SIMA Blog

We Are In This Together

By Martin Tirado posted 21 days ago
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A wise former SIMA board member once said at a meeting “we are not just plowing snow for a customer, we are in a business to business partnership”. Well stated and even more relevant in today’s business climate where forming mutually beneficial partnerships is a key to success. As professional service companies and entrepreneurs, profit margins are what keeps the plows running and employees happy. However, a true win-win is when you have a relationship with the property and facility you are providing services for that allows for trust, transparency and a mutually agreed upon set of objectives and principles. This is one of the reasons SIMA created the ...
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Credentials Power Workforce Development

By Brian Birch posted 05-06-2019
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I often hear people say they don’t invest in snow and ice training like they do in landscaping or other services. I get it, nothing is worse than investing in an employee who then leaves three months later. But I believe that the cost of not educating people with proven training and testing built with best practices is higher than not investing in your best. SIMA, supported by BOSS Snowplow, wants to help lighten the load by awarding scholarships to four talented people who want to continue to build their career in snow by earning the Advanced Snow Manager (ASM) or Certified Snow Professional (CSP) designation. Our hope is this scholarship, as well as a special ...
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The HUB - a new way to network with your snow and ice peers

By Brian Birch posted 04-15-2019
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During last year’s Snow & Ice Symposium, SIMA piloted Role-based Roundtables that brought together people in similar positions to learn and network. The four roles were CEO-CEO, Operations, Sales, and Billing/Admin. Two master facilitators per room guided participants through a discussion and a series of questions for about an hour. Overall, it went well, but we got lots of feedback on ways we could improve, including: The title was boring and not descriptive enough Attendees wanted more time to allow people to discuss deep topics Desire for more time for individuals to connect with others who do the same work Allow time for relationship building, ...
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Something new - field ops workshop shapes up

By Brian Birch posted 03-06-2019
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Okay so this is something new, and it’s pretty awesome. Our new Director of Education and Content, Cheryl Higley, did a bit of a ‘listening tour’ early this fall with key SIMA members and volunteers. She wanted to dig into the needs of our membership and how we can shape educational programming to fit those needs. Many things came out of her review, and foremost on her list was a desire for access to more and better operator-focused training built on best practices. Our members are looking for boots-on-the-ground training that helps cut the learning curve for employees who are newer to snow and ice. In response, our education team has created a one-day ...
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What lurks beneath the snow...your kids!

By Brian Birch posted 02-01-2019
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Throughout this snow season, those impacted by the weather have shared images and safety tips to keep America and Canada “moving” during winter. One thing I haven’t seen addressed lurks beneath the snow and rears its head each time we get the automated call announcing school is closed. It’s our kids! NOOOOOOOOOOO! To see the look of devilish delight on their faces when they hear the words “snow day” is cool (or maybe terrifying). What kid doesn’t love snow days? Sleeping in, playing in the snow or just playing Xbox all day (c’mon, admit it). The SIMA team has had a long week, from our Milwaukee HQ to our Ohio staff, snow days are slowly dragging us under ...
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Volunteers keeping SIMA accountable

By Brian Birch posted 01-22-2019
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As part of being an ANSI-Accredited Certificate Issuer - Accreditation #1170 for the four Advanced Snow Management certificates, SIMA works with a Stakeholder Advisory Group to hold us accountable and ensure our ASM training is relevant and impactful. Now I'll admit it...this is not the most glamorous volunteer opportunity in the world. Mainly, this group is responsible for: Serving as the oversight group and governing body for the four certificate programs in the Advanced Snow Management program. Providing broad program management, including content reviews, evaluation reviews and recommendations, exam question review, complaint responses, and other ...
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A Slip and Fall that strikes closer to home

By Brian Birch posted 01-14-2019
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I’m from a little town called Green River, Wyoming, where it gets downright cold in the winter. I grew up freezing my butt off each morning waiting for the bus, and vividly recall when our bus plowed into a neighborhood yard (crushing an old wagon wheel that was the central feature of their landscaping) due to an icy road. So folks who live in Green River become immune to snow and ice. My parents still live in Green River, in the same home I grew up in. This month, my sweet and funny mom Lynn slipped on bonded ice/snow as she got out of her car after church, shattering her ankle and fracturing her tibia. Her injury has been painful and hard on her and my father, ...
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SIMA proudly sponsoring GLTE

By Brian Birch posted 01-03-2019
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We are kicking of 2019 with a bang over here, with a new focus on supporting local and regional events in our industry!  SIMA is proud to announce that we are a sponsor of the Great Lakes Trade Expo, a green/white industry event occuring January 28-30, 2019 in Lansing, MI. This event is produced by the Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association, and they have been amazing to work with...we are also looking to support several other MNLA events in Michigan in 2019... All event info is available at  https://glte.or
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SIMA Needs You - 2018/2019 Call for Volunteers

By Brian Birch posted 09-27-2018
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As we gear up for the 2019 snow season, SIMA is once again seeking volunteers for our various committees. Our volunteers ROCK, but I think many forget that volunteering is not just a one-way street. Here are some simple things that volunteering at SIMA can help you with: Leverage SIMA : As a volunteer, if you engage with us you will learn more about the things we provide to our members, and you'll be able to fully leverage your own company's investment in SIMA membership. Peer Relationships : Some of the longest-lasting relationships I have seen created through SIMA come when like-minded peers work together. They get to know each other and become comfortable ...
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SIMA brings on new employee Chris Dix to support and enhance member experiences

By Brian Birch posted 08-21-2018
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SIMA’s newest employee, Chris Dix, Manager, Membership Development, is an experienced customer service management professional with a focus on connecting customers to key benefits and services. His previous experience working for a major Human Resources firm and in the solar energy sector will provide superior customer service for SIMA members. In his role, Chris will have a dual focus on membership satisfaction and on growing the overall membership base. Long term he will also focus on helping members purchase CSP and ASM training via the SIMA Group Discounts program, and he will play a key role in membership strategy and benefits. Finally, Chris will serve ...
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Welcoming Manager, Marketing & Communications - Steph Orvis

By Brian Birch posted 08-16-2018
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One of SIMA’s newest team members will continue to add value with a refinement of her role into a direct focus solely on marketing and communications. Steph brings a wealth of knowledge to the table for SIMA in this space, especially related to social media and website management.  As she turns her focus to marketing, SIMA will continue to focus more effort on marketing the annual Snow & Ice Symposium, growing the traffic and impact of the event. She will also be a key player in managing our newest online tools available at www.my.sima.org, as well as the individual who will keep SIMA website pages updated and useful to members. Reach out to Steph with ...
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SIMA's Heather Carew, CAE takes on new role as Director, Events & Supplier Development

By Brian Birch posted 08-15-2018
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As part of ongoing staff growth and development at SIMA tied to our long term strategy, SIMA is announcing a new role change for Heather Carew, CAE, as she transitions to Director, Events & Supplier Development at the association. Since 2007 Heather has served as a key SIMA staffer, starting first in membership and customer service before transitioning to events management and trade show sales. In her new role, Heather will combine these skills into leading SIMA’s efforts to plan and implement in-person events including the Snow & Ice Symposium and Season Opener, plus continued excellence in selling and managing trade show and sponsorship sales for ...
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SIMA Announces Ellen Lobello in new role as Manager, Education and Credentials

By Brian Birch posted 08-14-2018
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A long-time SIMA staffer since 2007, Elly will be transitioning out of managing all of SIMA’s communications and into a more focused role in education. Her consistency and focus will be a driving force in managing all the details related to planning SIMA’s educational programs, including the Snow & Ice Symposium, Season Opener, Snow Safety Week, and association webinars. Elly will continue to oversee and manage the SIMA Certified Snow Professional and Advanced Snow Management credentialing programs, with a focus on administrative oversight and alignment with ANSI requirements for the ASM certificate programs. Elly will also officially be opening the ‘SIMA ...
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SIMA Announces Cheryl Higley as new Director, Education & Content

By Brian Birch posted 08-13-2018
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SIMA is excited to announce a new and more enhanced role for Cheryl Higley, previously Editorial Director of Snow Business magazine. Effective August 13th, 2018, Cheryl has taken the role of Director, Education and Content for SIMA. Cheryl will still oversee creation of all core content in SIMA's Snow Business magazine, and additionally she will direct all critical educational planning initiatives related to SIMA's Snow and Ice Symposium, regional events, and webinars.  Since 2005, Cheryl has focused on the professional Snow & Ice Industry. She brings a wealth of industry knowledge and a keen eye for developing strategies for content and education ...
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New members-only training courses added

By Brian Birch posted 05-23-2018
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SIMA’s membership investment comes with many benefits, including on-demand snow training courses. Our commitment to our members is to continuously increase the value of tangible member benefits. That’s why we recently added a new set of five courses to our existing members-only training platform. Our goal is simple: Help members plug in to a ready-made diverse set of training tools so you don’t have to build your snow-specific training from scratch. The SIMA Training Center at www.sima.org/resources is a SIMA member’s best friend. It not only houses the members-only training but also numerous best practices guides, production documents, and contracts and ...
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