< Previousthe building itself. These contractors measure airflow, temperature, static pressure, and more, then calculate how those things impact delivered comfort and energy efficiency. The following individuals are the current gen- eration of influencers. We don’t consider the time or era these people served the industry. We look at what the candidates have done or are doing and the impact of those efforts. To submit a nominee, let us know who they are and why you believe they are influencers. Send me your nomination via email at ncilink.com/ ContactMe . Here, then, is the Class of 2024 High-Perfor- mance HVAC Industry Influencers: VINCE DIFILIPPO Service is a mindset. It requires a targeted focus on the customer and doing what is right. When Vince DiFilippo bought the HVAC service business from his brother’s HVAC company in 1989, Vince’s mission was to provide something that no one else in their marketplace was providing. He named his company DiFilippo’s Service in Paoli, PA, and wanted to provide service through educated, certified technicians focused on cus- tomer comfort and safety. This vision, which he shares with his wife and business partner, Laura DiFilippo , led him to seek the best training. He joined National Com- fort Institute (NCI) in 2004, became an ardent supporter of the High-Performance HVAC™ ap- proach, and eventually built a training lab in their headquarters building. I n the dynamic landscape of the High-Per- formance HVAC™ industry, influencers and mentors are paramount to shaping the trajectory of other HVAC professionals and businesses. These guiding figures serve as bea- cons of knowledge, experience, and innovation. They illuminate pathways toward excellence and advancement in an ever-evolving sector pivotal to comfort, sustainability, and energy efficiency. The dictionary definition of ‘influencer’ is “ someone within a niche or industry who has some sway over a target audience. Influencers have specialized knowledge, authority, or in- sight into a specific subject.” High-Performance HVAC influencers are lead- ers who make a difference. Most are servant lead- ers. In other words, they lead by serving others and their communities. By putting the needs of others first, they empower people to perform at their best. They are not just members of the High-Perfor- mance HVAC community. They are active partic- ipants and mentors dedicated to helping others to be more successful. Through those actions, these people contribute to our community’s growth and acceptance throughout the greater HVAC Indus- try AND among consumers. Influencers believe in mentoring, education, training, and continuous improvement. They lead by example. They take what they learn and implement it successfully into their business- es, then take the time to share their experiences with others. Selecting a class of influencers is not easy. It is based on the input of many contracting firms, manufacturers, distributors, utilities, and trade associations. The NCI team meets people who believe in testing duct systems, equipment, and 10 JUNE 2024HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY Welcome 2024’s High-Performance HVAC Industry Influencers By Mike Weil LEADERSHIPJUNE 2024 11HVACTODAY.COM For Vince, it’s always been about helping young people enter the HVAC trade and work smartly and safely. He and Laura joined organizations like Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), NCI, and The Ser- vice Roundtable. They worked on get- ting many of their technical team cer- tified by North American Technician Excellence (NATE). Vince is a leader who sets the bar high for himself, which sets the exam- ple for his team. Just as importantly, his enthusiasm for learning and shar- ing his knowledge is infectious. At ev- ery meeting and industry event he at- tends, he helps others increase their enthusiasm and be excited about the business and the industry they serve. His influence is subtle – not neces- sarily by being center stage in nation- al organizations (though he served on ACCA’s Disaster Relief, Government Relations, and other committees), but by being a servant leader, by setting the tone and example for excellence that influences not just the people in his company, but everyone he encoun- ters across the country. In addition, Vince serves the indus- try as a contributor and advisor to sev- eral HVAC Industry trade magazines and has been recognized with sever- al awards and recognitions, including the following: zACCA’s Residential Excellence Award z Federated Insurance ACCA Super STAR Award z Mainline Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year z NCI Contractor of the Year Award zNCI David Debien Technical Excel - lence Award. His influence also impacts contrac- tors nationwide through his teaching at seminars and major HVAC events. “Vince is one of the biggest cheer- leaders in the HVAC industry. When he speaks to audiences about being a next-level contractor or technician, his energy and enthusiasm are off the charts!,” says NCI President and CEO Dominick Guarino. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.” Vince also gives back to his commu- nity through his active participation in the local volunteer fire department. “It’s about doing things properly,” he said in an interview several years ago. “It’s about consistency and training and setting the example. That is how we can influence young people to work in the HVAC Industry and thrive in it.” For these and other reasons, High- Performance HVAC Today magazine is pleased to welcome Vince DiFilippo to the NCI Influencers class of 2024. ERIC KJELSHUS Regarding technical know-how and innovative cus- tomer comfort solutions, few people are better trained and pre- pared to provide them and help customers under- stand their sys- tems. Eric Kjelshus is a rare individual focused on the technologies available to solve the unsolvable and help keep customers safe, comfortable, and en- ergy-efficient. His company, Eric Kjelshus En - ergy Heating and Cooling of Greenwood, MO, has been at the cut- ting edge since opening for business in 1972 as a solar energy firm. He is a master mechanical con- tractor and master pipe fitter, hold- ing multiple certifications from North American Technician Excellence (NATE), Refrigeration Service Engi- neers Society (RSES), Building Per- formance Institute (BPI), and Nation- al Comfort Institute (NCI). This is all fantastic as the owner of an HVAC contracting company. Still, Kjelshus shares his expertise by writ - ing technical and how-to articles in several industry trade magazines. In addition, he takes his expertise on the road, speaking at various national HVAC conferences on topics related to building science and energy efficiency. His focus is on fundamentals. And training. As a result, he has been recognized by several organizations for teaching fellow contractors the importance of both the science and technology be- hind the systems they design, install, and service. These include: z Building Performance Institute, Inc. (BPI) z National Association of the Remod- eling Industry (NARI) z National Comfort Institute (NCI) zNorth American Technician Excel - lence (NATE) z Refrigeration Service Engineers So- ciety (RSES). His leadership on issues like 12 JUNE 2024HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC TODAY and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), Refrigeration Service Engineers So- ciety (RSES), North American Tech- nician Excellence (NATE), and Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA). In 2022, Spohn and TruTech part- nered with NCI to provide tools to the HVAC and building performance industries and give their customers access to NCI’s High-Performance HVAC training. “Since I first met Dominick Guarino and Rob Falke in the mid-1990s, I’ve been impressed with their approach to training. NCI has a terrific mission to help HVAC contractors, as well as their technicians and installers, be- come professional craftsmen. TruTech has a parallel mission. “We help provide the tools, access to education, and training to help con- tractors do better work. What a per- fect harmonization for TruTech to fo- cus on the tools while NCI focuses on education and training,” he said in an interview. In a podcast with Casey Grey , Spohn told listeners he is “a chron- ic volunteer who signs up to work on many technical committees that set the standards for proper testing in the HVAC Industry. Spohn says, “A sign of a true tech- nician is the quality of their tools and their ability to use them. Beyond own- ing the best test instruments, we want techs to know how, when, and where to use them. “We believe a trained user makes a better customer, and a trained em- ployee is more confident and valuable to the employer.” For these and many more reasons, the High-Performance HVAC To- Sometimes, ven- dors and suppli- ers fit the bill, too. Such is the case with Bill Spohn, the president and one of the own- ers of TruTech Tools, LTD , an award-winning re- seller of tools and test instruments. In the high-performance arena, the lifeblood of testing and diagnos- ing HVAC system issues are the in- struments that field service and in- stallation technicians use to measure system performance. Spohn says, “Testing gives contractors confidence to recommend solutions that will lead to customer satisfaction and reduce callbacks.” Over the last 30 years, Bill has built his career on creating, designing, and marketing a wide array of test and measurement products that work for technicians in the field. But it’s not all about selling and mar- keting instruments. Bill is as much about understanding and teaching oth- ers in the industry about the science behind comfort, health, and energy ef- ficiency to better the world in any small way he can. He holds bachelor’s and master’s de- grees in mechanical engineering and is a registered professional engineer (PE) in PA. In addition, Spohn holds four US patents in instrumentation design. His influence spreads across the in- dustry through his work on various technical committees for major indus- try organizations, including Building Performance Institute (BPI), RESNET (Residential Energy Services Net- work ® ), the Air-Conditioning, Heating, combustion and indoor air quality has led to HVAC system designs that have won four Quality Home Comfort Awards from Contracting Busi - ness magazine, several Contractor of the Year recognitions from the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), and NCI. “I’ve known Eric for more than three decades,” says NCI’s Dominick Guari- no. “His natural curiosity and willing- ness to learn, despite all of his indus- try experience, are two of his many strengths. He continues challenging those around him to learn and im- prove, regardless of their knowledge and skills.” He has also changed the lives of cus- tomers whose comfort and IAQ prob- lems he resolved professionally. “Eric was the only contractor who asked me about my comfort and en- ergy issues,” says one of his custom- ers whose project won an award. “Eric explained how my energy problems were part of an overall house issue, including windows, doors, and lights. He was very knowledgeable and thor- ough. That was impressive. He was the only contractor who didn’t seem to be there to sell me something. So I chose his company for the job.” With his thirst for knowledge, will- ingness to share what he knows, and focus on solving unsolvable customer problems, we chose Eric Kjelshus to join our High-Performance HVAC In- dustry Influencers group . Congratulations and welcome to the 2024 Class of HVAC Industry In- fluencers, Eric. BILL SPOHN Not all High-Performance HVAC Industry Influencers are contractors. LEADERSHIPJUNE 2024 13HVACTODAY.COM Wallace’s unwavering commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. As the company continues to inno- vate and serve the Newnan communi- ty, it stands poised to shape the future of comfort and convenience in homes and businesses across the region. We welcome Greg Wallace to the NCI Influencer Class of 2024 for these and many more reasons. INSPIRING TOMORROW’S LEADERS Congratulations to each of these in- dividuals. They represent the type of people with the vision and desire to grow their companies and improve the industry they serve. As we said earli- er, High-Performance HVAC Industry Influencers are today’s leaders who will inspire tomorrow’s leaders. If there are members of the High-Per- formance HVAC community – both contractors and people who support them (vendors and partners) who go outside the box to set the tone and fu - ture of our industry, let us know who they are and why we should consider them for our Influencers list. Please drop us a note at ncilink. com/ContactMe and share your reasons for nominating them. To see other members of the HVAC Influencers list, visit HVACToday. com and search “influencers.” measure, you’re just guessing TM .’ “Greg and the Progressive team un- derstand that consumers deserve to receive the comfort and efficiency they are promised and pay for,” says NCI’s Dominick Guarino. “They be- lieve the way to guarantee those re- sults is through measured and verifi- able proof. That is what we teach.” This training and approach is some- thing that Wallace has said can change the entire industry. He does his part by sharing his experiences through writ- ing for a national HVAC trade mag- azine, participating in panel discus- sions at national and local tradeshow events, and more. He will tell you that he sees many of his competitors also attend events and thinks this is good. “I’ve learned that competitors can teach you things. We can all help each other combat the fly-by-night com- panies that sell on price and do half- baked work,” he says. It’s this kind of thinking and shar- ing that benefits the entire Progressive team as well as his local marketplace. But it doesn’t stop there. Wallace is a huge supporter of his community. He will tell you that the community he serves signs everyone’s paychecks at Progressive. He sees the need to give back by only buying ve- hicles from local dealers and support- ing the local Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Scouts, Habitat for Humanity, and many others. Wallace values sponsoring community events, supporting local schools and organiza- tions, and more. Progressive Heating, Air, and Plumbing’s journey from a small local business to a trusted industry leader is a testament to owner Greg day magazine team welcomes Bill Spohn to the 2024 Class of HVAC Industry Influencers . GREG WALLACE Sometimes, discovery and exposure to bet - ter ways of do- ing things lights a fire, builds ex - citement, and leads to evolu- tionary changes that propel a business to new levels of success. Such is the case for Progres- sive Heating, Air, and Plumb- ing of Newnan, GA. Owner Greg Wallace, who started the company in 1994, became exposed to the concepts of High-Performance HVAC™ contracting sometime before 2014, which sparked a 10-year mission that changed everything. Today, the 30-year-old company op- erates on a philosophy that requires testing, measuring, and diagnos- ing every HVAC system they encoun- ter. Wallace says the processes are in place, and system performance is sec- ond nature with his team. “We are in the service business,” he says. “That’s what we do. And we are here to train our team to be the abso- lute best at what they do.” He has always believed in train- ing and staying on top of changes that benefit his customers, communi- ty, and employees. He says, “To serve your customers best, you must have training. High-Performance HVAC™ contracting is the key, as taught by Na- tional Comfort Institute (NCI). As the trainers at NCI always say, ‘If you don’t Mike Weil is Director, of Communications and Editor-in-Chief for National Comfort Institute, Inc. He has 44 years of trade press experience, 40 of which focused on the HVAC industry. He is focused on a contractor-first approach to editorial, specifically targeted to the High-Performance HVAC™ Contracting community. He can be reached via NCI’s con- tact page at ncilink.com/ContactMe. 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