Hannah Belloli

After his grocery store burned to the ground in January 2023, Dan Craffey vowed to rebuild. He stuck true to his word and in January of 2023, Hunter’s Shop n’ Save in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, was rebuilt larger, and with refrigeration in mind. The new store is 25% larger than its previous space at 16,000 square feet, and it features a brand-new refrigeration technology. The new technology, the FlexCube Supermarket Refrigeration System, was invented by Jim LaBrecque, a 50-year veteran of the supermarket industry, and an energy engineering expert. The FlexCube modular system consists of identical 2- by 2-foot cubes that not only take up no floor space, but are easy to install. Inside Hunter’s Shop n’ Save, the six cubes hang from the bar joist above the coolers. Each cube contains about 25 pounds of refrigerant each, and are suitable for both low- and medium-temperature applications, according to LaBrecque. They are also virtually leak-proof, and complies with federal regulations requiring lower-GWP alternatives as they use the A2L refrigerant R-454C.

Fifty-five years old. That’s the average age of HVAC professionals these days — meaning that in a mere 10 years, a majority of the current HVAC workforce will likely no longer be working. But with this ‘graying’ of the workforce comes the opportunity for tremendous innovation as the next generation of HVAC leaders steps up to the plate, bringing with them new ideas, new inspiration, new goals for an industry more in the spotlight than ever before. Read their stories below in our 10th annual Top 40 list.

TRAINED TRAINERS: In order for technician’s to be properly trained, the industry has to ensure their trainers are, too. (Courtesy of ESCO Institute)

A recent survey done by Clear Seas Research, in conjunction with The ACHR NEWS, found that 67% of homeowners find their HVAC contractor via word of mouth/recommendation, including social media. However, “word of mouth” doesn’t mean the same thing it used to. Today’s homeowners have more options that just talking to someone and asking them for a recommendation. They can now turn to forums/groups on social media, deep dive into company reviews, text, and then some. Basically, the new word of mouth is ANY way a homeowner can tell someone what HVAC contractor they should use. To excel at today’s word of mouth, HVAC contractors have to involve themselves in their community. They have to get out there and make a name for themselves. Afterall, people can’t talk about people they don’t know. Or rather, recommend them. Being able to track leads is also beneficial to a word of mouth marketing campaign, as it is for any successful plan. Some in the industry, like Crystal Williams, founder and strategist at Lemon Seed Marketing, think the return of referral programs could help contractors succeed at word of mouth marketing.

Kris Hollenbeck never considered HVAC until he was looking for a long-term career, and had a friend working at Meier Supply who praised how well they treat their co-owners (Employee Stock Ownership Plan or ESOP).

Amanda Searcy started in the HVAC industry on the finance side through a friend. Prior to this, as a single mother at the age of 19, Searcy embarked on a journey to provide a better future for herself and her children. She balanced working full-time and going to college, and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance, all the while gaining meaningful experience in both the supply and contractor side of the construction industry.

HVAC REPLACEMENT: When technicians take the time to educate homeowners, they are more likely to understand why a replacement might be the best choice for them. (Courtesy of Bill Joplin’s Air Conditioning & Heating)

Some say that everything is bigger in Texas – and the findings of a new global survey by Daikin on air conditioning usage released earlier this month could serve as more proof of that. The data of the “World Air Survey” shows that compared to a dozen other cities across the globe, residents of Houston, Texas have the highest average per-hour usage of their a/c units. 41% of Houston residents reported to run their a/c 24/7. According to the data, Houston is tied with two other cities for average maximum air temperature at 93.2°F, but it landed at the top of the list for average a/c use per day during the hottest month of the year, at 17.2 hours. Saudi Arabia and New York ranked the second and third cities with the longest hours of use at 14.9 hours and 12.6 hours. Additional data showed what people are choosing as their set temperatures, and the most important factor to them when purchasing air conditioners.

More and more companies are putting a focus on ESG (or Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles. Coupled with the fact that building automation systems

It seems that Generation Z is catching on that a career in the trades can offer them everything they might be looking for in a job, and then some. Things such as flexibility, job security, good pay, and more. However, with a labor shortage already happening, finding the right people to train these incoming workers can be a bit overwhelming for HVAC contractors. The right type of trainers for this job should possess a few specific qualities. For starters, they have to understand Generation Z, or at least, try their best. Part of this understanding means realizing that Gen Z grew up with technology at their fingertips, making them proficient at all things digital. While this could be particularly challenging for those trainers coming from an analog world, the relationship Gen Z has with technology fits right in with the present mindset of the HVACR.