August 11 2025 Issue

This issue of The ACHR NEWS unveils the annual “Top 40 Under 40” list — showcasing the individuals who have helped to push the industry through one of its most challenging years, examines what the a summer, defined by the refrigerant transition and shortage, has looked like for the industry, asks manufacturers what they believe the next generation of comfort cooling refrigerants will be after R-454B and R-32, what code challenges are cropping up in the wake of the A2L transition, AHRI President and CEO Stephen Yurek’s take on the Technology Transitions Rule under the AIM Act, a look at several new HVAC products hitting the market, and the latest from SNIPS NEWS.

Check back throughout the week for additional content.

2025 Top 40 Under 40 HVACR Professionals List

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

The 11th annual Top 40 Under 40 list highlights those young HVAC pros making strides.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Stephanie Allen

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Allen stepped into a leadership role, focusing on growth, people, and customer experience. Now, 15 years later, she’s CEO of a value-driven business that serves thousands of families and supports over 40 households.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Siddharth Bhat

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Siddharth Bhat has always been passionate about sustainability and the impact of the built environment on human health and the planet, making HVAC and plumbing engineering a natural fit for his mechanical engineering background.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Roy Brown

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Roy Brown has spent nearly two decades climbing the HVAC ladder, starting in the warehouse and eventually working his way up to director-level leadership.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Joel M. Bruch

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

With over two decades in the trades, Bruch started building his own electrical contracting business from the ground up, where he managed everything from operations to growth.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Chris Buttenham

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

As co-founder and CEO of Reins, Buttenham is leading a quiet revolution in how HVAC companies think about equity, rewards, and long-term retention. And his motivation is personal.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Tate Byers

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Whether he's managing product lines or pitching in on the factory floor during COVID-related disruptions, Byers is a steady, solutions-driven leader.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Ted Caruso

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Caruso, who has a background in investment banking and private equity, has built a top-tier finance and accounting team designed to support CHS’s growth and refined the company’s acquisition and integration strategy along the way.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Joshua Crouch

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Crouch’s journey — accountant-turned-operator, marketer, educator, award-winning podcaster — underscores a mission: empower the trades through knowledge, technology, and authentic industry insight.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Jake Dawson

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

While Dawson is proud of his technical experience, what stands out most to him are the accomplishments that allowed him to build new departments — creating opportunities for others and sharing his knowledge through hands-on mentorship.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Kevin Doran

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

An executive leader for more than eight years, Doran has held high-level roles across the HVAC industry, including within the Wrench Group. At every stop, his focus has remained the same.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Emily Fleniken

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Some rebranded contractors Fleniken has worked with have even reported nearly 1,000% growth since rebranding, and credit their new brand strategy as a major contributor to that success.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Meagan Garrett

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Garrett works closely with lawmakers, coalitions, and industry groups to ensure that HVAC systems are not only understood but also supported in legislation around energy efficiency, decarbonization, and building performance.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Gray Hanson

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Hanson has led multiple regions to significant growth, culminating in his team receiving the 2024 award for Largest Growth Region by Revenue at Rheem Commercial Air.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Jennifer Harrison

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Prior to joining SupplyHouse, Jennifer Harrison’s background was in automotive — which meant she had a strong foundation of parts logistics and customer urgency — getting someone what they need, fast. That mindset has guided her work at SupplyHouse, where she currently serves as vice president of merchandising.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Valerie Heck

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

As a consultant with Titan Advising Gurus, Heck now works with contractors across the country to optimize systems, elevate leadership, and drive scalable, sustainable growth that elevates the trades as a whole.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Clay Hobbs

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Among Hobbs’s proudest accomplishments is building one of the country’s largest HVAC technician training programs — helping employ thousands of technicians nationally. He also participates in HARDI’s Emerging Leaders program and was recognized internally with JB Warranties’ Employee of the Year award.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Kathryn Elizabeth Howard

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

As founder of The KP Performance Group, Howard partners with business owners to build high-performance teams by developing leadership systems, streamlining operations, and cultivating a culture where accountability, purpose, and profitability align.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Joshua Kelly

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Kelly helped grow his family’s company from $6.5 million to more than $100 million in annual revenue. Today, Parker & Sons clears more than $250 million from a single location.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Marissa Kocaman

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Marissa Kocaman is helping shape the future of HVAC comfort — one thermostat at a time. As a senior product manager at Resideo, she’s focused on driving innovation in comfort solutions that simplify and enhance the daily work of both HVAC technicians and business owners.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Lauren MacGowens

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Lauren MacGowens is helping lead HVACR into a lower-carbon future. As director of sustainability and PMO for the industrial division at Copeland, MacGowens plays a central role in aligning policy, engineering, and innovation across the refrigeration sector.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Victoria Garcia Massimo

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Victoria Garcia Massimo started her business with only $5,000 in capital and grew it into a $1.5 million company within three years, serving high-profile clients like Tesla and Publix.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Rakesh Mathew

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Rakesh Mathew’s HVAC journey began during his master’s in mechanical engineering at Lamar University, where he specialized in advanced control of mechanical systems, combustion and turbo machinery, and material science with a focus on industrial systems and optimization.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Bailey McCormick

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Bailey McCormick ended up in HVAC by total accident. But as the company grew and shifted toward residential service and replacement, McCormick grew right alongside it.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Twishansh Mehta

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Mehta has advanced the pilot and adoption of over 50 natural refrigerant-based refrigeration systems for Loblaw, positioning the company as one of the industry’s early leaders/adopters of natural refrigerants in North America.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Dr. Kashif Nawaz

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Nawaz leads or co-leads several teams and projects at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, including high-temperature heat pumps, advanced thermal storage, and non-metallic heat exchangers.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Edward O’Connor

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

As the HVAC industry continually evolves, requiring those in it to adapt quickly and overcome any obstacles along the way, so do Edward O’Connor’s goals.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Ryan Otto

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Otto is helping No Problem Heating and Cooling’s continued expansion while mentoring younger techs and building a team culture grounded in honor and skill.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Elise Radawitz

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Radawitz facilitated leadership growth experiences for over 150 contractors and doubled that in year two. She also plays a leading role in the “Women in Arena” space within the Can’t Stop the Growth community and serves on two committees for Women in HVACR.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Steve Raimondi

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Raimondi played a role in launching Munch’s Vendor Managed Inventory program, which helps dealers better serve their customers while managing costs. He’s also led efforts to develop internal talent, helping team members grow from entry-level roles into leadership.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Marco Rubino

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

By the time Rubino was 30, he’d already reached $50 million in residential sales. By the time he was 40, he’d doubled it. Another accomplishment? The fact that he worked his way up from sweeping floors for an HVAC contractor to eventually running a division of a distributor of VP Supply’s caliber.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Jennifer Schroll

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Helping build a platform that empowers future generations to build a more sustainable world, building tools and systems that benefit them, and being part of a talent-driven team is one of Schroll’s biggest career accomplishments to date.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Greg Smidl

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Smidl was recognized as Mitsubishi’s CBU Distributor of the Year — an award that reflects strong sales performance, strategic alignment, and outstanding dealer support.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Tom Swanson

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Since his pivot to HVAC, Swanson has made major contributions, and he’s had those contributions recognized.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Mike Venidis

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

As chief experience officer at RYNO Strategic Solutions, Venidis has spent more than a decade helping home service contractors achieve transformative growth, while advancing digital strategy, leadership development, and culture-building across the trades.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Raelynn Warner

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

As a senior area sales manager at LG Electronics U.S.A., Warner drives system adoption, supports contractors, and elevates others through mentorship, collaboration, and education.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Cole Whitehurst

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

Cole Whitehurst is quickly becoming a leader in the commercial refrigeration space thanks to his collaborative mindset, technical knowledge, and commitment to helping others succeed.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Kara Wills

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

In the future, Wills can be seen pushing the boundaries of what geothermal thermal can do by developing and releasing innovative, high-efficiency, dynamic products. She also plans to continue to advance Enertech’s safety testing program.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: Sarah Windsor

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

The logo and brand development for Daikin Fit, the design and creative direction for VRV Emerion, and the campaign efforts supporting Daikin, Goodman, and Amana brand R-32 products are some of Windsor’s accomplishments that stand out in her mind.

2025 Top 40 Under 40: William Yarbrough

Hannah Belloli-Oster

August 11, 2025

As a leader, William is known for his calm, thoughtful approach and his commitment to doing things the right way, not just the easy way.

FROSTlines

The Summer of Our Discontent

Refrigerant shortages, tariffs, and IRA confusion have left contractors scrambling

Joanna R. Turpin

August 7, 2025

A refrigerant shortage, tariffs, and IRA uncertainty combined to create a turbulent summer, highlighting the urgent need for better planning and coordination across the HVAC industry.

What Comes After R-454B and R-32?

Manufacturers are preparing for the next generation of comfort cooling refrigerants

Joanna R. Turpin

August 8, 2025

Contractors may just be getting used to R-454B and R-32, but manufacturers are already eyeing the next generation of ultra-low-GWP refrigerants.

FROSTlines

The Code Challenges Behind the A2L Transition

The 2024 codes have not yet been widely adopted across the United States

Jim Cika

August 22, 2025

A2L refrigerants are gaining ground, but uneven code adoption nationwide is leaving HVACR pros to navigate a maze of shifting rules.

Guest Column

Built in America, Attacked from Abroad: Why Congress Must Defend the Refrigerant Transition

Steve Yurek

August 7, 2025

Temporary supply chain friction is being weaponized to sabotage a domestic policy that protects American jobs, technology, and economic leadership.

Allied Air Armstrong Air and AirEase Pro Series A7CP21V

Allied Air: All-Climate Heat Pump

July 26, 2025

The system features a variable-speed compressor for steady heating, cooling, and dehumidification while minimizing noise.

YORK: Microchannel Coils

July 28, 2025

The CXF coil is designed as a cost-effective solution for comfort cooling and features an “A” coil configuration to optimize refrigerant flow and boost energy efficiency

ASC Engineered Solutions Gruvlok Series 8700 Butterfly Valve 1170x658

ASC: Butterfly Valve

July 29, 2025

The patent-pending valve features an off-set disc and ergonomic design that reduces operating torque and improves opening/closing efficiency by up to 39%.

SpacePak: Air Handler

August 2, 2025

Maintaining the same compact footprint as the ESP-J Series, the ESP-K is designed for flexible installation in tight spaces such as closets, attics, basements, or crawlspaces.

On Demand As AI workloads and high-density computing push traditional cooling methods to their limits, the data center industry is accelerating the adoption of next-generation HVAC technologies.

In this webinar, we'll outline how top contractors are turning every conversation into predictable revenue by coaching every comfort advisor visit, not just the ones a manager rides along on.

ACHR NEWS

2025 August 11

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