9:00 am

Putting Contest

JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa – Palm Course

10:00 am

Golf (Shotgun Start)

JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa – Palm Course

3:00 – 5:00pm

Registration

South Counter

5:00 – 6:30pm  

Welcome Reception

The Grove

6:00 – 7:15 AM

Registration

South Counter

6:30 – 7:15 AM

Breakfast

Springs Ballroom Terrace F

7:15 – 7:30 AM

Welcome to WMLMC

Springs Salon A-F 

Steve Valot (Pan-Pacific Mechanical), WMLMC Board Vice President

7:30 – 8:30 AM

Walking in a Business Manager’s Shoes

Springs Salon A-F 

Che Timmons (Local 342), Nick Bumpaous (Local 598), Courtenay Eichhorst (Local 412)

Facilitator: Gary Arnold (UA International Representative)

Business Managers juggle a lot more than most realize—legal obligations, contract enforcement, jurisdictional issues, and the constant push-and-pull of representing their members while maintaining productive contractor relationships. This session offers a frank, behind-the-scenes look at what drives their decisions, where tensions often arise, and how open communication can solve more than it complicates. We’ll discuss real-world challenges—like “shopping answers,” tough terminations, and missed communication—and how both sides can work together to spot opportunities early and build trust between Labor and Management.

8:30 – 8:40 AM

Break

8:40 – 9:40 AM

Risk, Responsibility, and Reward: The Contractor’s Perspective

Springs Salon A-F 

Kori Gormley-Huppert (KH Mechanical/Gormley P + M), Tom Stone (Braconier), John Houchin (Pan Pacific Mechanical), Matt Campbell (General Mechanical)

Facilitator: Ed Kommers (MCA of Western Washington)

Running a mechanical contracting firm is full of unseen risks. In fact, mechanical contractors face one of the highest business failure rates in the country, second only to restaurants. Behind every bid, workforce decision, and project award lies a delicate balance of risk, cost, and responsibility. In this candid session, contractors pull back the curtain on what it truly takes to run a successful business in today’s market. Learn what drives their decisions, from choosing which projects to pursue to determining how to stay competitive when “lowest price wins.” Gain insight into how labor costs, crew composition, jurisdictional differences, and workforce quality impact a contractor’s ability to compete—especially in mixed union/non-union markets.

9:40 – 9:50 AM 

Break

9:50 – 10:20 AM

Geopolitical Trends Affecting the Western States

Springs Salon A-F 

Russ Breckenridge (United Association), Scott Middleton (MCA of Western Washington)

We are bombarded on a daily basis by political news, and many of us hear legislative reports through our own organizations. This session will provide a unique perspective on upcoming federal legislation, with a focus on the impact to the markets in our western states.

10:20 – 10:50 AM

Beyond the Training Center: Keeping Journey Level Workers Engaged

Springs Salon A-F 

Chip Martin (CPMCA/AMCA), Solomon Galyon (Local 469)

Apprentices participate in mandatory training, but once they turn out, keeping journey-level workers engaged in continuing education can be challenging. This session highlights successful strategies that bargaining parties have used to promote ongoing learning beyond apprenticeship.

10:50 – 11:00 AM 

Break

11:00 – 11:45 AM

Built Tough, Not Untouchable: Understanding Mental Health in Construction

Springs Salon A-F 

Christy Kane, PsyD, CMHC (Kane Counseling Services)

The construction workforce faces some of the highest mental-health risks of any industry, yet workers—especially men—often delay seeking support. This presentation shifts mental health from shame to education, prevention, and brain-based understanding. Participants learn the difference between mental health and mental illness, how chronic stress and trauma affect the nervous system, and why these impacts matter for safety on and off the job site.

Attendees explore common trauma responses and how they often appear in construction culture as anger, withdrawal, shutdown, substance use, or overworking—reframed as predictable brain responses rather than personal failures. The presentation also introduces five key areas of positive mental health and practical, everyday actions that build resilience. With a prevention-first focus, participants gain tools to recognize early warning signs, regulate stress, and support safer, healthier job-site cultures.

11:45 – 12:30 PM

Lunch

12:30 – 1:30 PM

Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce: A Labor-Management Dialogue

Springs Salon A-F 

Facilitators: PJ Moss (Seattle Area Pipe Trades Apprenticeship), Robin Cowper (MCA of Western Washington)

This hands-on session brings labor and management together for focused table discussions on the industry’s most pressing people-centered challenges. Participants will explore how to bridge cultural divides, develop leaders at every level, attract more women and minorities into the trade, foster a culture of lifelong learning, and reshape the public perception of our industry. Each table will generate practical ideas and report out, creating a shared roadmap toward a stronger, more inclusive future workforce.

1:30 – 1:40 PM

Break

1:40 – 2:25 PM

The Ripple Effect: How Supply Chains, Tariffs, and Commodity Volatility are Reshaping Mechanical Contracting

Springs Salon A-F 

Nathan Berkowitz (Viega), Rex Buchanan (Dewalt), Eric Ruiz (AB & I Foundry), Matthew Tharp (Zurn Elkay)
This session will discuss and debate current impacts, and foreshadow future impacts, to our industry. These include the following:

– Supply chain disruptions and capacity to provide the necessary materials

– Tariffs and trade policy – What is the outlook and how do we prepare for this uncertainty?

– Commodity pricing and volatility – How to plan for escalation when bidding a project 12-24 months out in a world where commodities have risen drastically, with additional volatility expected?

– Geopolitical risks – how both local and world politics affect supply chains, lead times, and overall material pricing?

2:25 – 2:30 PM

Break

2:30 – 3:30 PM

Fostering a Great Labor/Management Partnership

Springs Salon A-F 

Facilitator: Ed Kommers (MCA of Western Washington)

In this interactive session, we will draw on our experiences to collectively explore reasons for, as well as ways to maximize the labor/management partnership

3:30 PM

Conclusion/Raffle

3:30 PM

Western States Pipe Trades – Meeting

Springs Salon A-F 

6:00 – 9:00 PM

Reception/Dinner & Vendor Table Top

West Front Lawn

6:30 – 7:00 AM

Breakfast

Springs Ballroom Terrace F

7:00 – 7:20 AM

Welcome

Springs Salon A-F 

Steve Valot (Pan-Pacific Mechanical), WMLMC Board Vice President 

7:10 – 8:10 AM

Creating the Bond: Building the Foreman/Project Manager Relationship

Springs Salon A-F 

John Colvert (ACCO), Roman Hernandez (ACCO), Brett Christiansen (Palmer Christansen Co.), Todd Pace (Palmer Christiansen Co.)

Facilitator: Steve Valot (Pan-Pacific Mechanical), Mike Kunkel (Local 32)

The relationship between a Foreman and a Project Manager can make or break a job. When it’s strong, communication flows, problems get solved early, and teams thrive. When it’s strained, small misunderstandings turn into costly delays and frustration on both sides. This session brings labor and management voices together to explore what a truly collaborative PM–Foreman relationship looks like—and how to build one rooted in trust, humility, and shared goals.

8:10 – 8:20 AM

Break

8:20 – 9:20 AM

Gaining and Retaining Marketshare

Springs Salon A-F 

Facilitators: Bob Bergman (Utah MCA), Rick Allen (UA International Representative)

New technologies, regulatory pressures, shifting client expectations, and evolving workforce needs are reshaping our competitive landscape at a rapid pace. To gain and retain market share, labor and management must clearly understand the threats—and the opportunities—facing our industry. This session will explore where we’re vulnerable, where we can lead, and how collaborative strategies can position signatory contractors for long-term success.

9:20 – 9:30 AM

Break

9:30 – 10:30 AM

Closing Keynote

Springs Salon A-F 

Mark Breslin (Breslin Strategies)

10:30 – 10:45 AM

Closing Remarks/Raffle/Adjourn

11:30 AM

WMLMC Board Meeting

Director 1