Company’s incredible growth based on planning, a strong work ethic, financial responsibility and relationships.

Todd’s Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, a Clearwater, Florida-based residential and commercial air conditioning and refrigeration company, celebrated their tenth year of serving Pinellas County and the surrounding areas in March of this year.

Largo, Florida native Todd Whitmire graduated from high school in 2001 and spent several years searching for the right occupational fit for his future. He was introduced to the opportunities available in the air conditioning field by an instructor at the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association (RACCA) Apprenticeship Program and fell in love with the world of HVAC/R. Encouraged by the instructor, he hired on with a contractor and enrolled in the program’s classes at Pinellas Technical College (PTEC). It was something new and exciting and he knew his career in air conditioning was a given.

Todd graduated as a HVAC Journeyman and completed the PTEC electrician apprenticeship program as well. He continued honing his skills while working for several contractors before deciding to start his own company. He qualified for a Florida Class A Certified Air Conditioning Contractor’s license and founded Todd’s Air Conditioning and Refrigeration in 2011. Todd was joined by long-time friend and co-worker Matt Stewart (current Installation Manager) and they were off and running, working out of Todd’s home in Clearwater, FL.

One of Todd’s early goals was to establish the business in a commercial location and after six years of hard work and saving, he purchased the acre lot and building Todd’s AC currently occupies. At the time of the move the business had 10 employees and multiple vehicles. The company currently employs 33 people, owns 20 vehicles and is running out of room in the building, using several containers in the yard for overflow inventory. Todd is studying his options whether to expand on his property or acquire adjacent space to allow for expansion. “One of the keys to our success is planning our jobs as far ahead as possible, so keeping an inventory of equipment, parts and supplies is taking up a lot of our space,” Todd stated. “And we’ve just added a metal fabricating shop in the building.”

When asked if he was surprised with the company’s growth over the past ten years, Todd stated it was part of “the plan”, crediting long days of work, a devoted staff, a down-to-earth approach to business management and most of all his extremely supportive wife, Katie. “When I was 19, I had a plan to have several guys working with me by the time I turned 30 and have a fleet of employees by the time I was 35. I’m 37 now and working towards taking on a totally managerial position in 3 years, then having a team in place to manage all the operations so I can relax by the time I turn 45.”

“I value the relationships we have with our vendors,” Todd explained, speaking about how the business is run. “We pay our bills on time and I don’t like being in debt. Financial stability allows us to survive tough times when they arrive. That and having the space to carry inventory has helped us tremendously during the COVID pandemic.” The discounts Todd receives for paying his bills promptly helps defray the costs of health insurance and matching 401K plans the company offers their employees. Todd encourages his employees to plan for the future every opportunity he gets.

Todd’s Air Conditioning and Refrigeration provides residential and light commercial unit replacement, service and maintenance for homeowners and businesses in the Tampa Bay area. They offer commercial kitchen equipment repairs and service, air purification systems, blower door testing, insulation removal and replacement, air-leak testing and energy efficiency upgrades including geothermal systems.

“We have some residential new construction clients, including multi-family, with builders that appreciate our commitment to getting the jobs completed as efficiently as possible with the best outcome for the final occupants,” Matt said.

“On the commercial side, we specialize in build-outs,” Commercial Installation Manager Sean Giovanni added. “We take advantage of as much training on new equipment and applications from manufacturers as possible, allowing us to consult with the owners about innovations to increase energy efficiency, comfort and reliability. We just recently sent technicians to Tampa and Orlando for training on ductless and VRF equipment from different manufacturers to keep up with advances.”

Providing quality service to the Tampa Bay area at an affordable price. That is the goal for Todd and his team. “Our pay structure is not based on commissions and we are a referral-based company. We treat the jobs we do as if it’s our own homes we’re working on,” he said.

The success of Todd’s AC is as much about how employees are treated as how they interact with their customers. Matt and Sean encourage the employees they supervise to be engaged in their jobs, learn, accept responsibility and provide feedback. Their efforts are rewarded monetarily and with advancements as team leaders and as service technicians. Promotions are made from within. These conditions not only keep employees loyal but also make Todd’s AC a desirable place to work.

“Todd cares about us and it shows in the way we treat each other,” stated Office Manager Amber Whitmire. “We get to know each other through regular team building activities like soccer games in the yard, cookouts and holiday celebrations. It really is a family affair.”

Todd’s Air Conditioning and Refrigeration is located at 16603 US Hwy 19 North, Clearwater, FL 33764. Visit their website at http://toddsairconditioning.com/ and contact Todd and the Todd’s AC team by calling 727-585-6970.