is always super beneficial,” said Erica Peet of VHV Company of the safety forum. “It gets me excited to go back to work and start using some of these suggestions.”
The Unified Group’s 2025 Safety Forum reinforced attendees’ shared commitment to building safer, stronger workplaces. Upcoming forums include Design Build, Service Management and the Annual Meeting and Owners’ Forum.
