D’Agostino, who has worked for Smithfield Plumbing & Heating Supply Co. in Greenville, Rhode Island, for 20 years, is the 2026 Champion of Distribution Counter Service, one of three new awards sponsored by Distribution Trends and The ACHR NEWS that celebrate leading companies and individuals in HVACR distribution. 

He was nominated by Ryan O’Connell, an HVAC controls and mechanical systems specialist and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) project manager, who said D’Agostino “always goes the extra mile to help contractors,” whether that means researching installation manuals or heading out to a jobsite to help solve an issue. 

“I’ve known Bill for 20 years, and he is the best counter guy in New England, hands down,” O’Connell wrote in his nomination. “I’ve been to them all: electrical, HVAC, plumbing ... Bill’s willingness to help is unmatched.” 

D’Agostino is at work early and leaves late, manages employees as well as inventory, and pays attention to detail, O’Connell said.  

“Most importantly, he’s a great person,” he added. “He cares, and it shows in his work.” 

Founded 50 years ago, Smithfield serves Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and northern Connecticut. The territory includes rural and suburban areas as well as the large urban areas around Boston and Providence. The company has four distribution centers; D’Agostino manages the branch in Greenville, where there are also corporate offices, a warehouse, and a showroom.  

D’Agostino takes quiet pride in his work, which, as O’Connell put it, goes beyond filling orders. 

“We’re all working, we’re all just trying to do our business,” D’Agostino said. “In the end, if you’re not successful, I’m not successful.” 

D’Agostino formerly worked as a car salesman and found success there , but left that career after “the world started changing and the people weren’t the same,” he said. He then joined Smithfield, starting out in the warehouse. 

Smithfield has a tight-knit customer base that includes a lot of small shops with second- and third-generation ownership and long-term business relationships, D’Agostino said. That makes the market a bit more demanding. 

“The expectations are higher, and you need to live up to those expectations,” D’Agostino said. 

With his 20 years in the distribution and HVAC, D’Agostino has seen plenty of trends and business realities shape the industry. 

“The biggest challenge nowadays is how much the business, people and everything, has changed,” he said. 

Those changes, he said, include increasing heat pump sales that supplant sales of fossil-fuel equipment, the rise of influencers who now help shape the industry, political issues that seem to be more of a factor than in the past, and an explosion in the variety of products sellers carry. 

“Every company sells everything,” D’Agostino said. “Before, companies stayed in their lane.” 

How does he overcome business challenges? By showing up. “If you’re giving your all and you’re working hard and you’re communicating, people respect that,” he said. 

Smithfield owner Rico Colaluca said D’Agostino is “the best counter person that I know anywhere” and knows the business better than many who have been in it far longer. 

“He loves to learn about new products and actually digs in deep to master how they work,” Colaluca said. He greets customers and asks how they’re doing, Colaluca said, and customers often rely on his knowledge about products and how they’re installed. 

D’Agostino said he’s had assists from many great mentors at Smithfield, including Colaluca, Colaluca’s sisters Brenda O’Brien and Mitzie Colaluca, both now retired, and current employees Scott Dorgan and Phil Pasquarelli, who is semi-retired but the “quarterback” of the operation and a source of valuable knowledge. 

Away from the job, D’Agostino likes to spend time with his niece, Ashlie D’Agostino, and her children, Aaleyah and Corbin. He also enjoys reading thrillers — Lee Child and David Baldacci are two of his favorite authors — and hanging out on the beach. 

“I know no other person who deserves this award,” Colaluca said.