A Madison Village-based company has been recognized nationally for its commitment to excellence in education in its field.
Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air recently received the Scott Johnson Training Excellence Award from the National Comfort Institute. NCI announced the winner of this award during its annual national conference in Branson, Missouri.
The award is named after Scott Johnson, whom the NCI recognized as an “education pioneer in the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning industry.”
“Johnson has dedicated his life to raising the bar for HVAC service and installation excellence,” NCI said in a press release. “He is a strong proponent of the delivery method for high-performance HVAC contracts and has been instrumental in NCI’s quest to bring this vision to the rest of the industry.”
NCI said it coined the term “High Performance HVAC Contracting” to describe a unique approach to running a contractor through accountability and measurable results.
Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air is a 77 year old contractor serving residential customers throughout Lake and parts of Ashtabula and Geauga counties. Hearn is now in the third generation of the family.
Company owner and CEO Tom Hearn accepted the Scott Johnson Training Excellence Award at the NCI National Conference.
Concrete criteria for the award are:
• Training is part of the corporate culture.
• The company offers its employees continuous internal and external training and education.
• Instruction takes place in well-designed training facilities that promote learning.
• The company shares knowledge and training with other NCI member companies.
Dennisle Hearn, Hearn’s administrative director, said the company is pleased with the award.
“Ensuring our technicians are highly trained and able to serve our community effectively is such a big part of our culture here at Hearn, and we’re honored to be recognized for this,” she said.
NCI Training Director David Richardson, who presented the award, gave a personal insight into the company’s commitment to employing a workforce of highly skilled technicians.
“The first time I met anyone from (Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air) was when they took five team members to a class four hours away from their location for three days of training,” Richardson said. “Tom Hearn’s thirst for knowledge and enthusiasm for education comes with an infectious positive attitude.”
Dennle Hearn said the company employs 19 technicians.
“We’re so proud of our team,” she said. “We couldn’t do it without their hard work and dedication.”
Richardson added that Hearn’s pursuit of excellence also led to the company being named a 2022 NCI Contractor of the Year winner.
NCI-certified contractors such as Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air send their service professionals on institute courses, where they learn how to use specialized equipment and stay current on the latest diagnostic and repair techniques.
Over the past two decades, NCI has trained and certified more than 20,000 HVAC professionals.
Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air was founded in 1946 by David Hearn.
The company, then known as David Hearn Plumbing & Heating, established its headquarters in a barn in the backyard of the owner’s home on North Lake Street in Madison Village.
David’s son Dan became an official after graduating from high school. Eventually the company evolved into David Hearn and Son Inc. Plumbing & Heating Supplies and Service.
In 1980, the father-son duo moved their business from their backyard barn to a building on West Main Street in downtown Madison Village.
David and Dan bought the Kimball Brothers hardware store where the elder Hearn once worked.
The Hearns simultaneously operated Madison Hardware and ran the plumbing and heating business from the back of the building.
In the early 2000s, David retired and it was decided to close Madison Hardware. But the plumbing and heating business thrived, and Dan welcomed his son Tom on board to help run the business.
Around the same time, Dan and Tom Hearns built a new store at 319 N. Lake St. The store is almost across the street from the home and barn of David, who died in 2004.
Over the past several years, Tom Hearn has played a critical leadership role in charting a new course for the company’s success.
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https://www.news-herald.com/2023/06/20/hearn-plumbing-heating-air-earns-national-award-for-excellence-in-training/
