What is Humans of HVAC?
Humans of HVAC (HOH) is a storytelling platform dedicated to the people who make the HVAC industry possible — technicians, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, and innovators around the world.
Through real stories from across the global HVAC community, HOH helps build a shared understanding of the industry, inspire new professionals, and highlight the human side of a sector that quietly supports everyday life. Every experience matters, and every voice helps strengthen our community.
Latest Stories
Leaving Certainty to Build Something Better: Jane Sidebottom’s Perspective on Growth, Leadership, and Change
Connect with Jane on Linkedin A Different Kind of Beginning I wasn’t born into HVAC, and I didn’t grow up imagining a career in this industry. I was born in Bermuda and moved to the United States just before I turned three. My parents are English, and my father worked in support of the U.S.…
The Harder I Work, the Luckier I Get: Mitch Lloyd’s 40+ Years in HVAC Sales
Connect with Mitch on Linkedin A Forklift and a Reorganized Warehouse I needed a job. My first one was driving a forklift at Robertshaw Controls in Corona, California. I’d been in the Marine Corps, I was out a couple of years, no college, just looking for work. I went into the warehouse, started stocking shelves…
The House Is Talking: Corbett Lunsford on Listening, Testing, and Telling Better Stories
Connect with Corbett on Linkedin Before I Ever Touched HVAC I did not come from a trade family, and I did not start out in HVAC. My previous career was music. I made up music for dancers, and I got to travel as part of that. It was a fun life in some ways. I…
Engineering Trust Across Borders: Jaime Sotelo
Connect with Harry on LinkedIn From a “Not-So-Sexy Product” to the World Behind Refrigeration I entered the refrigeration and air-conditioning world around 2002–2003, while I was still in university studying engineering. Before that, I had briefly tried something completely different: a Forex business inspired by a financial engineering course I had taken. It didn’t work…
Harry Zaimis: Finding the Space Between Technology and the Trade
Connect with Harry on LinkedIn When I decided to pursue a career in HVAC, it wasn’t because I had some lifelong dream of working with heating and air conditioning. It was practicality. I was looking at different career paths and noticed how crowded many of them were. Everyone seemed to be chasing the same jobs.…
From Desert Summers to Product Strategy: Karim Yasin’s HVAC Path
Connect with Karim on LinkedIn I didn’t grow up dreaming about HVAC. Like many engineers, my imagination as a kid was closer to aerospace—the idea of building machines that fly. I began college pursuing that fascination before switching to mechanical engineering. At graduation I had two offers on the table: one in defense and one…
Building Structure, Vision, and Momentum: Brigido Natera
Connect with Brigido on LinkedIn From Immigration to Industry I came to the United States from Venezuela when I was 23 years old. At that time, HVAC wasn’t part of any plan. Like many immigrants, my focus was simple: work, learn, and build a future. The HVAC industry found me before I found it. My…
Finding the Path by Saying Yes: Jacqueline Quinn’s Story in HVAC
Connect with Jacqueline on LinkedIn An Unexpected Beginning I didn’t grow up wanting to be in HVAC. There was no family connection to the trades and no long-term plan. I got hired. I was 19 years old when a local HVAC company in my hometown brought me on as a CSR II. I remember being…
Rhydon Atzenhoffer: Born Into the Trade, Built on Experience, Focused on Giving Back
Connect with Rhydon on LinkedIn Follow Rhydon on Instagram Pictures Born Into the Trade For me, HVAC wasn’t a choice so much as a childhood soundtrack. I spent many summers riding shotgun with my dad, learning how to read HVAC systems and how to read people. By high school, I was running new construction crews…
Keith Flores: Over three decades pushing the trades forward
Connect with Keith on LinkedIn Follow Keith on IG If you’re not evolving, you’re falling behind I’ve been in the trades since I was 12 years old, crawling through attics and running ductwork. What started as a weekend helping my brother-in-law quickly became a way of life. Over 35 years later, I’ve built companies, sold…
Finding Creativity in HVAC: Scott McGinnis, P.E., on Innovation, Mentorship, and Legacy
Connect with Jay Castle on LinkedIn HVAC chose me I didn’t grow up dreaming of HVAC. After graduating from Texas A&M University with an engineering degree, I planned to have a career in the US Air Force. After 8½ years in the Air Force my wife was tired of all the moving around and really…
Learning, Leading, and Moving Forward: Jay Castle’s Story in HVAC
The Road to HVAC After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, I had a choice: follow my father’s path into the mines of western Colorado, or take a different route. Mining was honest, tough work, and I was proud of it. But it wasn’t a sustainable way of life for me. I remember telling my…