GUEST COLUMN
Living into our why
A brief history of the PHCC of North Carolina
By Jim Pendergrass
WHY. This small, three-letter word has helped define
the history and outcome of a distinguished list of events
though time. For example, why did the Wright brothers
travel more than 600 miles from Ohio to the Outer Banks
of North Carolina to construct and launch a craft they be-
lieved would allow men to fly?
Oh . . . I suppose I just gave it all away . . . because
they believed something was possible.
So, why did a group of North Carolina master
plumbers come together in 1910 to form a professional
association? Because they, too, believed something was
possible. The NC contingent in Washington DC at the 2017 Legislative
Conference meeting with Representative Virginia Foxx
They believed that they could better advance the pro-
fessionalism and knowledge of their trade on behalf of
their and their neighbor’s families if they worked to-
gether in ethical ways. They believed they could better
protect their businesses when faced with legislative or
regulatory overreach if they spoke with a unified voice.
They believed in the basic premise of strength in num-
bers. And apparently, they believed that plumbers looked
good in hats and bowlers, too!
So, they established an association that through time
became today’s Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
of North Carolina, Inc. (PHCC of NC) in order to live into
that why.
2017 PHCC of NC President Thomas Barbour at a trade
show to encourage high school students in the trades
4 — May-June 2018 — The North Carolina Construction News
We believe that original Why is just as valid
now as it was then. PHCC of NC’s vision is that
we are dedicated to the advancement and edu-
cation of the plumbing and HVACR industry for
the health, safety and comfort of society and
the protection of the environment.
A commonly heard, decades-old phrase in
our industries is “The plumber protects the health of the
nation.” Today, we would add the HVACR contractor as
well, since our indoor air quality is also part of our health
concerns. Advancement . . . Education . . . Safety . . . Comfort .
. . Protection. Pursuit of these values is our Why, and we
pursue them through our mission to become so relevant
that clients and the public identifies a PHCC of NC con-
tractor as the best choice for a knowledgeable and reli-
able product and service.
What does all this look like at PHCC of NC day-by-
day? It looks like efforts, activities, and involvement on a
wide array of fronts, such as:
Cobe LaMunyan, the 2018 PHCC of NC President of the Board
of Directors presenting the first place award for plumbing at the
Skills USA competition at our Connections Conference
The 2018 SkillsUSA competition for high school
students and trade school students