SIMA Blog

SIMA Foundation announces new industry innovation award!

By Brian Birch
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Dean Fisher Innovation Scholarship Mission: To recognize innovative products and services for the snow & ice management industry and introduce new companies and individuals to SIMA membership at the annual Symposium. Dean L. Fisher had a passion for solving problems. He studied civil and mechanical engineering at Kansas State College of Engineering & Agriculture and the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1948, he chose to tackle the problem of moving snow with nimble, light-duty four-wheel-drive vehicles. He changed the market when he created the first plow to mount on Willys Jeeps (the precursor to the iconic Jeep brand). From there, Fisher made sure ...

2022 Educational Webinars

By Brian Birch
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WEBINAR WEDNESDAYS RETURN IN 2022 After a one-year hiatus (thanks again, 2021!), quarterly webinars are back here at SIMA. Each 1-hour webinar is free to SIMA members, we just ask for a simple RSVP. All webinars will take place at noon EST. Quickly RSVP for all 4 webinars now and get zoom confirmations for each, so you can add them to your calendar and never miss a beat! February 9 In-Season Snow Sales Garrett Smith, WNY Snow Removal & Pitch + Pivot During the season, the focus naturally shifts to servicing existing clients’ sites; but don’t neglect planning for in-season sales and marketing — even if your current routes are packed tight. Garrett ...

Wrapping up 2021 with new benefits, connections

By Chris Dix
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Wow, what a journey we have had these last two years. I can honestly say that the pandemic and its impact on the association has been profound. We struggled, we pivoted and pivoted again. We pushed forward, and we made hard choices. And amazingly, we are stronger and more resilient than we even knew. We are moving forward in new ways, and I wanted to share some of those membership-focused initiatives with you. Membership growth SIMA is owned by its members, and the best way to build influence in the industry is to grow the number of engaged members. Guided by our Board of Directors, the staff is kicking off a hyper-focus on growing a quality membership base. ...

Textravaganza with SIMA

By Brian Birch
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Get on our texting list. Win cool stuff. Its as easy as that this year with SIMA's Textravaganza! Sometimes things boil down to getting the right information at the right time-it could change your life! It’s harder than ever to get key deadlines and information in front of our industry. Opt-in to SIMA texts for timely membership, event and industry-critical updates. Start 2022 off with a bang and opt-in now : https://bit.ly/SIMAText   Each week of December, we'll be giving away some cool prizes via random drawings of those who are opting-in to texts from SIMA. We'll be respectful of your privacy, and we promise not to send too many texts during ...

SIMA 25th Anniversary Snow & Ice Symposium

By Brian Birch
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SIMA recently announced the dates and location of the 25th Annual Snow & Ice Symposium, along with our show mantra of having an Out of this World celebration!  First, the basics: When: June 21-24th, 2022 Where: Milwaukee, WI Convention Center Join us for 4 days of celebration, peer networking, education, and trade show as the Best Show in Snow returns to its roots in 2022. We can't wait to get everyone together and see what we've all accomplished together, and look to the future. The show planning is underway, and will include: Education Galaxy: A wealth of education for all roles: Opening Keynote Wednesday - Warp Speed Workshops & Moonshot Labs ...

Staying engaged with SIMA

By Brian Birch
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SIMA doesn’t want you to miss key deadlines and reminders that make it easier to stay connected. Its all part of the conversation we have with our members and customers throughout each year, and its how we help connect members across the US and Canada together. Now we have a new way to stay engaged, as we announce SIMA Text Messaging. Sign up to receive critical text messages, including: Membership renewal updates Event registration deadlines Key industry announcements Of course, we won't bombard you with unnecessary messages or sales pitches, we'll keep it to the important reminders and updates that are critical to you. Sign up for our texts ...

Compass Network returning in 2022

By Brian Birch
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SIMA’s Compass Network enables you and your snow team to learn and grow with other snow companies from all across North America. No travel required. After a successful pilot program with 30+ companies in 2021, SIMA recently announced this innovative program will continue for 2022! Key outcomes for participating companies: Align with accomplished professionals at crucial times during the year. Develop deeper industry relationships for the key members of your snow team. Explore diverse practices & challenging ideas. 2022 Tentative Events Overview April: Production Rates & Job Costing Workshop May: Sales Jam July: Equipment and Technology ...

Time to get credentialed?

By Brian Birch
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SIMA wants to make our Advanced Snow Manager (ASM) and Certified Snow Professional (CSP) programs as accessible as possible. Thanks to the generosity of BOSS Snowplow, we can help place one of these high-quality programs at your fingertips. Program discounts open October 1-October 15th: Industry professionals to take that next step with the following savings: $50 off CSP application, per person $50 off an ASM Team Plan (2 or more people training). Team Plans also include structured incentives. Your company’s $200 Training Commitment credit can also be applied if it has not been used in your current membership cycle. Need more information on Team Plans or ...

Your SIMA membership never stops working for you

By Chris Dix
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Consider our staff and affiliates to be an extension of your workforce with your annual dues going a long way in your efforts to: + Educate and retain key personnel + Market, brand and differentiate your operation + Learn about new ways and tools to manage properties + Obtain insurance + Network with like-minded and-sized organizations ...and so much more! The average contractor member has been partnered with SIMA for 9.4 years. And if you haven’t realized it by now, SIMA does everything in its power to listen carefully to market trends, challenges and opportunities to better support the industry. For those companies that plan to be in the snow and ice ...

SIMA All-Access Training - plug and play for seasonal training

By Brian Birch
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For years, our SIMA annual training videos have helped train new hires and operations professionals to be safer and more efficient in the work that they do. They have really become the 'standard' in annual snow-specific refresher training. But building a quality safety and training program for a larger number of employees takes a lot of time and resources, until now! Now you can use SIMA to verify basic knowledge of safety and techniques for all of your employees, available anywhere, anytime. Access for all part-time or full time employees, no logins or registrations required Automated quizzing and quiz completion reporting Private web-based dashboard ...

Check out the brochure for this summer's Symposium

By Cheryl Higley
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The 2019 Snow & Ice Symposium held in Grand Rapids, MI, feels like it happened an eternity ago. Little did we know that it would be the last time our loyal SIMA members and supporters would be able to gather and do what we love — talk snow, even during the summer. A virtual Symposium filled the void somewhat in 2020 for those who took part in it. We were pleased with the event, but we know it’s not the same as gathering the masses for a four-day celebration of this resilient industry. With a year of virtual events behind us, the SIMA staff knew that we had to do whatever we could — even if it meant stepping out of our comfort zone — to host the Symposium ...

Know anyone starting up a new snow business?

By Brian Birch
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Breaking into the snow and ice management industry is easy. Having staying power? Not so much. In 2021 SIMA, in partnership with SnowEx, is creating a new program specifically geared to newer snow companies focused on the established foundations of business and operational success for snow and ice. We believe that an industry that is accessible to serious, professional people will thrive if it lends a helping hand to them when they begin to get serious about the work. The resources we are sharing are more in-depth and focused than what you will typically find in a google search, and all content is presented, written, or vetted through pros in the industry. ...

Narrowing the window of liability

By Martin Tirado
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Narrowing the window of liability Ontario Limits Slip and Fall Litigation — is the US next? Martin Tirado, CEO Many snow and ice companies in Ontario have recently faced massive increases in their insurance premiums. Sound familiar? Relevant to all of us, the increasing nature of loss claims and the threat of expensive litigation resulting from snow and ice slip and falls is the primary cause of these insurance increases.  All credit due to the members and staff of Landscape Ontario as they obtained support through a member of Parliament to pass the The Occupiers’ Liability Amendment Act, which took effect on January 1, 2021. For those who ...

SIMA's New Strategic Outcomes

By Martin Tirado
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In January, Wayne Michalak, CSP, took the helm as the new chair of SIMA's board of directors.  Heading into 2021, he's and the board are also embracing a new set of outcomes for SIMA to address. It boils down to these 3 areas: 1. Snow and ice professionals will have access to comprehensive role-focused education and resources to gain knowledge for the long-term success of themselves and their team. 2. SIMA member companies will benefit from access to business resources and participation in a growing peer-to-peer community. 3. SIMA is the industry leader in the creation of and advocacy for recognized best practices and standards of excellence for ...

COVID-19 Vaccine for Essential Critical Infrastructure Work

By Martin Tirado
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The impact of COVID-19 has affected all of us. As the vaccine is being implemented throughout North America, and globally, snow and ice workers clearly play a role in it's distribution as "Essential Critical Infrastructure Work". As such, SIMA is distributing this request to all state and provincial health departments in charge of vaccine distribution. In the United States, our roles can be found in several areas of importance in Phase 1, as described here: https://bit.ly/2Xqri6K . Please use this statement as needed to send to your local health department. Getting the COVID-19 is optional, and snow and ice professionals should have this option in Phase 1 of ...

Looking forward with hope and purpose

By Cheryl Higley
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If there is one word to describe our industry and your association, it’s resiliency — and that goes well beyond just managing the turmoil of 2020. The very nature of snow and ice management can put us on our heels at a moment’s notice, but we have no choice for the safety of our teams and our clients’ sites to power through. The same can be said for your SIMA team and your board of directors, who are tasked with building and executing a vision that contributes to the success and support of our members and, by extension, the association. Central to that mission is ensuring that the board prioritizes outcomes and initiatives that embody SIMA’s mission: empowering ...

SIMA launches Compass Network - a new opportunity for commercial snow pros

By Brian Birch
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2020 has made us realize that we don’t need to wait until the Symposium every year to engage with our most loyal long-term members, and that SIMA has the technology and skill to help connect high-powered commercial snow management firms throughout the year. And the biggest plus? No travel required! SIMA’s Compass Network enables you and your snow team to learn and grow with other snow companies from all across North America. The goal is for the network to help your snow team members: Align with accomplished professionals at crucial times during the year. Develop deeper industry relationships for the key members of your snow team. Explore diverse ...

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Snow and Ice Workforce

By Martin Tirado
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In a recent member survey, workforce availability was indicated as the #1 challenge that will impact business growth in the next three years. This labor challenge is not new, however it may be exacerbated by the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 which will temporarily suspend their availability in the workforce. Add to that the typical seasonal flu season and this winter may present some significant challenges for snow and ice companies to perform their essential services.  As a result, SIMA is issuing the following press release to encourage all snow and ice service companies to be diligent in their health and sanitation practices, to educate their ...

Volunteering for Snow & Ice - A New Way to Engage

By Martin Tirado
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Committees are boring. I’ve served on several and managed many others, so I’ve experienced the good, bad and indifferent. The good is they are an easy way to meet new people while sharing and learning. They do offer a way to give back and get more involved. Honestly though, they often aren’t that exciting. This said, for SIMA and the snow and ice industry to continue growing and improving, we must get together and exchange ideas and best practices. With some new technology, we now have a means to make peer-to-peer engagement a little more exciting, all while working on specific topics in snow and ice management.  Join SIMA and other snow professionals ...

Oct. 28th to feature industry-first Liquid Brine Strategy Workshop online

By Brian Birch
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In early October SIMA was slated to deliver several days of in-person training, including a full-day workshop on liquids. Due to challenges related to COVID-19, the in-person events have been postponed to the future. However, the demand for quality liquids-focused training is needed more than ever, so we are excited to announce that we have moved to a virtual Liquid Brine Strategy Workshop. Adding brine to your ice management toolbox requires a careful approach that blends strategy, cost analysis, science and application best practices. In this 5-hour online event we’re going to dispel the myth that “Liquids just don’t work” with a mix of classroom exercises, ...