Betsy and Paul Mynatt
Florida News

Paul Mynatt Retires After 43 Year HVACR Career

March 07, 2022

Paul Mynatt, CE Account Manager for Broward and Palm Beach counties has announced his retirement after 43 years in the industry, effective in February, 2022. Paul’s story is a prime example of someone entering the industry due to needing employment and working in different capacities until he found his sweet spot.

Betsy and Paul Mynatt
Betsy and Paul Mynatt

A Tennessee native, Paul was introduced to the HVAC industry in 1978 when a friend working at the Carrier manufacturing plant in Knoxville told him they were hiring and he applied. During his two-year stint there, he was a spray painter, machine operator and worked on assembling equipment.
His move to Southeast Florida in 1980 was triggered by a layoff at the factory and an invitation by his brother to join him in the Sunshine State. When a position as parts counter associate became available at Carrier Florida’s North Miami Beach location, Paul interviewed and was hired. Within two years he advanced to Part Store Manager at the Carrier Riviera Beach Branch.
In 1985 Paul transitioned to outside sales, accepting an Account Manager position with Carrier for the Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties market area. “I’ve always been a people-person and value the relationships I have with co-workers and customers very highly,” Paul stated. “I realized that I could best advance my career and help contractors meet their needs through an outside sales position.”
After a one-year period in 1990 working as an Account Manager for Rheem Distributor Modern Supply in Johnson City, TN, Paul returned to South Florida, this time as Broward and Palm Beach Counties Account Manager for South Florida Trane. “My years with Trane were very impactful on my career and my life,” Paul continued. “Not only did the sales training I received benefit me, but I had the good fortune to meet my wife Betsy, who worked at the Trane call center.”
Paul rejoined Carrier Florida again in 2000, worked for Noland from 2007 to 2010, and closed out his career with CE Florida from 2010 to 2022, always as Account Manager for the same territory: Broward and Palm Beach counties.
“Working outside sales in the same territory for 36 years has been a blessing,” Paul said. “The biggest reward of my long HVAC career is the countless relationships it brought me, including my wife Betsy, who also worked for Trane. Retirement allows me to refer to my customers, co-workers and industry peers as what they really are – my good friends. If great friends were money, I would be a very wealthy man.”
Paul has a few words of advice for those following him in the industry. “Deliver bad news to customers a.s.a.p., it softens the blow and earns respect; respect, appreciate and stand by co-workers in support positions, it earns friendships; and be an advocate for your customers with your company, it earns loyalty.”
Dealing with the pressures of product shortages and demands for instant responses from customers were the biggest challenges Paul faced. “I always tried to put myself in their shoes and treat them as I would want to be treated. Basically, they were facing the same demands from their customers.”
Commenting on people saying to him he will be bored within a few months of retiring, Paul replies “Hi, I’m Paul. I don’t think we have met.”
Paul is looking forward to spending all the time he can with Betsy, daughter Mallory, son AJ and visiting more with son Daniel in Tennessee. “I’m going to enjoy the flexibility of seeing them on their schedules rather than have our time together be limited by mine,” he concluded.