From Sheet Metal to Owner: Progression through Air Conditioning

This is the first day of D&D Mechanical, just before introducing
my air conditioning company to the community.

As of the twelfth of this month I have been in air conditioning for 42 years.  I began as a vocational student sweeping the floor of a sheet metal shop and occasionally helping on the air conditioning side of the business.  During college I worked part time as a designer and estimator.  After college it was project manager, salesman, and service manager.  I had dreamed about owning my own business but never got there.

My first air conditioning office was not neat and tidy, but it was functional. I did what I could. I still have this desk.

In 1986 after 4 years of declining income God answered a prayer from out of right field.  Well, at least that’s how it felt.  With a lot of encouragement from my wife and family, and with a lot of help from God, D & D Mechanical was born in May of 1986.  I started out by parking the van at one end of a block, knocking on every door on one side of the street, crossing the street and working my way back.  I moved the van one block and repeated the process.  Those were some scary days.

Now in 2014 there are 9 of us working here.  I even managed to get the wife to retire from teaching nursing so she can help full time.

Things in the business progressed from one truck to six, from working out of the back bedroom of our rented house to 4800 sq. ft. of office and shop space.  Come by sometime and see how we have grown.