ARLINGTON, Va. — The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) today announced the appointment of John Lanier to be chief operating officer of North American Technician Excellence (NATE). Lanier will report to Stephen Yurek, AHRI president and CEO. As COO, Lanier will plan, direct, and coordinate the operations of NATE, managing daily operations and executing full responsibility for, and oversight of, all of NATE’s programs.

Prior to joining NATE, Lanier held a variety of executive leadership roles, most notably as senior vice president of operations at the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation’s largest independent business association, with more than 400,000 members. Lanier has experience in operations, sales, member benefits, human resources, and information technology.

“We are very pleased to have someone with John’s experience and drive taking the reins at NATE,” said Yurek. “I know that our member companies and others in our industry are eager to work with John to ensure growth and progress at NATE at a critical juncture in its history.”