Marki Huston has served as interim CEO since October 2024. Her previous roles include COO of Viega North America and vice president of global quality in the aerospace division.
Before joining Due North, Sean McGrann led U.S. initiatives for Lowe Rental’s equipment-as-a-service model, Rental+, and held senior leadership roles at several companies.
Rick Jackson is now responsible for overseeing all three NTI campuses —in Las Vegas, Nevada, Phoenix, Arizona, and Houston, Texas — focusing on operational excellence while pursuing growth objectives.
The subjects ranged from A2L to inflation to the impact the pandemic may have had on customer relationships as Distribution Trends talked to executives at five of the country’s biggest HVACR distributors.
Kristian Strand, who is currently serving as divisional president, Commercial Compressors, at Danfoss Climate Solutions, will join the Danfoss Group executive team and take over as president of Danfoss Climate Solutions as of Tuesday, April 1.
Auville has been with A. O. Smith for 22 years, joining in June 2002 as plant manager in Ashland City, Tennessee. He was promoted to vice president of manufacturing for North America Water Heating (NAWH) in 2021. He led the Ashland City plant’s transition after State Industries was acquired, helping make this plant the hub of A. O. Smith’s NAWH manufacturing.
After 34 years with A. O. Smith, Mark Gierla, regional vice president of Eastern sales on the North American water heater sales team, will retire this spring. John Bates, regional vice president of Central sales, will take over Eastern sales, while Matt Patterson, national accounts director, will be promoted to regional vice president of Western sales.
