“When the people are of one mind, everything is possible” – Takeshi Sugiyama, President/CEO Mitsubishi Electric Corp.

Mark Kuntz was prepared to take the helm of Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US. He has enjoyed a very diverse and successful career in the HVAC industry and was part of the team who helped guide this historic joint venture. The team included Terry Dugan, Vice President, Commercial Business Leader, Commercial HVAC Americas; and Atsuhiro Yabu, Executive Officer and Vice President, Corporate Total Productivity Management and Environmental Programs, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, when he worked in the United States. After searching the entire industry for a company with the same mindset of quality and innovation, Trane Technologies plc was chosen for this venture.

Mark was approved to take the lead in the new METUS operation by Takeshi Sugiyama, president and CEO, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. As CEO of Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US, Kuntz is responsible for 550 employees, half in Georgia and half nationwide.

“As CEO,” says Kuntz, “I lead the development, promotion and execution of METUS business growth and manage all departments, including overseeing our business activities to ensure alignment with our objectives.”

Kuntz also provides strategic leadership throughout the organization as METUS pursues key performance objectives, including profitability, sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

“I strive to create a collaborative culture, working alongside the METUS executive management team to communicate and model the company’s core mission, vision, values, strategies and objectives,” says Kuntz.

Mark Kuntz brings to this position of great responsibility more than 30 years of experience in the utility and HVAC industries including roles as vice president and general manager of Exelon (Unicom) Distributed Energy and director of national accounts for Lennox Industries.

Kuntz received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California and a master’s in business administration from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He is a professional engineer licensed by the State of California and a LEED® Accredited Professional.

Kuntz joined Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc.’s Cooling & Heating Division in 2010. He has held positions in sales, marketing, product development, engineering and administration. Prior to the Mitsubishi Electric and Trane Technologies joint venture formation, he served as the senior vice president and deputy general manager of the Cooling and Heating Division.
Kuntz was promoted to chief operating officer for what is now Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS) in August 2018 after aiding in the joint venture.

“Mark is an incredible asset to our company as CEO,” said Yabu. “He’s been instrumental in coordinating the development and design of METUS products and services to provide flexibility, personalized comfort and energy efficiency to our customers. Mark’s history with Mitsubishi Electric gave us confidence in his ability to lead the joint venture and our success makes it clear we made the right choice.”

In addition to Mitsubishi Electric’s bold new joint venture with Trane Technologies plc (including Trane and American Standard brands), there have been exciting new product developments which will spur interest and sales in the industry.
“In our commercial product lineup, we have introduced the N-Generation of CITY MULTI, a powerful VRF solution that’s now available in larger capacities and boasts a 30% smaller footprint than previous models. We also introduced our new cloud-based Building Connect+ solutions controls software package which simplifies equipment management for building owners and facility.”

“On the residential side, we’re making strides with contractors and homeowners alike with versatile products that are easy to install. Our sleek and modern EZ FIT™ Recessed Ceiling Cassette easily fits between standard 16-inch joist spacing for quick installation.”

“We also pay close attention to growing trends to keep our finger on the pulse of consumer demand and national initiatives that help to influence our product development decisions,” notes Kuntz. “According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)’s 2019 LEED Residential report, which tracks green construction trends across the home market, the total number of green LEED-certified homes across the world has grown by 19% since 2017, to an all-time high of nearly 500,000 units across the world.”

“This is a significant surge in the construction of high-performance buildings with integrated systems in the built environment. As buildings become tighter, HVAC manufacturers are responding with more size-appropriate and variable capacity products capable of maintaining comfort in lower-load conditions.”

“In our effort to keep pace with consumer trends, we recognize that sustainability is a core demand driver for energy-efficient technologies capable of reducing fossil-fuel emissions. All-electric heat pumps can replace combustion-based heating systems. To accomplish this, Mitsubishi Electric’s engineering team continues to innovate heat pumps to improve performance in sub-freezing climates and serve as the primary heating source. Throughout our history, METUS has provided support and leadership in the sustainability movement. We offer some of the most efficient, electric-powered products in the HVAC market and engineer these products so they can be applied in any climate. Plus, we provide extensive training, application and product support.”

“We stand on the shoulders of giants who built this business on the foundation of excellence and opportunity. We went from limited awareness of a product that filled a simple hot-spot niche, to now shipping thousands of units a month to our partners across America.”

Mark not only leads the provider of the most innovative system in HVAC, he leads the future of our heating and cooling industry. The Kuntz family lives part-time in a net-zero house in the Atlanta suburb of Monroe, Georgia, pictured at left. Mark and his wife Denise are proud parents of five children with five grandchildren.

We are proud to salute a man who is truly a part of your team.