Engalitcheff founded Baltimore Aircoil in 1938, building the company’s first cooling coil in his garage. Driven by curiosity, engineering ingenuity, and a commitment to solving customer challenges, he pioneered technologies that helped establish evaporative cooling as a highly efficient method of heat rejection for commercial and industrial applications, a press release from the company said.

During his career, Engalitcheff secured 47 patents, including 23 in evaporative cooling technologies, laying the foundation for decades of innovation. Today, BAC continues that legacy: The company has more than 1,000 patents granted worldwide and delivers cooling technologies that support HVAC, industrial, refrigeration, and data center applications.

“John believed innovation mattered most when it solved real problems for customers,” said Don Fetzer, president of BAC. “His curiosity, courage, and commitment to doing things better shaped the innovative and customer-centric culture that continues to define BAC today. We are honored to see his contributions recognized by the Natural Refrigeration Foundation.”

Engalitcheff’s work helped advance cooling technologies that support many of the systems modern society depends on — from food refrigeration and manufacturing to commercial buildings and digital infrastructure.