HVAC professionals from across the U.S. were honored with national recognition and a $1,000 tool kit
ANNANDALE, MINN. (Sept. 24, 2024) — Malco Tools, one of the nation’s top manufacturers of high-quality tools for the HVAC and building construction industries, today announced the winners of its annual HVAC Trade-Pro of the Year Award program. The 2024 HVAC Trade-Pro of the Year Award recognizes outstanding HVAC professionals for their dedication to the industry, commitment to safety, and community involvement.
The 2024 program recognized five top HVAC contractors and technicians from across the U.S.:
- Scott Mapes, Owner, First Choice Comfort LLC/Hoppy Air, Lafayette, Indiana
- Robert Deeds, Journeyman Sheetmetal Worker, Sheetmetal Workers Local #7, Kalkaska, Michigan
- Brent Evans, Owner, Evans Heating & A/C, Princeton, NC
- Tom Langfeldt, Owner and Sole Proprietor, Peninsula Heating and Air LLC, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
- Brandon McMullin, Service/Retro Fit and Finish Manager, Air Design Heating and Cooling, Murray, Utah
“It is always an honor to recognize the 2024 HVAC Trade-Pro of the Year winners for their commitment to their craft and the communities they support,” said Rich Benninghoff, president and CEO of Malco Tools. “These individuals represent the finest in the HVAC industry, sharing their skills and making a meaningful impact through their work and service.”
Each winner will receive a Malco tool kit valued at $1,000. Nominations for Malco’s 2025 Trade-Pro of the Year program will open in February 2025.
As a strong advocate for careers in skilled trades, Malco donates significant quantities of tools and apparel annually to various educational programs, competitions, and events nationwide. These include high school and post-secondary technical programs, apprenticeship contests, and SkillsUSA conferences. Malco also runs the “Head of the Class” Student Recognition Program, which partners with education programs to celebrate top students and graduating classes in the HVAC/sheet metal and building construction fields.
For more information about Malco Tools, visit www.malcotools.com.
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About Malco Tools, Inc.
Malco Tools, Inc., based in Annandale, Minnesota, is one of the nation’s leading solution developers and manufacturers of various high-quality specialty hand tools for the HVAC and building construction trades. Backed by over 70 years of history, these specialized tools are built to last, rigorously tested, and backed by a limited lifetime warranty. Malco is proud to be 100% employee-owned. Malco earned a Manufacturing Excellence Award from Twin Cities Business Magazine in 2022 and was named the Medium Manufacturer of the Year in 2018 and 2024 by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Malco has also been recognized as a Top Workplace by Star Tribune in 2018, 2019, and 2024. For more information about Malco, visit www.malcotools.com.