The 2026 International Roundtable brought Service Nation members to San Antonio for several days of candid conversation, real-world ideas, and the kind of peer connection that helps everyone succeed. Here are the highlights from the week.
Monday: Welcome to San Antonio
Attendees kicked off the week by settling in, exploring the venue, and reconnecting with peers from across North America. Before the first sessions began, the hallways were already buzzing with conversation about market conditions, staffing, and technology. That’s what makes gathering this group worth it.
Tuesday: Big Ideas, Hard Truths, and a Historic Night Out
The opening events paired attendees with people they might not have met on their own, setting the tone for the rest of the week.
The Industry Panel challenged leaders to move away from “the way we’ve always done it” before change forces their hand. AI as a business standard, comfort subscriptions over one-off visits, and tighter back-of-house operations were central themes.
The Pressing Questions Panel brought it back to the fundamentals. No matter how capable AI becomes, it’s not what brings customers back. The reason people return is how you make them feel in every interaction.
Beyond the Sessions: A Night Out
Tuesday evening gave attendees a chance to see another side of San Antonio by visiting the Alamo. A leather-stamping station, tortilla face painting, and a salsa tasting made for a night designed for connection and relationship-building.
Wednesday: Deep Dives and Real-World Implementation
Professional long-course triathlete Timothy O’Donnell started the day with a keynote built around one idea: the champion is a mindset. A widowmaker heart attack mid-race nearly ended his career. A year later, he came back and qualified for the Ironman World Championship. His built-forward system – rest, reframe, rebuild – gives leaders a simple framework for navigating hard moments and using them as a spark for growth.
Breakouts and working sessions brought big ideas down to ground level, with more tactical conversations about comfort plans, streamlining processes with AI, and building confidence through training and development.
In hallways, at meals, and during networking breaks, members compared marketing ideas, recruiting and retention strategies, and approaches to preparing their teams for the next wave of change. For many attendees, these peer-to-peer conversations are where the real breakthroughs occur.
Thursday: Advocacy, Action, and What’s Next
Tucker Green closed the week by challenging contractors to view advocacy as part of the job. His point was clear: one voice is easy to overlook, but a unified industry is not. It’s about turning ideas into action, and success is built on trust and credibility.
Celebrating Our 2026 Award Winners
No International Roundtable is complete without recognizing the members and partners who are raising the bar in performance, leadership, and customer experience.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients!
2026 International Roundtable Award Recipients
- Contractor of the Year: American Home Pros, Cody and Jayme Dampf
- Boundless Benefactor Award: Grove Mechanical, Ryan and Angie StMichel; All Mechanical, Geoff Fishel
- Extraordinary Outlook: Integrity Refrigeration and A/C, Billy Gregus; Hembree Heating and Air, Josh Hembree
- Industry Trailblazer: Just in Time, Janeen and Justin Norquist; Pro-Tech Heating and Cooling, Andy and Lisa Purvins; Shanklin Heating and Air, Kip Shanklin
- Transcendent Mentor: Illiana Heating and Air Conditioning, Kevin Frump
- Outstanding Advertiser: Young Plumbing Services, Jessica Young
A Few Fun Competitive Highlights
Roy White took home the tequila prize from the margarita contests, and the Resideo team claimed scavenger hunt honors – a hard-fought win in a hunt that had teams nailing contractor cheers, identifying what different HVAC systems sound like, tracking down a fire hydrant for a high five, and more.
This group also came together for something bigger than business. Members raised over $13,000 for the Joseph Groh Foundation, an organization that supports contractors and tradespeople living with life-altering disabilities. It’s the kind of moment that reminds you what this community is really about.
Watch the full award videos in the International Roundtable 2026 San Antonio playlist on YouTube.
Until Next Time
Thank you to every member, partner, speaker, and staff member who made the week such a success. We’ll see you at the next International Roundtable as we continue building together.
