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Phil Kirk Named Director of Business and Leadership Development

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Phil KirkBrady, a company that provides energy management systems and comprehensive HVAC building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities across North Carolina, announces the new position of Phil Kirk as director of business and leadership development. Kirk joined Brady in June of 2009.

“Phil has excelled over the past four years,” says Jim Brady, president. “He has served a vital role in communicating with senior managers, government administrators and boards of trustees on the advantages of reducing operating expenses and improving operational efficiencies by upgrading to energy efficient HVAC systems.”

In his new role, Kirk will lead initiatives to train sales and project management associates in developing relationships beyond the purchasing agents at corporations and government organizations, as well as evaluating current training and development programs. He will also work closely with elected officials in passing legislation that promotes energy-efficient and sustainable buildings in North Carolina.

“For more than 40 years I have dedicated my time to promoting a strong business community in North Carolina through the establishment of high-quality education and the responsible use of the state’s resources,” says Kirk. “This new role will allow me to continue those efforts and to begin providing practical training to the next generation of business champions.”

Kirk’s longtime leadership in education and business includes serving as Chairman Emeritus of the State Board of Education, President/CEO Emeritus of the North Carolina Chamber and Chair for the legislative committee of the Energy Services Coalition North Carolina Chapter. Among his current volunteer activities are service on the boards at UNC-TV, Meredith College Board of Trustees, North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching Foundation, VIF-International Education, Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce education committee, and Public School Forum of North Carolina, which he led in 2008-2010.

About Phil Kirk:
Kirk has served as Chief of Staff for Governors Jim Holshouser and Jim Martin and United States Senator Jim Broyhill. He served twice as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. In 1970, he became the youngest State Senator in North Carolina history at that time. He chaired the two largest bond campaigns in North Carolina history and they provided more than $6 billion for the UNC system, K-12 schools, community colleges, and highways. A graduate of Catawba College, he served as a trustee for more than 25 years before becoming Vice President for External Relations. He is the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Catawba. In addition to being inducted into the education hall of fame at East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, he has been made an honorary alumnus of East Carolina University.

About Brady:
Brady is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina with locations in Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, Wilmington and Charlotte. Founded in 1962 by Chairman Don Brady, the company remains a family owned enterprise, today employing 368 associates. The company works with building owners, facility managers, developers, architects, engineers and contractors providing sustainable, comprehensive building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities. Brady provides customers with a diverse range of HVAC and building solutions including building automation, energy conservation, green design, performance contracts, access controls, security, mechanical systems, parts and supplies, as well as world-class technical support. For more information, visit www.bradyservices.com or call (800) 849-1915.

Brady Recognizes Associates Affiliated with the U.S. Armed Services

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Brady, a company that provides energy management systems and comprehensive HVAC building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities across North Carolina, offers recognition and appreciation of their associates that have previously or are currently serving in the United States Armed Services. Making up a significant portion of the Brady labor force, 49 associates were service members in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard and Coast Guard, or are actively serving in the reserves.

John Padgett

John Padgett

“Brady is proud to have such a large number of associates who have served our country,” says Jim Brady, president. “The technical training these men and women get within the Armed Services has direct application to the products and services we offer. In addition, the leadership skills developed serving our country directly apply in an industry that demands high-level project/process organization, self-management and problem-solving skills.”

As a family-owned business, the culture at Brady blends well with the lifestyle of service members and their families. “I recently retired from the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, and couldn’t be more thankful to the Brady family and Brady Associates,” says John Padgett, Brady area service manager. “I was recalled in 2001, 2003 and 2006 for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. My Brady family actively supported my wife and I. The owners also make it a custom to formally thank and recognize all military associates on their return from active duty. This means a lot to me and shows that Brady is a company which truly cares about its service members.”

With an increasing number of service members coming home from overseas, companies like Brady play a crucial role in securing private-sector employment. These intelligent and hard-working men and women need hiring executives to see the possibilities for work excellence that comes from their broader range of experience.

In 2011, the company was awarded the Department of Defense Patriot Award. This recognition honors the role Brady plays in supporting  veteran and active duty personnel.

Brady Supports Community College Intern Programs

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Brady LogoBrady, a company that provides energy systems and comprehensive HVAC building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities across North Carolina, announces today that five interns will join the company. Kyle Gentry, Sandy Fulk, Chris Vogts, Daniel Stanley and Ward Christman will intern across the respective offices as part oftheir pursuit of an HVAC degree from their local community college.

Gentry and Fulk will work in Greensboro and are both students at Guilford Technical Community College pursuing an associate degree. Gentry will be working as a boiler technician intern and Fulk as a service technician intern.

Vogts is enrolled in the HVAC diploma program at Alamance Community College. He will serve as a service technician assistant in Winston-Salem.

Stanley and Christman will be working as service technician interns in the RTP area. Both are students at Wake Technical Community College pursuing their associate degree in air conditioning, heating and refrigeration technology.

Brady has a long-standing relationship with community colleges dating back to 1962. In addition to internship opportunities and hiring graduates, Brady has made significant donations in the form of scholarships and equipment to the HVAC degree programs. 

About Brady:
Brady is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina with locations in Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, Wilmington and Charlotte. Founded in 1962 by Chairman Don Brady, the company remains a family owned enterprise, today employing 357 associates. The company works with building owners, facility managers, developers, architects, engineers and contractors providing sustainable, comprehensive building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities. Brady provides customers with a diverse range of HVAC and building solutions including building automation, energy conservation, green design, performance contracts, access controls, security, mechanical systems, parts and supplies, as well as world-class technical support. For more information, visit www.bradyservices.com or call (800) 849-1915.

Smarter Buildings Require Smarter Building

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View article online at North Carolina Construction News

More than 190 commercial architects, engineers, building owners and facility managers from across North Carolina spent the day at the Brady Earthwise Expos in late April. Focusing on where the commercial construction industry is heading, attendees explored more than 30 booths featuring the latest in building technologies for improved energy efficiency.

Driven primarily by new code requirements to reduce energy consumption, software, systems integration and dashboard discussions were as prevalent as talk about construction materials and mechanical equipment. John Roberts, senior mechanical engineer at Dewberry and North Carolina Energy Ad Hoc Committee member presented an analysis of the 2012 energy conservation code governing new construction in the Tarheel state. The code is designed to save energy, reduce pollution and decrease energy costs by requiring new buildings to be 30 percent more efficient that those built under the 2009 code. Along with reducing lighting wattage and increasing insulation, the code is requiring buildings to be smarter with occupancy sensors and demand controls.

Although the new requirements can save the building owner money in utility costs over the life of the building, it is adding expense lines to the construction budget that did not exist five years ago. To help manage the new requirements with tight budgets for new construction, many, including the Wake County Public School System are turning to technology for solution.

“Growing school systems, like Wake County, are facing a heightened challenge with the 2012 Energy Conservation Code,” says Jim Brady, president, Brady, a company that provides energy systems and comprehensive HVAC building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities. “Finding the right balance of where to invest in best-in-class building components and where to cut costs with lower-priced options will increase reliance on building information modeling (BIM) software. This means the school system will need to make a choice between purchasing the technology, keeping it up to date and training staff, or paying for the assistance of private-sector construction and engineering experts that provide BIM services.”

WCPSS is just starting to look at how to maximize the application value of BIM according to Greg Clark, senior director of maintenance and operations for WCPSS. “We are beginning to discuss how construction managers are using BIM on WCPSS projects and what portions of the intellectual property generated by these systems is owned by the school system,” says Clark. “Beyond the direct benefit of managing construction costs, I see a future where BIM will be able to integrate with our asset management system. This could eliminate manually populating each building’s parts and components inventory, which would save hundreds of labor hours. It could also expedite the competitive-product comparison process when buildings need repairs.” Clark sees a future where BIM and the transfer of the systems IP will be an important consideration in awarding construction contracts.

Dr. Michael Walden, N.C. State economist notes, “The fiscal situation in North Carolina is improving.” This combined with commercial building vacancy rates on the decline and the need for additional classrooms means the construction industry is poised for an influx of new projects. However, budgets are still tight. Therefore, the A/E/C firms that will be the most successful in winning new business will be the ones that are tech savvy, both in how they build and in how the building will operate in use for many years to come. Whether by architects, engineers or contractors, it all comes down to smarter buildings requiring smarter building.

For more information, check out some of the great videos from the 2013 Earthwise Expo

State School Superintendent June Atkinson Attends Brady Presentation

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Brady, a company that provides energy systems and comprehensive HVAC building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities across North Carolina, announced today that State Schools Superintendent June Atkinson made brief remarks at the 8:25 a.m. presentation by Brady associates at Martin Gifted and Talented Magnet Middle School on February 27, 2013. The visit was part of the Students@Work Week program, a joint initiative between the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE).

“Our state’s businesses are essential partners in the education of our students,” said Atkinson. “Through them, we can provide our young people the opportunity to see how what they are learning in class can be useful to them in the future.”

The 2013 Students@Work initiative centers its efforts around middle school students because middle school is a crucial time for dropout prevention. The program helps to emphasize future career options, as well as the importance of staying in school, before students enter the ninth-grade. Atkinson says that with a record-high 80.4 percent graduation rate for the class of 2012, “the statewide emphasis on keeping children in school is making a difference.”

Phil Kirk, director of Brady Energy Services and chairman emeritus of the State Board of Education; and Raynor Smith, senior solutions account executive for Brady, discussed career possibilities in the commercial building services industry which include HVAC and air quality systems, as well as access controls, life safety and security systems. With more than 328 associates across the state currently, Brady offers entry-level positions for high school graduates, technician positions for community college graduates, as well as engineering and management positions for college graduates.

Always of interest to students is the Brady team’s discussion of jobs where that can work with high-tech controls and security systems that students have seen in movies and on TV, as well as the ability to make a significant impact on the environment by reducing energy consumption and Co2 emissions.

About Brady: Brady is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina with locations in Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, Wilmington and Charlotte. Founded in 1962 by Chairman Don Brady, the company remains a family owned enterprise, today employing 328 associates. The company works with building owners, facility managers, developers, architects, engineers and contractors providing sustainable, comprehensive building solutions for commercial and industrial facilities. Brady provides customers with a diverse range of HVAC and building solutions including building automation, energy conservation, green design, performance contracts, access controls, security, mechanical systems, parts and supplies, as well as world-class technical support. For more information, visit www.bradyservices.com or call (800) 849-1915.