COLUMBUS, Ohio - Heating, Airconditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) recently announced a leadership transition. After 10 years, Don Frendberg has transitioned from executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO) to an advisory role as chairman. Talbot Gee, who had been serving for five years as HARDI vice president, assumed the role of executive vice president and COO.

According to the HARDI announcement, Gee “has already shown exemplary leadership for the association through his benchmarking, advocacy, and membership services focus, which have contributed greatly to strengthening the voice of the industry and improving channel relations.”

As executive vice president and COO, Gee said he intends to continue to focus on meeting the needs of HARDI’s members. “We know that our distributor members are trying to tackle new and growing challenges with fewer and fewer resources, as is the association itself, so our focus is on not just addressing but anticipating members’ challenges and needs as we grow and develop the tools, resources, and expertise available to our members,” he said. “It is our job to provide a tangible competitive advantage to our distributor members so that membership in HARDI is not an expense but, more appropriately, an investment in their continued growth.”

Gee added that HARDI’s goals for 2011 include “implementing an expanded committee, council, and subcommittee structure; launching new performance benchmarking reports; and further increasing the depth and diversity of our distributor participation in our various initiatives.” He also noted that HARDI will continue to lobby in behalf of the industry. “We will continue to advance our members’ interest within the industry and various forms of government, and we will position our members to lead the industry out of the ongoing economic malaise.”

While Gee steps up to his new role, Frendberg will continue working on behalf of the HARDI membership and HVACR community in an advisory role through 2011. As chairman, Frendberg said he will undertake an in-depth marketing study of the HVACR wholesale distribution industry and implement a fundraising strategy for the HARDI Foundations.

Frendberg was recently presented with the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute’s (AHRI) Public Service Award in recognition of his leadership. During his tenure, he was directly involved in the consolidation of Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Wholesalers International (ARWI) and Northamerican Heating, Refrigeration & Airconditioning Wholesalers (NHRAW) that resulted in HARDI.

“I consider my greatest accomplishment during my tenure was the opportunity to be directly involved in the consolidation of two outstanding organizations, ARWI and NHRAW,” Frendberg said. “The consolidation team was comprised of truly outstanding and dedicated individuals from each association, and it was an honor to serve as an intermediary in ensuring that the culture, traditions, and attributes of each organization were melded into the resultant HARDI product.”

Publication date: 12/27/2010