"We had a record year with our company stores last year," Giacobbe stated. "The overall theme I am hearing is that business is very strong this year."

Linc Service Network

The Linc Service Network (www.lincservice.com) is part of Linc Network, LLC, a franchisor consisting of 134 franchises in five countries: the United States, Canada, Australia, Bermuda, and New Zealand. Linc Service Contractors, as franchisees are commonly known, provides commercial HVAC service programs and preventive maintenance through this international network.

The former Linc Corporation was acquired in late 2003 by GI Partners, a $526 million private equity fund, and is part of the The Linc Group of companies. The Linc Corporation was previously owned by Enron Energy Services.

The Linc Group most recently added to its company stores by acquiring Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.-based Pro Mechanical Services. It also added Buffalo, N.Y.-based HVAC company Mazza Sheet Metal to its list of franchisees.

Linc Service Network has company-owned stores in Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; Detroit; Atlanta; Boston; Las Vegas; Irvine, Calif.; Pittsburgh; Dallas and Ft. Worth, Texas; and Orlando and Tampa, Fla.

The network's growth in the past year has exceeded 12 percent while, according to Giacobbe, the industry growth is less than 5 percent. And more good news is in the forecast. "We want to continue to expand our network of contractors," said Giacobbe.

He pointed out that there were 325 salespeople in the network, representing a $32 million investment. Those are big numbers, but Giacobbe wants even bigger totals. "Our goal is to have 400 salespeople," he said.

Award Winners

Four Linc Service Network Employee of the Year Awards - the highest individual award, based on job specific categories - were presented recently during Con Ed. The Employee of the Year awards are presented annually to four Linc Service Contractor employees who have achieved critical acclaim and demonstrated excellence in their respective disciplines.

Honored for their service in 2004 were:

Service Representative of the Year - Dan Shepherd from Puget Sound Refrigeration Inc., Seattle.

Service Manager of the Year - Steve Musser from Temp Control Mechanical Service Corp., Lacey, Wash.

Business Systems Manager of the Year - Dominick Delissio from Princeton Air Conditioning Co., Princeton, N.J.

Jon Donahue (left), Sales Manager of the Year, poses with Giacobbe.

Sales Manager of the Year - Jon Donahue from Haynes Mechanical Systems Inc., Denver.

"There are literally hundreds of Linc Service employees within the Network that serve in each of the job categories that make up a Linc Service Contractor's business," Giacobbe said. "To be chosen as the top performer within a category is an exceptional achievement.

"Our 2004 winners showed an unwavering dedication to their jobs, to their employers and to their customers, and those efforts did not go unnoticed."

Each of the winners will receive an all-expense-paid trip for two to the 2006 All-Star Diamond Event and Incentive Trip to be held at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., next March.

Publication date: 05/02/2005