The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) regrets to inform the HVAC community of the passing of ACCA past Chairman Bob Keingstein, president of BOSS Facility Services Inc. in Hauppauge, New York. He passed away on June 20 after battling lung cancer.

Keingstein was a strong supporter of ACCA and its programs. He served on the ACCA Board of Directors in the 1990s before becoming chairman in 1999. He was a longtime member of ACCA's Masters of Achievements MIX Group, served on several ACCA committees including the Commercial Contractors Committee, and served as a judge for ACCA’s prestigious Contractors of the Year Award for the past eight years.

Keingstein’s influence on the HVAC industry and ACCA stretch far beyond the day-to-day business, as is seen through the memories shared by his friends and current industry leaders.

“I had been a member of ACCA for a while before I met Bob at an ACCA conference in 1999,” said John Sedine, president of Engineered Heating & Cooling in Cedar Springs, Michigan, and ACCA past chairman. “Bob became chairman that year, and at the chairman’s gala there were lighthouses on all the tables. During his speech he said the lighthouses represented ACCA as the light in the world of HVAC for contractors to find their way. I remember sitting there thinking how lucky I was to have joined ACCA and how excited I felt about being part of a large group of successful HVAC contractors. A few years later he invited me to be a part of his MIX Group, and our friendship continued to grow from there. Bob was an awesome mentor who was fun to talk business and he helped me grow. He leaves a big legacy and will long be remembered.”

“Bob had a way of coming up with ideas and then being able to make them be so compelling to others that we all wanted to be a part of it,” said Mike Beaver, president of Beaver Brothers Inc. in Salisbury, North Carolina. “Working with other contractors was in his blood and so much of what he did with ACCA came out in our MIX Group and vice versa. Bob was ACCA and ACCA was Bob.”

“I met Bob in the mid-90s, and it didn’t take long to forge a long-lasting friendship with him,” said Ken Bodwell, retired president of ISS Mechanical in Orlando. “He introduced me to what it really meant to be in an ACCA MIX Group and sponsored me to join his. Through that experience, Bob, Past ACCA Chairman Jim Hussey, Past ACCA Chairman Skip Snyder, and I became like the four musketeers, close friends who never hesitated to reach out in the good times or tough times. Bob’s impact on the industry will continue to live on through all of us he helped over the years.”

“Bob had an infectious passion for ACCA and our industry,” said Lanny Huffman, president of Hickory Sheet Metal in Hickory, North Carolina, and ACCA chairman of the board. “He didn’t have secrets, he shared his knowledge freely with other contractors, which made us all better. We lost a great friend and asset with Bob’s passing.”

“Bob was a devoted ACCA member, who rolled up his sleeves after his time as chairman to continue to give back to other contractors,” said Barton James, ACCA president and CEO. “Volunteer leaders such as Bob are why ACCA continues to exist and are able to serve contractors. We are grateful for him being a strong advocate for ACCA and our programs, because he helped foster the next generation of ACCA leaders through his mentorship and example.”

“Bob was one of the funniest people I knew,” said Alan Barnes Sr., ACCA past chairman. “He found the bright side of any situation and was a true optimist. He was animated and warmly engaged in any situation whether serious or light-hearted. In any conversation with Bob, he couldn’t resist showing a warm smile and injecting humor. Those qualities made him a great negotiator and problem-solver.”

Those wishing to send flowers or memorials can send them to BOSS Facility Services Inc., 60 Adams Ave., Suite 109, Hauppauge, NY 11788.