After excelling during the first half of his professional career in the retail industry, Ray Grimm was fortuitously introduced to the heating and air conditioning industry. He started as a salesman and quickly learned everything he could about how to best serve customers’ in-home comfort needs. Always one to seize opportunity, in 1985 he employed his entrepreneurial talents and incorporated THE Air Conditioning and Heating Company. When he did so, he bought a piece of history from the Keppner family who first opened the company’s doors in 1911.
For nearly 30 years under Grimm’s guidance, the company’s reputation and business has grown. At a point when many would look towards retirement, Grimm recognized a change. The economy started shifting into uncertain territory and rather than retiring as he’d originally planned, he decided to stay and take the company in a new direction for the sake of the customers and employees that count on it. As the original company reaches its 100th anniversary, Grimm is implementing a bold plan to direct the company towards its next century of service.
To meet the growing demands of a tough market, Grimm conceived of a new way to provide unparalleled services to customers. He has transformed the company from one that offers air conditioning and heating maintenance, repairs and installations, to one that provides service for all the core systems of a home. The cherry on top is the company’s dedication to providing world-class front line service that reaps the reward of customer’s praise and valued referrals.
The newly-branded company, A.W.E. Air. Water. Energy., provides expert, certified service for everything a homeowner may need from air conditioning and heating to plumbing to electricity and power needs. By having all these services under one roof, A.W.E. provides one company with which to build a relationship that gives homeowners peace of mind.
While the Carol Stream, Illinois-based company currently employs 46 full-time employees, Grimm believes that with the launch of A.W.E. and expansion of service, the company is poised to triple revenues within five years. Staff will be added to meet demand.
