[RE-wrenches] Solar Installers Association

[holtek at sbcglobal.net]

My two cents:
It seems another splinter group is counter-productive to the overall goals 
of the industry.

 In the "hearth" industry 20+ years ago, there was an alphabet soup of 
organizations (WEI, WHA, FPI, were "national" entities along with a plethora 
of regional associations). These were coalesced into a single association 
that has a manufacturing caucus, retailers caucus, technical caucus, etc. 
This focused the assets - monetary, personnel, PAC's- into a much clearer 
picture of goals for the industry. Of the many positive results of this 
union was a week long convention that offers not just a place for 
manufacturing to exhibit, but also training in all levels of doing 
business - technical track, managemanet track, sales track to name a few. (I 
know, the national solar show is getting close) This trade show has grown 
into a rather large meeting of all principles in the industry with the 
caucuses (cauci?) in each area setting goals for the coming year and then 
presenting these in a single venue to the entire organization. My thoughts 
are that this is a much more efficient way to promote the good of the entire 
industry rather than the fragmented associations that are currently in 
place.
Instead of energy spent on building a new group, how about going to SEIA (?) 
and presenting a new format for a unified front for all concerned using the 
template of other industry associations that give an equal voice to all 
aspects of our industry? That, IMHO, is a more synergetic approach.

To Scott Sklar - is Carter Keithley still in the association business? - (he 
helped put together a strong association for the hearth business). Thinking 
out loud - if we could find someone like that to help lay out and instigate 
a new version of what we got, I'd be willing to pony up..........

Holt E. Kelly
Holtek Fireplace & Solar Products
500 Jewell Dr.
Waco TX. 76712
254-751-9111
www.holteksolar.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Conrad Geyser" <conradg at cape.com>
To: "'RE-wrenches'" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 7:32 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar Installers Association


> Hi all,
>
> SEBANE, Solar Energy Business Association of New England, which is an
> ongoing concern, would fit the parameters of the national trade 
> association
> that you describe.  I support SEBANE and would also support a national
> organization.
>
> Ken, you have to be a little careful with "CommonWealth Solar" as it also
> happens to be the name of the Massachusetts state PV incentive program,
> without the capitalized W.  It was this agency under a prior name that
> provided the seed money for SEBANE, so I guess you might say that they too
> support a trade organization!
>
> Conrad
> Cotuit Solar
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
> [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Ken Schaal
> Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 3:34 PM
> To: jryago at netscape.com; RE-wrenches
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar Installers Association
>
> Count CommonWealth Solar among those supporting this effort.
> Don't most of these groups support themselves with various business
> offerings? Like contracts and insurance ? Priority 1 ?
>
> Thanks for stirring this up.
>
> Ken Schaal
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: " Jeff Yago" <jryago at netscape.com>
> To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 2:20 PM
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar Installers Association
>
>
>>I think bringing life back into this early start of a solar association is
>>a very good idea. As a first step, I have been working on a suggested
>>installers contract and have already received emails from many on this 
>>list
>
>>with suggestions and prior horror stories that could have been avoided 
>>with
>
>>better contract clauses.
>>
>> I do not have time to start a new association by myself, but can either
>> help others get this going, or wait until next year when many of my
>> current project obligations should lighten up.  I also have a friend that
>> may soon have her job elliminated at a national trade asociation due to a
>> major drop in their membership, and she has far more experience than me 
>> in
>
>> the day to day issues of keeping a trade organization going.  This might
>> be a good fit once this thing gets started and can stand on its own.
>>
>> Anyone else want to help me make this happen?
>>
>> Jeff Yago
>>
>> _____________________________________________________________
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