Industry News

Ribbon Cutting Event Celebrates Donation of Best-in-Class Rheem Heating and Cooling Systems to Help Train the Next Generation of Tradespeople

Design Air, Milwaukee based HVAC distributor, in partnership with Rheem®, the Atlanta-based manufacturer of HVAC and water heating products, recently donated $100,000 of state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems to Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). On Tuesday, Dec. 3, MATC faculty and students, along with representatives from Design Air, Rheem and Capital Heating, Cooling and Electric, the installation partner, gathered to commemorate the donation and the impact the equipment will have when training Wisconsin’s skilled trade community.

“Today, we are honored to support the next gneration of Milwaukee’s skilled tradespeople to help them learn and grow,” said Jeremy Wiernasz, president of Design Air. “Design Air’s donation of Rheem’s top-tier products further reinforces our commitment to providing the trades in Wisconsin with the best educational resources available.”

Students in MATC’s HVAC/R Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating Service Technician program joined a ribbon-cutting ceremony and equipment demonstration at the college’s Oak Creek campus. Notable attendees included:

• Laura Bray, vice president, college advancement and external communications, MATC, and executive director, MATC Foundation Inc.
• Jeremy Wiernasz, president, Design Air
• Jason Fox, owner, Capital Heating, Cooling and Electric
• Dr. Phillip King, executive vice president, student success, MATC
• Dr. Doni Bartley, HVAC/R instructor and department chair, MATC

“Like MATC, Rheem is deeply committed to investing in the next generation of skilled trade technicians. It is more important now than ever to find and attract new talent to address the current shortage facing our country,” said Jose De La Portilla, senior manager of education and training at Rheem. “High-quality training is essential for developing a pipeline of skilled technicians who are not only expertly trained but also well-informed about the rewarding career opportunities available to them.”

The six donated Rheem units are heat pumps, coupled with high efficiency gas-filled furnaces, ensuring students are learning on the newest electrification technology available. Capital Heating, Cooling and Electric, a Menomonee Falls, Wisc. based contractor, provided installation, labor and additional materials to complete the transaction. Additionally, the HVAC installation was supervised by a MATC graduate.

“I take great pride that an MATC graduate supervised the installation of these units,” said Dr. Doni Bartley, HVAC/R instructor and department chair, MATC. “It’s a testament that the instruction students are receiving will result in careers where they earn family-sustaining wages. This is a proud moment.”

For additional information on Rheem, visit www.rheem.com.

Trusted manufacturer’s $50,000 donation will help scale training opportunities and grow next generation of plumbing and HVACR technicians

Bradford White Corporation, an industry-leading manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, is partnering with Pennsylvania’s Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) for the third consecutive year to expand training on heat pump technology to meet future marketplace demands.

Already a supporter of ECA’s heat pump water heater installation and maintenance training program, the $50,000 grant from Bradford White’s Industry Forward® charitable giving program will allow ECA to further scale its high-impact Internship Program for HVACR heat pump trainees. The program, which launched in 2024, has 15 interns going through the program this year, installing nine AeroTherm® Energy Star® certified heat pump water heaters to date, with ten more installations planned by year’s end.

ECA hopes to accommodate 45 students in its internship program in 2025.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with ECA because our goals are so closely aligned, and each student that goes through the program is helping to build the next generation of plumbing and HVACR technicians,” said Rebecca Owens, senior communications manager for Bradford White. “We created Industry Forward® to build awareness for the skilled trades and support workforce development and training programs that are educating younger generations about the career opportunities that lie within the skilled trades, manufacturing and distribution. Organizations like ECA are the perfect vessel to help us further that goal.”

Bradford White Corporation began its partnership with ECA in 2022 when it provided a $30,000 grant and a donation of ten 65-gallon AeroTherm® heat pump water heaters to the organization. Two units were installed in ECA’s heat pump training lab while the remaining eight went to qualifying families through the Philadelphia Water Heater Emergency Fund.

“ECA is proud to continue our partnership with Bradford White Corporation,” said Steve Luxton, CEO and executive director for ECA. “Training programs like the one offered at ECA are so important when it comes to developing future tradespeople and creating better, energy-efficient solutions for our communities. Our students are learning a valuable skill for meaningful employment, but they’re also gaining confidence and learning the importance of giving back. We’re setting them up for success, and I am excited to see the program evolve and grow because of corporate partners like Bradford White.”

For more information about Bradford White Corporation, visit www.bradfordwhitecorporation.com.

For more information about ECA, visit www.ecasavesenergy.org.

The long-standing collaboration strengthens integration services, simplifying tasks and improving service

 XOi, a leading provider of technician-focused technology solutions for commercial and residential field service companies, announces new Davisware integration updates to further enhance field-to-office coordination, boost technician efficiency and empower contractors to deliver superior customer service to their clients.

Since 2019, the XOi and Davisware partnership has provided streamlined customer relationship management services to enhance job-site efficiency and service delivery for industry professionals. The companies proudly announce solution updates that offer a comprehensive user experience to make coordination between field and office manageable and transparent for each stakeholder. Combining XOi and Davisware gives service teams a competitive advantage in data collection and utilization. This provides new revenue streams and exceptional customer communication on every service call.

“These integration upgrades will allow technicians to focus on problem solving and providing exceptional service” said Aaron Salow, founder and CEO of XOi. “Rather than forcing technicians to spend time on tasks like communication and notation, they can utilize their time more effectively, leading to increased customer satisfaction, repeat business and more revenue. And by providing streamlined information unique to each environment, technicians will receive a custom experience that simplifies their jobs.”

The latest updates provide field technicians with access to synced information between XOi and Davisware order records, job referencing and enhanced field mapping to create a one-stop application for technicians.

“By seamlessly integrating XOi with Davisware, we’re not just enhancing internal workflows with advanced technology; we’re forging a transparent, data-driven link that empowers our customers to cultivate stronger, more trustworthy relationships with their own clients,” said Tasos Angelopoulos, CEO of Davisware. “This integration equips service teams to offer a more intelligent and personalized experience, thanks to the wealth of valuable insights readily accessible to them.”

XOi provides business owners and their teams with the premier tool for managing and leveraging data from current jobs and historical projects. It includes powerful data collection, virtual support and mentoring, and real, actionable insights. For more information about XOi, visit https://xoi.io.

Shedeur Sanders has won the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award®, presented annually by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and A. O. Smith Corporation to the nation’s top quarterback who best exemplifies character, scholastic and athletic achievement. Sanders is the first University of Colorado Buffalo to win this celebrated award.

Throughout his college career, the Texas native has completed 1,217-of-1,744 passes (69.8%) for 13,707 yards with 127 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. At Colorado in 22 games, he has completed 601-of-843 passes for 6,718 yards with 57 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. In two years at CU, he ranks fifth in Buffalo history for completions, seventh for attempts, sixth for passing yards, and fourth for passing touchdowns.  He has thrown a touchdown pass in 47 straight games, the longest streak in NCAA D1 (FBS and FCS) history, second longest streak in NCAA history and it would be tied for the fourth longest streak in NFL history with Johnny Unitas. In his 2024 season alone, through 11 games, he has completed 303-of-413 passes (73.4%) for 3,488 yards with 30 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Sanders journey not only highlights his athletic talents, but also underscores his dedication to carrying forward his family’s football legacy.

Sanders’ achievements will be honored on Friday, December 6, in Baltimore, MD. This year the Golden Arm Educational Foundation alongside presenting partner A. O. Smith are honored to welcome former Golden Arm Award winner, Gino Torretta, as their keynote speaker. Torretta also won the Heisman Award, the Maxwell Trophy and the Davey O’Brien national quarterback award. The 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award presentation celebrating Sanders will be livestreamed on the Golden Arm Award YouTube channel.

The candidates are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, and former players. The award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class. Candidates are chosen based on player performance on-and-off the field.

Giving life to the commitment to give back, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and presenting sponsor A. O. Smith continue to promote football on all levels by providing financial aid to deserving young scholar athletes.

Sharing a tradition of innovation with Johnny Unitas, who invented football’s two-minute drill, A. O. Smith has been an innovator in its industry for 150 years. What began as a small machine shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1874, has evolved into a leading global water technology company committed to improving the lives of its customers by ensuring access to clean, safe, hot water.

For more information on the Golden Arm Award, please visit: Golden Arm Award. Additionally, follow the conversation throughout the college football season on X, @GoldenArmAward, and use the hashtags #GoldenArmAward and #InnovationLeaders.

Sponsors of the Golden Arm Award Presented by A. O. Smith Corporation include: MedStar Sports Medicine, The Babe Ruth Museum, Comcast, Dunbar Security Solutions, Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, Haddock Investments, Silver Star Properties, HMS Insurance Associates, Inc., Milwaukee Tool, Encore, TRAY, AE2 Creative, Wolf Professional Security, Jostens, and Extraordinar Luxury Transportation.