Auer Steel & Heating Supply Co. - Experts & Thought Leaders

During the recent Bryant Dealer Rally, the company’s annual meeting where its top dealers are honored, Air Tech Heating, Inc. of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin was named Bryant Dealer of the Year, the highest honor a Bryant dealer can receive. Each year, this award recognizes the company whose hard work, expertise and business acumen have helped them to stand out as a leader in the industry. Bryant, a national supplier of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment, is a part of Carrier, a global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. “We’re both honored and humbled to be selected as the 2019 Bryant Dealer of the Year,” said Dan Price, owner, Air Tech Heating, Inc. “I’m incredibly proud of the entire team at Air Tech and I appreciate being recognized for doing business our way, with honesty and integrity.” Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer “We’re proud to be a Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer and have the support of such a great company. I’m also grateful for the amazing relationships we’ve built with both Bryant and our distributor, Auer Steel, over the course of my 22 years owning the business.” Dan and his team serve as ideal examples for other Bryant dealers of how to run a successful business" Founded in 1997, Air Tech Heating, Inc. has become known as the “Best Heating & Air Conditioning Company in the Fond du Lac Area” for ten straight years by Gannett Readers’ Choice. In 2018, Price’s son, Jim, and his wife, Sarah, became co-owners of Air Tech Heating, Inc. ensuring that it will remain a fixture in the community for years to come. It’s even more fitting that Air Tech Heating, Inc. was selected as the 2019 Bryant Dealer of the Year, as Price retired shortly after the Dealer Rally. Indoor air quality equipment sales “Bryant dealers continue to help set the standard in our industry,” said Matthew Pine, president, Residential HVAC, Bryant. “Our 2019 Dealer of the Year, Air Tech Heating, Inc. is an exemplary organization and has risen to the top among the very best in our elite group of dealers. Dan and his team serve as ideal examples for other Bryant dealers of how to run a successful business and do ‘Whatever It Takes’ to care for our customers.” Bryant selected its 2019 Dealer of the Year from 22 Medal of Excellence winners, comprised of Bryant Factory Authorized Dealers from throughout North America. The candidates were judged on overall sales growth, high-efficiency and indoor air quality equipment sales, customer satisfaction and participation in dealer programs and promotions. Medal of Excellence Winners The 2019 Medal of Excellence Winners include: Affordable Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. - Cudahy, Wisconsin AGS HVAC Services - Westport, Massachusetts Air Tech Heating, Inc. - Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Bennett Heating and Air – Purvis, Mississippi Bob’s Heating & Air Conditioning - Woodinville, Washington Chadds Ford Climate Control - Chadds Ford Chapman Heating | Air Conditioning | Plumbing - Indianapolis, Indiana Chris Mechanical Services, Inc. - West Chicago, Illinois Cosby Heating - Mount Vernon, Ohio Dave’s Heating and Air - Lincoln, Nebraska Design Air, Inc. - Missoula, Montana Evergreen Gas, Inc. - Sherwood, Oregon Family Heating and Air - Pensacola, Florida Federal Elite Heating & Cooling, Inc. - Dresden, Ohio Fort Collins Heating and Air - Fort Collins, Colorado GAC Services - Gaithersburg, Maryland Gainesville Mechanical, Inc. - Gainesville, Georgia Haley Comfort Systems - Rochester, Minnesota IERNA’S Heating & Cooling, Inc. - Lutz, Florida Precision Heating & Air Conditioning - Twin Falls, Idaho Regal, Inc. - York, Pennsylvania Waychoffs Heating & Air Conditioning - Jacksonville, Florida In addition to the Dealer of the Year award, Bryant named Peck & Weis Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin as this year’s recipient of the Charles Bryant Award. The Charles Bryant Award, named in honor of the company’s founder, recognizes a loyal Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer (FAD) that epitomizes the characteristics of Charles Bryant, including professionalism, quality, reliability and community spirit.

Peck & Weis Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin was named the 2019 Charles Bryant Award winner. The Charles Bryant Award, named for the company’s founder, recognizes a loyal Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer (FAD) that epitomizes the characteristics of Charles Bryant, including professionalism, quality, reliability and community spirit. Bryant, a supplier of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment, is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. national award Winner “Wow, what an honor it is for a small dealer from rural Wisconsin to receive this national award,” said Daryl Peck, owner, Peck & Weis. “A huge ‘thank you’ to our manufacturer Bryant and our distributor Auer Steel. Both have been outstanding to work with since 1985 and they’ve set the bar high from the very beginning.” “I especially want to thank our hardworking and dedicated staff at Peck & Weis. I also want to acknowledge all the support from our friends, family and community we’ve received over the years; without them, we’re nothing.” 300 years HVAC experience It is a local, family-owned company that is proud to serve the families they live and work amongst Peck & Weis has been serving the Lake Geneva community since 1985 with quality service, repairs and installation for commercial and residential properties. Its talented team of highly trained individuals has over 300 years of combined experience in HVAC, plumbing and electrical work. It offers 24-hour service 365 days per year. Peck & Weis takes pride in the community, and has deep roots in Lake Geneva. It is a local, family-owned company that is proud to serve the families they live and work amongst. Over the years, not only has owner Daryl Peck given his time as a member of the school board and the Chamber of Commerce, he has supported various service and charitable organizations and scholarship boards through volunteer time and donation as well. Charles Bryant Award The Charles Bryant Award is presented annually to a loyal Bryant FAD that makes a significant difference in its community, is active in the industry, provides superior customer service and is committed to developing its employees. “We’re proud to present this year’s Charles Bryant Award to Peck & Weis,” said Matthew Pine, president, Residential HVAC, Carrier. “This award celebrates those Bryant FADs that represent all the qualities for which our brand stands. Peck & Weis is an exemplary organization that has truly made a positive impact in its community and in the HVAC industry as a whole.”

A Minnesota National Guardsman who mentors high school students and a Wisconsin woman who volunteers at the local food pantry and works to preserve historic buildings are among the dozens of Bryant Community Heroes recently honored by Bryant distributor Auer Steel and two Bryant Factory Authorized Dealers. The Bryant Community Heroes program honors ordinary people doing extraordinary things in their community and those selected receive a new Bryant high efficiency gas furnace with installation provided by a Bryant dealer. Bryant, a supplier of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment, is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. Community Heroes program Auer Steel, a Bryant distributor, has run the Community Heroes program for the past three years, providing approximately 30 free furnaces each year to deserving families across Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and Upper Michigan. Alan Lee, who serves with the Minnesota National Guard and volunteers to mentor local youth, and Helen Thomson, who for decades has been known as a tireless champion of her small, tight-knit community in Winneconne, Wisconsin, are among the dozens named as Community Heroes this year by Auer Steel. Nearly everyone in our community knows Helen and what she means to our town" “Neighbors like Alan are what make the Twin Cities a wonderful place to call home, and we’re thrilled with the opportunity to honor his commitment to our country and community with this new Bryant home comfort system,” said Ross Erickson, Owner/President, Air Mechanical, a Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer. Honoring commitment Thomson for years has been the backbone of the local food pantry, and has been instrumental in preserving the community’s architectural history with her role on the city’s historic preservation committee. “Nearly everyone in our community knows Helen and what she means to our town, so this is a wonderful way to honor her commitment to make Winneconne a great place to live and to keep her family comfortable for many years to come,” said Jeff Ryf, owner of Ryf Heating & Air Conditioning, a Bryant Factory Authorized Dealer. New Bryant furnaces Auer Steel, who organizes the program across the four-state region, expressed gratitude for the role Bryant dealers played in selecting Community Heroes and for installing the donated products. “We are honored and excited to be able to share our expertise in home comfort by providing new Bryant furnaces to these deserving members of our community,” said Laura Tofte, Director of Marketing, Auer Steel. “It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season and to give back to the communities where we do business.”

Teenage students at Greenfield-Central High School in Indiana are learning about the installation, operation and maintenance of air-handling systems. The career and technical education class is giving them a head start toward a decent-paying career in HVAC, including the opportunity to earn multiple certifications. “You’ll get a job if someone else doesn’t have the certifications you do, so [there are] more job opportunities,” one student told the Greenfield Daily Reporter. Addressing the industry's labor shortage The program highlights an opportunity to address the HVAC industry’s labor shortage by nurturing a next-generation workforce starting at an early age – in high school. Vocational programs teach HVAC as well as masonry, carpentry, electrical and plumbing Marathon High School in Wisconsin is another example; their vocational programs teach HVAC as well as masonry, carpentry, electrical and plumbing. “This course only exists because local contractors have been contacting me about the need to meet the demands of society,” John Vanderwyst, Tech Education Teacher at Marathon High School, told WZAW Fox7. “What we find is that a lot of these young adults don’t even realize that our profession exists,” says Jon Hirsch, Director of Business Development at Auer Steel in Milwaukee. “Unfortunately, there are more jobs than there are people to fill them,” he told WZAW Fox7. Statistical projections bear out the observation nationwide: Training and education programs will graduate only a fraction of the 115,000 additional HVAC workers needed by the year 2022. Career or College? Training and education programs will graduate only a fraction of the 115,000 additional HVAC workers needed by the year 2022 In an age when college debt can ruin a graduate’s finances even as he or she struggles to find employment, career path alternatives may seem more appealing. College is clearly not for everyone: More than half of all Americans who enroll in college become dropouts. College can also be cost-prohibitive, with a private four-year degree costing approximately $48,000 a year. It’s a great time to remind students and young adults about the value of a career in HVAC, where the median pay for mechanics and installers in 2018 was $47,610 per year. There is also a higher-than-average outlook for job growth in the industry – 13% growth over the next decade, from 367,900 employees to 414,200. HVAC Career opportunities The median pay for mechanics and installers in 2018 was $47,610 per year The reality is that graduates of technical school programs can earn more and have better career opportunities. The highest degree level needed for HVAC work is an associate (2-year) course of study, which is much less expensive than a bachelor’s degree program. According to a Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce study, HVAC techs with a high school diploma (or less) stand to earn $1.6 million in their lifetime. Having some college and/or an associate degree only raises that outlook by $200,000 to $1.8 million. More than half of employees in the HVAC field (51.1%) have a high school diploma or less. As Baby Boomers retire from the workforce, there will be a gaping hole of experience and knowledge to fill. Dan Canter is doing his part. Since retiring from the HVAC industry, he has been serving as the instructor for the course at Greenfield-Center High School.