Twenty five manufacturer’s reps across five regions (Northeast, Northwest, Midwest, Southeast, and Southwest) represent the inaugural Ambassadors of Efficiency winners. Those representing the Northwest region, covering Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, are profiled below.
ACI Mechanical is based in Seattle. Shown here is a portion of the company's sales staff during a recent open house event.
Image courtesy of ACI Mechanical
ACI Mechanical
ACI Mechanical is based in Seattle and first opened in 1985. The company, which employs 58 individuals, covers the northern Idaho, Oregon, and Washington regions. The company promotes numerous brands of equipment, including Big Ass Fans, Cambridge, Camfil, Ductsox, Loren Cook Co., Miller-Picking, Neptronic, Price Industries, Ruskin, and more.
“We have a large engineering staff and great salespeople who work as a team to help consulting engineers, contractors, and owners with complex HVAC problems,” said Keith Glasch, president, ACI Mechanical. “We are a nonresidential specialty wholesale distributor that actually stocks products. Most companies like ours only do build-to-order and do not have inventory committed to solve urgent customer problems. We know when to apply the right products without extending too far into 'one-off' product ideas that do not have AHRI [Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute] or AMCA [Air Movement and Control Association International Inc.] certifications. Our warehouses open at 6 a.m. to help our customers get what they need. We store finished goods and stage them for customers who need just-in-time delivery to their job sites.”
The company boasts three unique attributes that set it apart from other representatives: smart HVAC solutions that work, HVAC equipment always in stock, and a guarantee that the company will get it right.
“These attributes help our customers look good and perform for their customers,” Glasch said.
ACI Mechanical is very active with its manufacturers’ training programs.
“We work closely with design-build contractors and engineers on the latest energy codes,” Glasch said. “We press the envelope with designs from our manufacturers to create solutions.”
The company’s core values drive who they hire and how they treat their customers.
“Wow each customer, thrive together, own it, and have fun are good examples of who we are in the marketplace,” Glasch said. “Every employee can make a decision to help our customers be successful, and it’s through teamwork that we succeed together.”
Johnson Barrow Inc. is based in Portland, Oregon, and operates four locations throughout Idaho, Washington, and Vancouver.
Image courtesy of Johnson Barrow Inc.
Johnson Barrow Inc.
Johnson Barrow Inc. is based in Portland, Oregon, and operates four additional locations in Boise, Idaho; Seattle; Spokane, Washington; and Vancouver. The company, which opened in 1964, has an operational footprint that extends throughout the Pacific Northwest (British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington) and employs 149 individuals. Johnson Barrow promotes numerous equipment brands, including Aaon, ABB, Advanced Thermal Hydronics (ATH), Aermec, Evapco, Friedrich, Johnson Controls/York, LG, Stulz, and Taco Comfort Solutions.
“We focus on being system-level consultants to the marketplace,” said Rudy Caffall, principal, Johnson Barrow Inc. “Making sure our team provides unique, full system solutions for the projects we are working on sets us apart. We follow through after equipment is supplied with a service, aftermarket support, and parts group that guarantees building owners reliable HVAC systems.”
The company regularly hosts educational events for engineers, building owners, contractors, and service technicians.
One engineering customer called the staff at Johnson Barrow extremely knowledgeable
“They offer a fast turnaround, great troubleshooting, and all-around support,” said the engineering partner. “Their staff proactively educates our engineers on the nuances of equipment and systems and provides top-level service for equipment during design, construction, and commissioning/testing.”
Kilgore Architectural Products Inc. has been in business since 1998.
Image courtesy of Kilgore Architectural Products Inc.
Kilgore Architectural Products Inc.
Kilgore Architectural Products Inc. is located in Spokane, Washington, and covers central and eastern Washington, northern Idaho, northeast Oregon, the tri-cities, Yakima, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, Walla Walla, Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Sandpoint, Moscow/Pullman, and Lewiston/Clarkston. The company employs around 20 individuals and has been in business since 1998. The company represents products from Kalwall Translucent Skylights and Wall Panels.
“We offer an unbiased approach to get the right products for the project’s needs,” said Greg Henson, CSI, CDT, sales and project manager, Kilgore Architectural Products Inc. “We offer design assistance from conception to punch list.”
The company aims to keep its clients informed of the latest trends through LinkedIn posts, office visits, social media posts, online information, lunch-and-learn presentations, and more.
“We furnish and install all the different products we represent,” said Henson. “We service all our installations regardless how much time has passed — even products out of the warranty period.”
Norman S. Wright of Southern Nevada is located in Brisbane, California.
Image courtesy of Norman S. Wright of Southern Nevada
Norman S. Wright of Southern Nevada
Norman S. Wright of Southern Nevada (NSWSN) opened in 1992 and is located in Las Vegas. The company employs 16 HVAC professionals and focuses on the design, installation, and support of sustainable HVAC systems. Norman S. Wright, the parent company with headquarters in Brisbane, California, opened in 1906 and operates 17 total offices through California and the Western U.S.
NSWSN covers Las Vegas and the surrounding cities, including Henderson, Boulder City, and North Las Vegas. The company represents products from Alliance, Daikin, Greenheck, SPX Marley, and others.
“Collaboration and human interaction in a technical-driven industry has proven effective not just for the office operations but how we interface with clients,” said Stoil Pamoukov, P.E., WELL AP, application sales engineer, NSWSN.
“At NSWSN, we put our clients and solutions at the forefront of our business, not just with our specific manufacturers or products,” said Matt Lisiewski, vice president, NSWSN. “It's important to lead with value in the construction industry and be transparent with engineers and contractors to drive positive outcomes for our partners and building owners.”
Continued education is an important part of the company’s daily business.
“The HVAC industry is ever-evolving with new technologies and understanding how to implement new solutions keeps things fun and exciting,” said Pamoukov. “Each new building is an opportunity to apply our expertise and best practices to deliver comfortable, energy-efficient, and safe indoor built environments.”
Pamoukov attributes the team’s success to its dedicated and knowledgeable individuals from all different backgrounds to the HVAC industry.
“We enjoy and take pride in what we do," he said.
"Our workplace is a highly collaborative and fast-paced environment where everyone contributes to our mutual success," said Lisiewski. "From engineering to estimation to supporting contractors and warehousing, everyone in the organization plays a key role in our continued growth and success. Our motto is 'do the right thing each day.'"
Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US is headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia, and operates eight locations nationwide.
Image courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US
Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US
Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS) is headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia, and operates eight locations throughout the U.S. The company, which was created in the early 1970s, covers the Alaska, Montana, and Washington regions and employs 20 sales reps who serve the West Coast. The company reps its own lines of VRF systems, mini splits, and controls.
“We support the engineers through training on our products and selections software, provide in-person support on projects, and offer selections with our engineering software,” said Steve Fintak, P.E., LEED AP, area commercial manager, METUS. “We are always training and updating engineers and contractors on new product and supporting them during design and construction. We carry complete building HVAC solutions to include VRF, DOAS [dedicated outdoor air systems], domestic water heating, and controls.”
The company aims to keep the industry informed of the latest HVAC technologies and trends through lunch-and-learns, trade shows, and distributor events.
“As a leader in advanced commercial HVAC technologies, including ductless and ducted mini-split and VRF heat pump and air conditioning systems, we have a solution for any home or building,” Fintak said. “We continually innovate our building HVAC systems, creating efficiency, comfort, and wellness for all spaces by providing industry-leading products, design and technical training, and unmatched end-to-end support.”
One customer, representing a mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) company, said the rep — specifically Fintak — truly understands common design issues.
“Steve provides solutions to quickly alleviate design errors that always lead to requests for information from the contractors,” said the engineer. “The turnaround time for the equipment selections is essential in completing contract documents on time. Steve does not miss the minor details that often lead to construction issues and provides specific wiring diagrams and piping schematics that can be placed directly on contract documents. This eliminates deign errors that cost hours to fix later, reduces hours of work, and saves the design budget.”
