The Air Conditioning Contractors of America installed the 2018-19 Board of Directors and Officers at ACCA’s Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 14.

Don Langston of Aire Rite Airconditioning and Refrigeration in Huntington Beach, Calif., passed the leadership of the ACCA Board of Directors to Steve Schmidt of Frederick Air in Frederick, Md.

Reflecting on his tenure as the 2017-18 Chairman, Langston highlighted numerous workforce related accomplishments instituted under his leadership. Langston noted ACCA’s efforts that have led to the creation of the President’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion, the introduction of apprenticeship legislation by Senator Wicker, and robust partnerships with the Association for Career and Technical Education and SkillsUSA.

Langston stated that he will remain focused on workforce development in his role as Immediate Past Chair. He said, “workforce development is very close to my heart and I pledge to you that I will continue to work in my company, with ACCA, and with you to fix [our industry’s workforce] problem once and for all.”

Chairman Schmidt energized attendees by promising to ensure Langston’s efforts to bring more young professionals into the HVACR industry will lead to a renewed and expanded ACCA. 

Schmidt stated that his goal for ACCA is to ensure young HVACR professionals recognize the value of their national trade association by focusing on the benefits that young contractors look for and doing more to engage students and young professionals. He said, “As an association that has been led by Baby Boomers, we must adapt. Millennials are buying businesses or starting their own companies and ACCA has to be there for them.”

Serving alongside Schmidt on the Executive Committee are Directors and Officers: Eric Knaak, Isaac Heating & Air Conditioning, Rochester, N.Y., senior vice chairman; Dan Weis, Weis Comfort Systems, Inc., Fenton, Mo., secretary/treasurer; Lanny Huffman, Hickory Sheet Metal Co., Inc., Hickory, N.C., vice chairman; Wade Mayfield, Thermal Services, Omaha, Neb., vice chairman; Ken Goodrich, Goettl Air Conditioning, Tempe, Az., vice chairman; and Langston will serve this year as immediate past chairman.

Directors on the Board, not serving on the Executive Committee are: Dave Boelcke, Boelcke Heating and Air Conditioning, Stevensville, Mich.; Linda Couch, Parrish Services, Inc., Manassas, Va.; Tim Cropp, CroppMetcalfe Services, Fairfax, Va.; Dan Foley, Foley Mechanical, Inc., Lorton, Va.; Louis Fuentes, Air Conditioning Guys, Inc., El Centro, Calif.; Vince Gillette, Gillette Air Conditioning Company, Inc., San Antonio, Texas; Martin Hoover, Empire Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc., Decatur, Ga.; Eddie McFarlane, Haller Enterprises, Inc. Lititz, Pa.; Rob Minnick, Minnick's Inc., Laurel, MD; Steve Pape, Pape Service Co., Desoto, Texas; Keith Paton, Ivey Mechanical LLC, Kosciusko, Miss.; Brian Stack, Stack Heating & Cooling, Avon, Ohio; Michael Stanfield, Comfort Systems USA Southwest, Chandler, Ariz.

The 2018-19 Board of Directors will serve until the 2019 ACCA Annual Conference scheduled for March 4-6 in San Antonio, Texas.