“Joe has really helped encourage teamwork at our establishment,” said Amanda Zink, president of Air Control. “He is always willing to help out a team member, and in return, they are willing to help him out. It’s been really neat to watch all the technicians help each other.”

Rone started in the business through a family friend who took him on at his shop in 2001. He learned on the job and received additional training through the local union.

Rone moved to Arizona this year because he wanted to live on Lake Havasu. He knew there would be plenty of opportunities to work in the HVAC business in one of the nation’s hottest states.

“I work for a great company with some great people, all the way from management on down to field personnel,” Rone said.

In addition to changing states, he changed the focus of his work to residential.

“Joe comes from a commercial background, working on large systems,” Zink said. “Many of the systems we have here are smaller residential units. He has worked hard to get up to speed in the last eight months and is never shy about asking a question if in doubt.”

One major change for Rone has been increased interaction with the customers. Another has been the weather. Rone spent his career working in the moderate climate of San Diego. In Arizona, 100-plus-degree days are the norm during the summer.

“The weather is very hot and gruesome,” Rone said. “You need to be aware and take care of your body, or else you can get in some serious trouble really quick.”

Rone has learned to drink plenty of water, take breaks when needed, and even take salt tablets at times.

What Rone likes best about the HVAC business is that every day is different. He said new technicians should keep their eyes and ears open, and not be afraid to make mistakes.

“You’re always learning, always running into a new problem,” Rone said. “You’re always learning something.

To nominate an HVACR technician for Tech of the Month, click here or email tedcraig@achrnews.com.

See more articles from this issue here!