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Solar Industries Master Dealers from across the United States and Canada attended the Annual National Dealer Meeting to share ideas, business information, and to discuss plans for the upcoming year.  This year’s National Conference was held in Las Vegas.

Highlights of the meeting included very informative presentations on “Best Business Practices” by the two largest Distributors in the Nation, round table discussions concerning marketing and sales strategies and several Master Dealers were given the opportunity to describe their markets and present their marketing plans in detail.

The two day meeting was capped off with a motivational speaker and an awards luncheon.  Following the luncheon was the presentation of dealership awards and individual achievement awards for outstanding sales performance in 2005.

Awards Ceremony

Master Dealer Awards were presented to those dealers who have proven themselves as the elite solar contractors of our industry by providing the highest quality products with unequaled service to our customers.  The Master Dealer title qualifies each dealer to all the benefits and programs that are only available to Solar Industries Master Dealers.

Platinum Master Dealers

The following Master Dealers were awarded the highest ranking, Platinum Master Dealer and Distributor based on sales volume and outstanding customer service:

Solar Heating Specialists

Riverside, California

Solar Services, Inc.

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Stilwell Solar

Estero, Florida

Gold Master Dealers

The following Master Dealers earned the title Gold Master Dealer and Distributor for their contribution to their customers and their sales volume:

Energy Conservation Services

Gainesville, Florida

Environmental Equipment

Sarasota, Florida

Silver Master Dealers

For their outstanding contributions, the following Master Dealers were recognized as Exclusive Silver Master Dealers and Distributors:

Daystar Energy Products

Ontario, Canada

Hatcher Supply Company

Melbourne, Florida

M & K Solar Services

Longwood, Florida

Mark Naylor Solar Specialists

Las Vegas, Nevada

Solar Living

Netcong, New Jersey

Sunbelt Solar

Moreno Valley, California

Suncatcher Solar Products

Marietta, Georgia

Tryon Plumbing & Solar

Fort Pierce, Florida

Exclusive Master Dealers 

Earning the distinction of Exclusive Solar Industries Distributor and Master Dealer for their continuing contributions to the solar pool heating industry were:

Advance Solar Construction

Riverview, Florida

Alten Products

Mountain View, California

General Solar

Mesa, Arizona

Happle Solar

Lakeland, Florida

Energy Service Company

Moreno Valley, California

Vasco Solar

Huntington Beach, California

 The Outstanding Sales Achievement award is presented to those individuals whose sales achievements in 2005 reached extraordinary levels:

Jim Roark, Environmental Equipment, Sarasota, Florida

Pete Hayes, Stilwell Solar, Estero, Florida

Dave Setter, M&K Solar Services, Longwood, Florida

Rob Shepherd, Daystar Energy Products, Ontario, Canada

Tom Lane, Energy Conservation Services, Gainesville, Florida

Rich Bonte, Solar Living, Netcong, New Jersey

Joe Winter, Stilwell Solar, Estero, Florida

Dan Cambern, Stilwell Solar, Estero, Florida

Bob Tryon, Tryon Plumbing & Solar, Fort Pierce, Florida

Dave Hatcher, Hatcher Supply Company, Melbourne, Florida

Bill Long, Stilwell Solar, Estero, Florida

Richard Good, Solar Services, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Scott Bologna, Stilwell Solar, Estero, Florida

The Rising Star award is given to the new dealer that demonstrates the greatest potential for growth this year.  The Rising Star for 2005 was Terry Naylor (below) of Naylor Solar Specialists, Las Vegas, Nevada.                                   

Dave Pirnie (below) of Solar Heating Specialists, Riverside, California was singularly recognized for his individual accomplishments in sales for 2005.

The Dealer of the Year award is awarded to the Solar Industries Master Dealer with the most sales in the nation.  For their unprecedented performance in 2005, Stilwell Solar, Estero, Florida is our Dealer of the Year.

Regional Dealer of the Year award is presented to the dealer that produced the most sales in their region.  Solar Heating Specialists of Riverside, California received this year’s award as the Number One West Coast Solar Industries Dealer for 2005.

Annual Aquatherm Dealer Trip

For the past fifteen years, Aquatherm’s top producers have been rewarded for their efforts and hard work with a well earned trip.  Co-sponsored by Aquatherm Heat Pumps, past trips include such exotic locations as Barbados, Jamaica, Mexico, the Caymans, the Florida Keys, the Smokey Mountains, Amelia Island Plantation, Costa Rica and cruises to the Bahamas and Nova Scotia. 

Last year, nearly 100 of the top producers and their families enjoyed a relaxing stay at the historic Grove Park Resort in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina.

This year, those who qualified in 2006 will enjoy magnificent views and once in a lifetime experiences as we sail through the fjords of Alaska on a week-long cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean ship "Vision of The Seas." 

NSF International Listing

Recently the Solar Industries collectors received listing from NSF International.  NSF International (formally the National Sanitation Foundation) is the world leader in pool water safety testing and provides certification to pool owners and operators that the equipment used on their pools is safe from harmful toxicological effects and other safety hazards.

This all important listing is added to the other certifications that the Solar Industries collectors have received over the past several years including:

·         Florida Solar Energy Center

·         International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO)

·         DOE Brightway Program

·         Dade County

·         City of Los Angeles

·         DSET Exposure Testing in Arizona

To find out more visit our technical information pages right here on our website.

Other Industry News

·    With the great uncertainty in energy supplies and with energy prices rising almost daily, more and more homeowners are turning renewable energy sources such as solar to save money and preserve our national resources. By taking advantage of the Sun’s abundant free energy they are ensuring a bright future for following generations while being able to enjoy their pools even more. 

SEREF, the Solar Energy Research and Education Foundation recently reported that the solar pool heating industry produced over 15 million square feet of unglazed solar collectors in 2005. This represents an 11% increase in production and nearly 65,000 pools were installed and heated by the sun’s free energy in 2005 alone.

Even more positively, collector production for the last six quarters has  consistently been more than 3 million square feet per quarter. All these statistics point to a continuing strength in the industry as a whole.

 

·    Aquatherm Industries continues to enjoy a substantial increase in collector production with an increase of 15% in 2005 a markedly  higher percentage than the industry average. These figures were reported to SEREF by the four major manufacturers, including Aquatherm Industries, which combined represent at least 90% of worldwide solar pool heating collector production.

 

·    Aquatherm Industries recently completed a 20,000 square foot addition to the factory located in Lakewood, New Jersey making it the largest and most modern facility of its kind in the world.