M.O.V. Training Services LLC

Going through boxes in my garage today. What ya think controls guys? Should I hang onto this stuff, just in case?

42 years ago next month I started a job a Honeywell, working for what was called at the time The Honeywell Professional Development Center. My focus was initially doing training on pneumatic controls. We offered two levels of training on pneumatics. Eventually my responsibilities expanded to mechanical systems, in that capacity I did training on centrifugal and absorber chillers, boilers and their controls, air handling units, taught classes to prep students for the refrigerant certification test that were part of the ‘save the Ozone’ era and more. I worked as a full time Honeywell employee for 22 months, at which time Honeywell, in their infinite wisdom, laid me off. A few months later they contacted me. Bob Bear, the man responsible for hiring me at Honeywell initially, asked me to come back as a full time employee for a period of two months to teach five classes for General Motors in Detroit. The class they purchased was the ‘NET209’ class, which was a 5 day class covering both centrifugal and absorber chillers. Bob said to me “you’re the only instructor I have that teaches that class”. I said “no, I’m the only instructor you had!” but I offered to work for Honeywell Training as a contractor. That’s what got me started on my M.O.V. Training Services adventure.
I could write many stories (and I think I will!) about the adventures I’ve had over the years, and the cool things that I’ve seen. In April 2020 my world changed as we entered the Covid fiasco. Like any other training organization that wanted to survive that time period I had to move into virtual training. I have to say that this has been a big blessing. It’s worked out very well, and as I get a bit older I plan on focusing my efforts on virtual training, maintaining my travel for the customers who have supported me seemingly forever. Tomorrow, 7/20/26, I’ll be starting my 194th virtual training class! Most of these classes have been the 5 day Niagara4 Certification Training classes. I am certified by Tridium to teach all three levels of certification. On Friday, 7/17/26, I finished presenting the Level III Advanced Certification Training class as a virtual class. I get lots of positive comments from my students at the end of the classes I do, but this comment from a student in my class last week choked me up a bit and means a lot to me:
Vern,
After going through all 3 levels of training you provide for Niagara. By far the best experience of training and insights I have had in the Industry. Far superior than any class I have taken and with your teaching style and approach to training far exceeded my expectations. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into these classes. You've made this experience one I will always remember. Wish you the best.
A sincere thank you to that student!!

If you are looking for Niagara Certification Training at any of the three levels, please accept my invitation to check the schedule on my website: www.MOVTraining.com. Hope to see you in class!
Vernon Petersen
President
M.O.V. Training Services LLC
www.MOVTraining.com
https://www.facebook.com/movtraining/

As I have traveled around the country for the last (almost) 42 years teaching classes on HVAC systems and controls, I've become friends with a lot of the people that just started out as customers. I've also apparently gotten a reputation for liking to drink Diet Dr. Pepper! Some of these friends / customers remember that and feed that addiction when I visit them for another class. Example, when Gus Bauder was working at Temperature Control Systems in Dallas, he would always have a case of DDP waiting for me under the teaching table at the front of the room. Ashley and Paul at M&M Controls in Baltimore always have a week's worth of DDP waiting for me when I get there. But my favorite example of catering-to-Vern was Peter Walsh, owner of Columbus Temperature Controls in Columbus OH, who sent the attached picture to me the week before I was scheduled to be there for a class. The caption on the email he sent was 'Ready For Vern's Visit!' I always enjoy those weeks in Columbus!

More adventures in Office Cleaning! I wonder what's in that little red Pelican case? Oh yes! All the LON adapters I used to use in my Honeywell Classic Spyder training classes!

A long time ago, after I started working for the Honeywell training center as a contractor, Honeywell decided to stop providing training on pneumatic controls. The manager at the time, Cheryl, offered to sell me one of the pneumatic lab sets, which consisted of 5 suitcase sized plastic cases with all the stuff we needed to do the two levels of training that had been offered up to that point. Cheryl had one price for the set in mind, her thoughts on that price didn't jive with my thoughts, but we bargained a bit and agreed on a price. Once that was set I explained that I'd have to go through the set to make sure everything worked as the sets had not been maintained very well for a year or two before that. When I explained I needed to do that she said "how about two sets for the price of one?" I figured I'd get at least one good set by combining the two together so I said ok.
Since Honeywell training wasn't interested in doing pneumatic training any more they hired me to act as Honeywell's "industry representative on pneumatic controls" at a big training event that happened every year in Ann Arbor Michigan called "the United Association". This big event had been going on for years. It's purpose was for industry experts to train people who would then go back to their own union halls to train the local union people. There was myself and one other instructor from California that were supposed to split the pneumatics training. Because I was new to this program I was deemed the junior instructor and the other guy, who had been teaching there for years, was senior. Now the senior guy was also an amateur magician and when it was his turn to lead the class he spent at least half his time doing magic tricks that he called "Pneu-magic Contols".
Because I had shipped my lab cases to the event the students could do lab work, and the senior would usually look at me after his magic show and suggest that maybe I should take over the rest of his time because "that hands-on work is very important", and then he'd disappear for the rest of the day.
I did this for a couple of years, but then dropped out because I was still very active making and selling candles at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival and this event conflicted with the festival. But it was fun while it lasted!

A long time ago, I bought these wall posters to keep track of my training schedule. These were the last three that I used, but still on the wall in my old office, until today. 🙂😢🙂 Every day seems that I'm getting closer to the end of my career than I am to the beginning of it. I guess that shouldn't be a surprise since I'm closing in (August) to 42 years of teaching. But still...
I was busy back then, these are pre-Niagara days, lots of CARE, LCBS, some boiler controls classes and even some pneumatics classes.

More Cleaning The Old Office adventures! Opened a box to see what was there and behold! All my vinyl albums from when I was a kid. This one, Led Zeppelin II, was my first album. 1969 I believe, making me 12 years old. I asked for the album for a Christmas present and to my surprise I got it! My parents also bought 'the kids' a small stero record player. I set that up on the dining room table, put on Led Zeppelin II. Whole Lotta Love started to play. My mom got quiet for a moment then said "what have I done!" 🤣🤣🤣 Like most of you I'm still a big Zeppelin fan!

Found another CARE dongal! Woo hoo!

A couple of months back, Christy qnd I attended the Niagara Summit hosted by Tridium. We had a 1 day trainer's meeting the day before the official start of the Summit. All the trainers got an 'official' name tag except me. They forgot about me. 😢 But they promised they would send me one. It arrived today! Yes! Would have been nice if they spelled my name correctly, but what the hey.

More CARE dongals! Even older this time!