About Nexstar Network

With a solution to every business problem, Nexstar is a member-owned organization that drives business growth and development through continued education and the sharing of ideas.

Nexstar empowers its members to be industry leaders through comprehensive business training, proven business systems, and dedicated business coaching. Nexstar is so much more than tools and resources for business strategy and sustained success. It’s a membership designed to build connections and lasting relationships. Nexstar Network is a membership for an intentional life.

By the Numbers:

1992 – Contractors 2000 is launched by Frank Blau, George Brazil, and a pioneering group of contractors as a member-owned organization dedicated to education and sharing within the residential service industry.

2004 – Contractors 2000 becomes Nexstar Network, offering comprehensive customer service, leadership training, and proven business systems.

2005Explore The Trades is founded to prepare the next generation of residential service industry owners and employees.

2018NexTech Academy, an online technical training program, is developed to help members build their own workforce from the ground up.

2021 – Nexstar grows to a team of more than 75 employees, serving more than 800 members across the United States, Canada, and Australia.

“Members first.”

That’s Nexstar’s foundational principle. This principle sets the tenor of our mission:

To turn the World’s Best Tradespeople into the World’s Best Businesspeople.​

Together, we strengthen the industry. Your success is what we describe in our vision:

We will advance the careers of 250,000 member employees through direct training and coaching by 2027.​

Learn more about our current mission and vision by watching a video from our Nexstar President and CEO, Julian Scadden, here.

Nexstar Network is member-owned and led by a talented team and board of directors who have in-depth industry knowledge and a genuine commitment to helping members thrive. They operate based on an industry-setting Code of Ethics. They have the skills, talents, and commitment to member success that has resulted in Nexstar Network’s consistent retention rate of 95%.

Leadership

Julian Scadden

President & CEO

Carrie Fraser

Vice President of Operations

Robyn DeLoss Henkler

Director of Finance & Human Resources

Anna Rasmussen

Director of Events & Administration

Arthur Kjelshus

Director of Software Engineering & Information Technology

Christian Oleson

Director of Marketing & Creative Services

Joel Ellingson

Director of NexTech Academy

Rachel Whitman

Director of Developments

Scott Pearson

Director of Coaching

Board of Directors

Jamie Gerdsen, Chairman

Apollo Home, Cincinnati, OH
Member Since 5/2014

Geno Caccia, Vice Chairman

James Caccia Plumbing, Inc., San Mateo, CA
Member Since 11/2013

Lewis Williams, Secretary

Mike Williams Plumbing, Heating and A/C, Springfield, IL
Member Since 2/1996

Amanda Zink, Treasurer

Air Control Air Conditioning, Inc, Lake Havasu City, AZ
Member Since 02/2021

Ted Fox, Director

Fox Plumbing - Heating - Cooling - Electrical, Vernon, BC
Member Since 12/2016

Claire Ferrara, Director

Standard Heating & Air Conditioning, MN
Member Since 8/2019

Mark Paup, Director

Golden Rule Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, & Electrical, Grimes, IA
Member Since 9/2010

Chris Hoffmann, Director

Hoffmann Brothers Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electric, Brentwood, MO
Member Since 11/2015
Founded by Nexstar Network in 2005, the nonprofit organization Explore The Trades is committed to developing the next generation of a skilled workforce by changing the perception of the trades.

The organization creates awareness of the trades through key industry statistics, career resources, and connections with successful residential service companies throughout North America.

To further its mission, Explore The Trades leverages one of Nexstar’s newest innovations, NexTech Academy, to make pre-apprenticeship curriculum available to instructors of students in grades 9-12 throughout the U.S. and Canada. Known as the “Ready, Set, Skilled” initiative, this program gives students access to interactive, industry-leading training to prepare them for a career in the trades following high school.

 
Growing a business isn’t easy, but with help from our Strategic Partners, we show our members a better way forward.

Participation in the Strategic Partner vendor program saves Nexstar members time and money on services, products, and equipment. More than 60% of the Nexstar membership pays their dues with rebates earned through the vendor program.

Here are just a few of our trusted partners:

Interested in a Partnership?