As HVAC contractors navigate rising labor costs, growing reporting demands and the expanding role of AI in daily operations, sound financial strategy has never mattered more.
More than 20 financial professionals from Unified Group member companies across the country gathered in Denver, Colorado, Aug. 9–12 for the group’s 2026 Financial Forum. Led by Forum MC Stacy Shiflet of Blauch Brothers, the multi-day event brought members together for sessions of learning, collaboration and peer-to-peer discussion focused on the financial challenges and opportunities facing their businesses.
Guest speaker Brigid Huber of Contractor Strategy Consultants opened day one with a session on Project Success, guiding attendees through the “Four P’s”: planning, process, performance and post-performance review. She also led a KPI session, walking attendees through management’s desired KPIs and other metrics important to company performance. The group discussed how to build uniformity in calculation and work through common barriers, identified which KPIs are most valuable as internal metrics versus industry comparisons, and decided which metrics to track and how often to report them.
“Since this was my first meeting, it was great to see in person all of the positive things I had heard about the group,” Michaela O’Brien of VHV Company said. “Everyone genuinely seemed interested in helping each other, asking engaging questions, sharing experiences and having healthy debate around the best way to do things. Overall, I really enjoyed the session and came away with several new ideas and perspectives.”
“I enjoyed hearing from so many other people and their perspectives,” Shannon Schmidt of Air Controls said. “It challenges me to think about things in a different way and makes me feel energized to get back and try some new things.”
In the afternoon, Nate Cole of Peterson Sheet Metal and Phil McCully of Westbrook Service Company gave attendees an inside look at their financial department structures and discussed how they measure productivity when team members share responsibilities. Closing out the first day, Cole and Air Control’s Shannon Schmidt covered intercompany billing and overhead allocation methods, discussing which allocation bases they use most and why they work best for HVAC operations.
Day two brought a full slate of member-led presentations, panels and peer-to-peer breakout discussions. Attendees shared best practices and real-world experience, with a panel on the growing role of AI in HVAC businesses serving as a highlight for many. Stacey Shiflet also led a session on preparing and reviewing work-in-progress (WIP) reports for construction and service work, providing insight into this important financial process.
The day continued with a Burden Calculation and Allocation Decisions panel, where members discussed how their companies calculate labor burden and which costs are included in their burden rates. Brantley Somma of the McGriff/Marsh & McLennan insurance agency joined the group for a discussion on insurance captives, outlining how captive insurance programs work along with their potential benefits and considerations for member companies.
“As a first-time attendee at a financial forum, my biggest highlight was the opportunity to listen, learn and engage with such great minds,” Frank Quintanar of J&J Air Conditioning said. “It was inspiring to be surrounded by people who are passionate about what they do and committed to making a positive impact.”
The 2026 Financial Forum gave attendees practical financial strategies, fresh perspectives and valuable takeaways to bring back and apply within their own organizations. The Unified Group looks forward to building on that momentum at future forums.
“I really appreciate the open sharing of the members in this group,” Cheri DeForge of VHV Company said. “We are in the same field, share the same issues and experiences, but we don’t compete with each other. Instead, we lift each other.”
Upcoming Unified Group Forums include Construction, Technicians, and Small/Special Projects. If you are interested in learning more about attending a forum or becoming a member of The Unified Group, contact Janet Kelleher at KelleherJ@TheUnifiedGroup.com<mailto:KelleherJ@TheUnifiedGroup.com>.
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