"I’m honored to be elected to serve as chairwoman of the board for the next two years and look forward to continuing to build upon the strong momentum of HARDI by working alongside the rest of the board of directors and staff leadership to steer the strategic direction to help HARDI members navigate all of the challenges our industry is facing now and in the future,” Roberts said via email. 

Roberts is a six-year HARDI board member and the current chairwoman of the Blue Hawk HVACR purchasing cooperative board. She was the 2021 president of Women in HVACR. 

HARDI's 2025 conference was attended by more than 2,200 people, including representatives from nearly 200 HVACR wholesalers. The conference's Solutions Center had 67 exhibitors, and its sold-out Booth Program featured more than 260 suppliers and manufacturers. 

“The record-setting engagement of our distributor members at the end of a less-than-perfect year for the HVACR channel is indicative of their focus, drive, and aggressiveness that we believe will propel a strong 2026,” said HARDI CEO Talbot Gee in a press release. “Our objectives were clear this year: to address and learn from a challenging 2025, and focus on solutions and strategies to ensure wholesale distribution is the greatest driver of a 2026 resurgence.” 

Outgoing board chairman Loran Liu, COO of Standard Supply & Distributing Co., was recognized with a brief video tribute. Liu said he'd gained more than he gave during his four years as a board member. 

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve these last four years on the board,” he said. 

In addition, Steve Roe, president of Heating and Cooling Supply Co., and Jeff Mingledorff, vice president of customer engagement at Mingledorff's Inc., were elected to their second board terms. John White, president of American Refrigeration Supplies Inc., was elected the board, and Jeff Underwood, president of RectorSeal, was elected parts and supplies manufacturer director. 

HARDI also recognized outgoing supplier director DeWight Wallace, president of Nu-Calgon. 

Several individuals and HARDI member organizations were recognized with awards: 

• Kerri Cupp of DiversiTech Corp. won the Voice of the Distributor Award. 

• Ruth Ann Davis of Williams Comfort Products won the Lifetime Achievement Award. 

• The Market Intelligence Pillar Award went to mSupply. 

• R.E. Michel Co. won the Talent Pillar Award. 

• Craig Wallace of The Wallace Group, Johnstone Supply; and Ryan Kalmbach of The Orion Group, Johnstone Supply, won Advocacy Pillar Awards. 

• American Refrigeration Supplies Inc. won the Distributor Award from LATAM, HARDI's division for Latin America. Navac Inc., Nu-Calgon, and Chemours each won a LATAM Strategic Sponsor Award. 

HARDI also marked 10 years of partnering with Homes for Our Troops, which provides housing for U.S. military veterans. HARDI members have raised more than $200,000 for the organization during those 10 years.