Field Exams – TOTAL of 52 written exams, THIS IS A RECORD!!!
This is more than the previous two years of Field Exams at the Sprayfoam Conventions! SPECIAL THANKS TO THE SPONSORS WHO MADE THIS HAPPEN .
*Breakout Sessions are eligible for 1 Continuing Educational Unit in PCP. Be sure to complete a survey and turn in the paper to get the credit that you’ll need for recertification.
The Field Exams had a line forming well before 8 a.m. on the first day and a lot of walk-ups, in addition to plenty of people taking tours. The tours were new this year, and were informational and convenient, as the Field Exams were being held right outside in the parking garage and adjacent area. Here is what some of the participants and organizers had to say....
"So far, the Field Exams have had the biggest turnout ever, I think! It is encouraging to see guys coming in wanting to be better. Everybody is coming together!"
--Dennis "Denny" Vandewater, SPFA President
"It is real encouraging to see young faces starting to step up more and more. This is going to grow our industry."
--Brad Houlden, Houlden Contracting in Cambridge, Nebraska
"I’m nervous about taking the exams, to be honest. But, I have an instructor who is a hard^*# and I am learning. He duct-taped my gloves to the Tyvek – nobody else would do that for me!"
--Manny Lojo, Puff Inc. of Charlottesville, Virginia
"I love volunteering for this -- the SPFA PCP Field Exams. This is my third go- around. This year they are free! They are well-organized and are running pretty darn smooth."
--Doug Orcutt, Technical Director, Accella Polyurethane Systems
Dave Penta of Sprayworks built a couple of rigs for Polyurethane Machinery Corporation and is also a "top distributor" for PMC, which recently released a gun that comes with an extension and enables applicators to spray up to 10 feet in the right conditions. It reduces the need to get up on a ladder when spraying, which is a time-saver, he said. "The gun was a co-adventure," said Penta. "We had an idea and brought it to PMC." And now it is a reality!
Kevin Neff, a superintendent at Puff Inc., who got to the Field Exams at 6 a.m. to start setting up, said this is his first year as a volunteer at the Field Exams. The traffic is going smoothly, but it is a long day, he said. "For what they have and what they are trying to accomplish, we could use a couple more volunteers," he hinted. "It’s going well, though."
"This year, we are going into the show with two feet in. We are coming back in a big way! We are starting to get a lot more name recognition now."
--Tom Rivera, Polyurethane Machinery Corp.
"The Field Exams have had very good attendance. So far, in general, there has been a lot more than last year. It helps that they don’t have to pay for it! There have been a lot of walk-throughs as well."
--Shirley Houlden, Houlden Contracting in Cambridge, Nebraska
Bonnie Strickler, president of PUFF Inc., said, "If it was like it was this morning, we are expecting a really good turnout tomorrow." She added that the line for the Field Exams started well before 8 a.m., and ebbed and flowed the rest of the day. There were a lot of tours and walk-up registrations, as well as pre-registered people.
"The Field Examiner courses have been really well-attended. There is an increasing need for Field Examiners as they certify the Master Installers. As people are progressing through the levels, now is the time you are going to need them. I think it is unbelievable where we are versus five years ago."
--Mary Bogdan, Honeywell
"The exams are good! You can never know enough."
--Jacob Ski, Lilac, Queens, N.Y.
Peter Panagako, owner of Cool Roof Foam and Coatings in Pompano Beach, Florida, said he took the Field Exams and the first Assistant Exam, and will be taking the Installer exam. "All the material is in the study guides. As long as you read them, you should be all right. There is a lot of good information in there that I didn’t know, even though I’ve been in the business 8-9 years."
Bobby Gill, a foreman and applicator at Cool Roof Foam and Coatings, said, "I’ve been in the business 25 years and some of this information is new to me; I learned at the school of hard knocks! Reading these books helped me out." Bobby was sponsored by his company to attend and take the exams. "I want to separate my company from other companies that don’t have certification," said owner Peter Panagako. "If gives me an edge on the competition."
John Achille, Vice President, Coastal, East Windsor, N.J., was an instructor for an Insulation Installer Course on Tuesday. He was pleased with the participation of the attendees during the course, and appreciated the questions. Plus, "I think we have a good turnout!"
