Samuel Guy Neese Jr. is 73 years old, and he has been in the HVAC trade for 51 years. He has seen ups and downs during his career, but through it all he continues to return to work every day with unheard-of stamina.

Champion AC, a veteran-owned and operated HVAC contracting company, recently added solar air conditioners to its list of product offerings.

When the economy crashed in 2008, many business owners nearing the end of their careers were probably relieved to retire and escape before it got worse. But Ray Grimm, 67, decided not to ride off into the sunset — instead, he chose to retain his leadership role and rebrand his Illinois business.

Continuing with our annual tradition, The NEWS is proud to announce the winners of the 2011 Best Contractors to Work For contest. These contractors are being honored for creating work environments that not only nurture employees but also provide them with opportunities for growth and development.

The Great Recession has hit few places harder than Flint, Mich. Yet Ken Hardin, owner of Ken Hardin Heating and Cooling, has found continued success through traditional cost-cutting measures and an innovative invention that is helping his customers during difficult economic times.

“What’s the cost of the furnace?” asked Mrs. Smith, as she fumbled through several pages of downloaded furnace pricing sheets. “How much do you charge per hour and what would you charge me to just hook up the furnace?” Can you relate to this scenario?

While the acclaim of an accounting degree sounded great in his early 20s, Kenneth Buggay’s desire to get his hands dirty led him away from the office and into the service truck as an HVAC contractor.

Whether its students attending the vocational classes he teaches, or the customers he serves through Air Comfort Mechanical Inc., John Kuefler, 53, has made a golden career out of treating others the way he wants to be treated. But how does he make time for all of it?

The keys to success: loyalty, honesty, and an endearing spirit. Those are the attributes Jerry Hurwitz and his crew at J&J Air Conditioning have used to build a multimillion-dollar HVAC enterprise — one job at a time.

In 1962, Earl and Rachel Smith set out to make a living in the HVACR industry. Fifty years later, E. Smith Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. is recognized as one of greater-Atlanta’s most well-respected HVACR contractors.