We hope you’re enjoying your subscription to The NEWS. Visit us online at www.achrnews.com for daily news updates and the latest product information.

North American Technician Excellence (NATE) is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2012 by offering 15 percent off of all NATE merchandise including apparel, hats, chevrons, patches, decals, and accessories through Dec. 31, 2012.

As the nation’s largest industry-endorsed, non-profit certification organization for HVACR technicians, NATE reports an ever-increasing number of industry professionals recognizing the value of its certification. Currently, nearly 30,000 technicians hold an active NATE certification, with 20 percent of these technicians holding multiple certifications. According to the certification organization, NATE was created by the HVACR industry and has thrived as a result of ongoing support from all areas of the industry including manufacturers, distributors, contractors, technicians, educators, and utilities.

“Over the past 15 years, NATE has been committed to elevating the industry by certifying technician excellence,” said Don Frendberg, chairman of the NATE Board of Trustees. “NATE is the only certification organization developed and supported by the entire HVACR industry, and our ongoing efforts will ensure continual quality service and installation.”

To purchase discounted NATE merchandise, visit the NATE Store and use the promo code “15ANN.”

NATE would like your feedback on certification and recertification. Take the survey and then let NATE know what they can do to help.

For more information, contact DAnaman@natex.org.

Looking for a new way to advertise your NATE certification to the consumer? With a little help from NBC, consumer awareness of NATE certification continues to grow. A “Today” Show segment contributed to the ever-increasing numbers of homeowners who understand the importance of working with NATE-certified technicians.

The feature, which aired in July, focused on the competency and honesty of a/c technicians. Using a hidden camera to monitor the servicing of an a/c unit at a New Jersey residence, Jeff Rossen of NBC’s Rossen Reports assessed several area companies. Although the a/c system was fully functional with the exception of a simple broken wire, all six companies that inspected the unit attempted to charge the homeowner for unnecessary repairs.

While the findings of the hidden camera test are disturbing for the HVACR industry, the segment and corresponding article encouraged homeowners to hire one of the country’s countless trustworthy a/c companies. One of the key suggestions for finding a trained and competent professional was to use the contractor locator on NATE’s consumer website.

“Although the subject matter of this segment is alarming, this issue is the background for why NATE exists – to verify the competency and conduct of NATE-certified technicians and consequently the air conditioning contractors who employ them,” explained Don Frendberg, chairman of the NATE Board of Trustees. “As we continue our consumer awareness efforts, which are designed to help elevate the industry, we hope to educate as many homeowners as we can about the importance of working with qualified contractors who employ NATE-certified technicians.”

Watch the segment here.

You’ve done the hard work to become NATE certified and now it is time to let your customers know. Head to www.natex.org and click on the “Resource Center” tab at the top. Move down the list and click on “Marketing Materials.” There you will find eight resources and a downloadable video to help you professionally brag on the NATE certifications that set you apart from the competition. New marketing materials will be added in the coming months as well. Be sure to check back often!

Denny Smith, Ph.D., is the new director of certification at NATE. Selected by the board of trustees and a selection committee, Smith will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of NATE testing and certification. His primary responsibility will be leading the evaluation, development, and modification of NATE exams, ensuring they are always valid, reliable, and up-to-date as the industry evolves and technology changes. As part of this role, Smith will be NATE’s staff liaison on the NATE technical committee, which is comprised of more than 20 appointed industry professionals and over 70 subject matter experts who volunteer their time to collaborate on the exam development process.

Prior to joining the NATE team, Smith served as president and CEO of Certified Fund Raising Executives International, an organization dedicated to the certification of international fundraising executives. He also held previous roles at Pearson, the largest testing and assessment provider in the United States; the Financial Planning Standards Board, an association focused on certification of financial planners worldwide; and Project Management Institute, which offers global certification for project managers. Throughout his career, Smith has gained extensive expertise in ANSI/ISO/IEC assessment practices, exam development, psychometric analysis, volunteer engagement, and certification from a global perspective.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Denny as our new director of certification,” said the NATE Board of Trustees. “His experience makes him an ideal candidate for this position, and we’re confident that he will be a valuable addition to the NATE team.”

For more information, visit www.natex.org.

It is important to keep all of your personal information current with NATE including your email, home address, and employer information. This is how we stay in contact, and inform you of new information pertaining to NATE. If you don’t update your employer information when you switch jobs, you can’t be approved for the consumer contractor technician listing. The NATE certification belongs to you, so make sure you update your information to take full advantage of it.

To update your information, log on to www.natetesting.com, click “Candidates” and use your NATE ID and PIN or log in with your MyNATE username and password.

It’s important to keep your NATE certification up to date and to continue working towards new certifications. To help, NATE recently offered "Testing Center" and "Training Center" decals to all of its partners. The organization is encouraging contractors and technicians to keep an eye out for the NATE decals to find testing and training organizations in their areas.

"Our goal is to help connect interested contractors and technicians with NATE-affiliated organizations," said NATE.

Make sure you look for an organization displaying the decal today!

Technicians
To find a NATE testing organization
 
To find NATE training resources
 
Information on NATE recertification
 
Contractors
To sign up for the free NATE contractor locator as featured on
www.hvacradvice.com click here
 
To update your listing (recommended at least twice a year) click here
 
To visit the NATE consumer web site http://www.hvacradvice.com