Breakout Session Presenters
Mary Jean Anderson
Former Owner & President, Anderson Plumbing Heating and Air
Founded in 1978, Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air is ranked among the Top 1% and the #1 women-owned plumbing, heating, and air conditioning business in the country. Grounded in the promise that ‘Nobody wows clients like we do!’, the company has grown to more than 300 employees and $60,000,000 in annual revenue.
Mary Jean believes that her natural instincts as a caretaker set the stage for her commitment to exceptional customer service and providing a positive culture and work environment where co-workers can grow and thrive.
Fundamental to her success is her advocacy for careers in the skilled trades and her commitment to the good of the community. She has served on the Executive Board of Directors for Nexstar, an international association of home service contractors. She founded the Anderson Career Builder Institute in 2017 to train women and military veterans for lucrative careers in the trades – specifically plumbing, heating and air conditioning. She is a long-time supporter of many San Diego non-profit organizations and community events.
Among the many awards and recognitions earned by the team at Anderson, Mary Jean is most proud of the International BBB Torch Award for Ethics in which they are the only company in North America, in any business category, to win twice. They have also won the San Diego BBB Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics multiple times over the years. In 2018, Mary Jean published a memoir titled “Here Comes Cannonball! Reflections on the 40th Anniversary of Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air”.
Mary Jean Anderson, a native of San Diego, sold her business and retired in April 2024.
Paul Kelly
Former Owner of Parker & Sons | Head Instructor for RAISING GOATS
Paul has 35+ years’ experience and an extensive background in the HVAC and plumbing industries and has held prominent positions in accounting and finance, sales and marketing and operations, including V.P. of Sales and Marketing and V.P. of Operations for national and regional home service companies. He has visited over 100 companies over his career, helping them grow their business and profitability.
In 2004, he bought Parker and Sons, an HVAC and plumbing company, doing business in Phoenix, AZ. Under Paul’s leadership, the company grew from $7 million in revenue a year to over $250 million. Parker & Sons is now part of a larger industry-leading group of home services companies, called the Wrench Group, where Paul also formerly served as the Southwest Region’s CEO.
Paul’s unique background and simplified approach to growing a business, has led him to be one of the most successful leaders and companies in the home services industry. His specialty is taking something complicated and reducing it down to something very simple… making it easier to implement.
He enjoys sharing his success with others, as others have done with him throughout his career.
Chad Peterman
President & CEO, Peterman Brothers
Chad Peterman is the President and CEO of Peterman Brothers. Since taking the reins in 2015, Chad’s work has been met with acclaim from within his industry and earned him national recognition.
In 1986, Chad’s father started Peterman Heating, Cooling & Plumbing in Beech Grove, IN. When Chad joined his father in 2011, the business had grown from a one-man operation to 21 employees and annual revenues of around $4 million. Today, Chad and his brother have taken their father’s business to the next level. Peterman Brothers now has over 700 employees across eight locations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, the company is an industry leader with revenues of over $120 million dollars. The source of their success is no secret—Chad believes that in order to thrive, leaders must focus on their greatest asset: their team.
A testament to what Chad and his brother have accomplished, Peterman Brothers has been named in the Indianapolis Business Journal’s Fast 25 in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. In 2022, Chad was listed on the Top 40 Under 40 by ACHR News.
In addition to his book titled The Empowerment Project, Chad spreads his message on his popular Can’t Stop the Growth podcast.
Brad Barron
CEO & Partner, Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing | Founder & Partner, WholeHome™ Alliance
Brad is a third-generation business owner at Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing in Northwest Washington State. Barron is a 50+ year multi-trade company doing approximately $50M of revenue annually with 200 employees across five counties (barronheating.com/). In addition to leading the Barron Team, Brad is also the founder and a partner of WholeHome Alliance, a network of industry-leading service providers dedicated to collaboration, innovation, and real business growth. Contractors from across the United States and Canada come together to share best practices, train their team members, and lean into creative content such as video production to ultimately grow their businesses (wholehomealliance.com/).
Brad is a graduate of the University of Washington (Seattle) with a degree in engineering. Prior to joining the Barron Team, Brad worked as a consulting engineer, eventually earning his Professional Engineering license. After a half-decade of consulting, he spent another five years as a sales engineer and then engineering manager of a four-state territory, including Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. During his tenure as an engineering sales manager, Brad’s northwest team led the company in specification approvals and sales growth.
In 2017, Brad joined his father John, at Barron Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. as the Business Development Manager. During his time in this role, he led Barron’s expansion into Electrical, Solar, and Plumbing – after which the company was re-branded Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing. Recognizing the growing chasm of Baby Boomer retirements with few Millennials and Gen-Z-ers entering the trades, Brad spearheaded the development of the Barron Technician School (now WholeHome Academy). This in-house, 15-week intensive HVAC program has graduated three dozen licensed and certified HVAC Technicians and has significantly helped Barron’s growth through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through his career at Barron, Brad has worked as the Business Development Manager, Director of Operations, Chief Operating Officer, and now Chief Executive Officer & Partner. Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing’s growth has been 100% organic – Barron has never acquired a trades company nor partnered with private equity. To this day, Barron remains debt free with a healthy cash reserve to continue on its multi-trade growth trajectory.
Brad is an adamant believer in his grandparent’s (and Barron founder’s) philosophy of “when you bless others, you in turn are blessed”. He has a passion for sharing best practices and growing leaders – from sales and marketing to operations and finance. There is no need to re-create the wheel – Brad embraces a culture of equipping people with the tools and training to get the job done while advancing their careers and businesses. We don’t need to do it alone!
Dave Marrs
Star of HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous
Home renovator Dave Marrs is an expert craftsman, builder, general contractor and all-around handyman. He collaborates with his wife, Jenny Marrs, to restore timeworn homes into contemporary living spaces on their HGTV series Fixer to Fabulous. Dave’s knowledge of restoring old homes is unrivaled and his passion for bringing out the charm of historic homes is contagious. He and Jenny are teaming up to compete in season 3 of HGTV’s hit show, Rock the Block.
Josh Burdick
Creative Strategist & Co-Founder, WholeHome™ Alliance
Josh Burdick is a creative strategist and co-founder of the WholeHome™ Alliance (wholehomealliance.com/), a collaborative initiative dedicated to elevating the trades through the sharing of best practices, world-class training, and the strategic use of creative content.
Josh founded Veritas Media (veritasmediapro.com) in 2011 and grew it from a scrappy startup into a trusted creative partner for businesses and nonprofits across the Pacific Northwest. Under his leadership, Veritas became known for authentic storytelling and high-impact content that connects.
In 2024, Veritas Media joined Barron Heating, AC, Electrical & Plumbing—a $45M multi-trade powerhouse—marking a new chapter in Josh’s career. Shortly after the acquisition, WholeHome™ Alliance was launched, aligning a network of industry leaders around a shared mission of growth.
Today, Josh leads WholeHome™ Media (wholehomealliance.com/media) where he helps contractors stand out in crowded markets by integrating content strategy into operations, marketing, sales, and recruiting.
Josh’s approach is grounded, optimistic, and always focused on real-world impact. Whether speaking at events, consulting with teams, or rolling up his sleeves on a shoot, he’s passionate about helping contractors grow with confidence by owning their story and telling it well.
Jason Walker
Owner, Royalty Heating & Cooling | Founder, HVAC Masters of the Hustle
Jason Walker, AKA “Jay Dub Money Maker”, is a well-known figure in the HVAC industry. He began his career in 2010 as a warehouse shop cleaner and, driven by exceptional work ethic and determination, quickly advanced through the ranks — from duct cleaner and install helper to parts manager and ultimately comfort advisor.
In 2014, during his first calendar year as a comfort advisor — with only 8 months left in the year — Jason produced over $2.2 million in revenue. Since then, he has consistently generated over $3 million annually, reaching as high as $3.8 million with a closing average of 65–70%. Over the past six years, he has sold more than $18,000,000 in residential replacement, recognizing and seizing the massive opportunity the HVAC industry provides.
Now, it is Jason’s MISSION — and he believes everyone has a Spartan within — and it’s his job, his duty, and his obligation to bring that out. This calling has driven him to share his gift with the world. With hundreds and thousands of hours spent fine-tuning his sales process, Jason was ranked 3rd in the nation as a comfort advisor by Success Academy & AirTime 500, earned the Crown Champion Award multiple years in a row, and was featured in Compass Magazine in the article titled “Learning from the BEST!”
Since launching his training program, contractors have seen transformative results — average tickets have increased by 10%, some by as much as 40%, with additional gains of $1,000 to $4,000 per ticket. Through his training, Jason shares what’s possible in this industry with the right mindset, process, and procedures.
While traveling and training, he has visited countless companies and worked with some of the most successful individuals in the HVAC space. He’s experienced opportunities that most HVAC contractors will never have — and now he’s committed to opening those doors for others.
Jack Nagy
President and Founder of MTA360
Jack brings four decades of expertise to the HVAC & Plumbing industries, underpinned by a robust academic and professional background. He holds an engineering degree and an MBA, complemented by a Six Sigma Black Belt and Google Certification, reflecting his commitment to operational excellence and digital proficiency. His corporate career includes leading highly successful divisions and regions for a prominent air conditioning manufacturer, where his exceptional business execution earned him the company’s highest honor.
In 2003, Jack channeled his extensive industry knowledge into entrepreneurship, establishing Desert Consultants. This venture later evolved into MTA360®, a testament to his vision and adaptability. He successfully pivoted MTA360® from a conventional marketing agency to a leading digital technology, Internet marketing, and advertising organization nationally. MTA360®’s comprehensive services encompass search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, advanced online and mobile advertising, cutting-edge website and application development, traditional advertising solutions, and invaluable dealer training and consulting. Jack’s unique blend of industry insight and digital acumen empowers MTA360® to deliver tangible results for clients.
Kelly Presgrave
President/CEO/Founder, Work With Your Handz
Kelly Presgrave is a graduate of George Mason University with a BA in Finance, a graduate of Cornell University’s Talent Management and Acquisition program, and a member of Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). She continues to gain insight into the constantly evolving recruitment industry. Her background in Finance helps her in both business development and client management. It gives her the unique capability to add value by truly understanding businesses and how the talent each client needs will directly impact their bottom line. She has gained immense experience regarding recruitment across many industries, and she has earned a reputation as a results and solutions-driven entrepreneur. She loves building relationships with clients and watching their businesses and ideas succeed. She truly enjoys the challenges of finding the perfect candidate for every client.
Shawn Byrne
CEO & Founder, My Biz Niche
Shawn Byrne is the founder and CEO of My Biz Niche (MBN), an accomplished marketer and entrepreneur with a track record of transforming businesses across a range of industries. Shawn started his journey by launching his first startup, PC Prodigies, and teaching himself systems development and marketing. After gaining valuable business insights through collaborations with venture capitalists, he launched MBN in 2014.
Under his leadership, MBN has worked with iconic brands like Live Nation, Revolver, Alternative Press, Vanity Fair, Wrangler, and Lee, along with some of the largest private equity funds in the home services industry. MBN has been instrumental in doubling the growth of home services companies while maintaining the same ad spend, leveraging proprietary continuous improvement models. This approach has consistently delivered high returns for companies in competitive markets.
Shawn’s extensive experience spans industries including Entertainment, Hospitality, Home Services, Fashion, Legal, Medical, and e-commerce, working with companies from small businesses to multi-billion dollar public corporations. He is a contributor to Forbes and Inc. Magazine and an active member of numerous marketing and digital media clubs. His firm, My Biz Niche, has been recognized as the Best Social Media Company, Best SEO Company, and Best Website Design Company, along with being named in the Inc. 5000 list.
Shawn’s guiding principle is continuous learning and applying new knowledge for the benefit of others. His proudest accomplishments remain being a devoted husband and father. When not working, he enjoys vacationing with his family, soccer, fishing, and camping.
Drew Cameron
President, Flow Odyssey and Energy Design Systems, LLC
Drew Cameron is North America’s most sought-after sales and marketing strategy and success advisor to Home Services Contractors as the founder and CEO of Flow Odyssey, president and co-owner Energy Design Systems, LLC, board member, Foundation board trustee, Contractor University founder and faculty member, and resident expert on Facebook for Contractor Connect for the Electric & Gas Industries Association (EGIA), and president of the Cameron Family Foundation for trade scholarships. Also, a renowned author, speaker, educator, coach (developer of people, lives, and performance), consultant, software developer, philanthropist, and an International Consultant Award Winner and National Comfort Institute (NCI) Influencer Award Winner.
Russ Horrocks
Vice President, Flow Odyssey
Russ Horrocks emerged as one of the most successful Comfort Advisors in America in the mid-90s. Russ quickly took to sharing his unique knowledge of buyer psychology with sales forces across the country. He turned his profession into a passion, educating and coaching in-home sales and service advisors to understand the critical skills necessary to achieve results far exceeding personal mindset limitations and corporate expectations.
Most trainers preach about product and process. Russ teaches and coaches his sales and service protégés not only about what to do in the home and how to do it, but more importantly, why. “Why” leads to a purpose, allowing the people his students serve to build a strong connection based on a position of trust, confidence, competence, and credibility. When matched with the creative execution of a process built to work with human nature and how people want to buy, it yields explosive growth.
Having mastered the sales process, in 2011 Russ joined with business development specialist, Drew Cameron, as Vice President of Flow Odyssey to help clients enhance the performance of their entire business, and transcend growing one person or department at a time. Together, they work in the trenches with their clients in every facet of building successful home services businesses.
Clients embrace Russ’s detailed holistic approach to assessing a company’s people, present state, and potential. Drawing a blueprint for success, he collaborates with clients onsite, online, and on the phone to achieve operational excellence with a hands-on strategic approach to growing people and implementing profit-based processes and systems. Clients benefit from Russ’s 20 years of knowledge and national experience, along with his relentless pursuit of building happy, effective, top-performing professionals and developing a culture of success and achievement.
Gary Elekes
President, EPC Equity and iMarket Solutions
Gary Elekes is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for helping others become more successful by sharing what he has learned over the past 3 decades working closely with all facets of the contracting industry. During his career, Gary has held senior management positions at Lennox and Service Experts. In 2000, Gary moved into entrepreneurship and started his training and consulting business EPC. Today, EPC continues to support growth-oriented businesses aspiring to reach 20% EBIT. He also designed the very first web-based learning platform for the residential contracting industry, which acts as a support system for training and learning in HVAC and plumbing trades, and has over 5,000 subscribers.
In 2003, Gary began acquiring contracting firms with a focus on developing turnaround opportunities. He also opened and operated several start-up busineses. In 2010, he added web design/SEO and online marketing to his company portfolio starting iMarket Solutions as a co-founder. Gary graduated from Ohio State University with a BSBA and also holds a Master’s Degree in Business and Finance.
Brigham Dickinson
President & Founder of Power Selling Pros
Brigham Dickinson is president and founder of Power Selling Pros, a leading coaching and training firm dedicated to teaching businesses to wow more customers. Brigham started Power Selling Pros when he saw that call handlers needed assistance consistently converting calls to bookings. As a result, Brigham answered the need by creating the Pattern For Excellence, a sequence of principles that guides call handlers through all stages of a call, from greeting to closure. Since 2009, Power Selling Pros’ growth comes through referrals alone, thanks to the proven call-handling process and their high level of customer satisfaction.
Austen Radke
Head of M&A, SEER Group
Austen Radke is the main point of contact for The SEER Group’s potential partner company owners.
His expertise includes outbound prospecting, process management, statistical modeling, and data management. He has experience in B2B sales and creating an outbound prospecting model that brings together a consultative research-based approach with a highly personalized, value-driven sales style.
Austen is responsible for generating a strong pipeline for future SEER Group acquisitions. He came to SEER from Outreach, a Seattle-based, award-winning sales execution platform. Prior to that he was a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch. He has a bachelor of science degree in finance from Fresno State.
Julie Trujillo
Senior Vice President, Decision Analyst
As a research consultant with over 20 years of experience, Julie provides strategic direction to clients who are struggling with difficult business challenges. Julie guides her clients to identify the business questions and then designs research to get answers. Julie’s experience includes quantitative and qualitative research across an array of categories and research techniques. Julie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing, from Valparaiso University.
Felicia Rogers
Executive Vice President, Decision Analyst
As Executive Vice President at Decision Analyst, Felicia’s focus is on helping companies make winning business decisions that fuel growth and success. Her primary areas of focus are innovation, brand strategy, advertising and communications, and customer/user experience.
Felicia supports both B2C- and B2B-focused clients across a wide array of verticals, and she is deeply involved with many of the company’s clients. She serves as the group director on all business activity with her teams, and she works closely with internal partners in the company’s quantitative teams, qualitative practice, advanced analytics practice, and operational departments.
As part of her executive role, Felicia not only manages a group of Client Service teams, she also serves as a member of the Management Advisory Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Board of Directors. She is heavily involved in strategic initiatives to keep the company’s products, services, and consulting at the forefront of the industry. Felicia joined Decision Analyst in 1989. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing, from the University of North Texas.
David Holt
General Manager, Contractor University & HVAC Distributor University (EGIA)
As General Manager of Contractor University, David oversees and leads the day-to-day activities and overall strategic direction for EGIA Contractor University, the industry’s leading business training platform for contracting businesses. David is responsible for identifying the training curriculum contractors need to make their business successful in today’s marketplace and managing the team of industry experts required to create it and deliver it to member contractors. Additionally, David plays a key role in cultivating, developing and maintaining strategic partner relationships with the HVAC industry’s preeminent equipment manufacturers, distributors and suppliers for EGIA.
Before joining EGIA, David spent nearly four decades serving the HVAC industry. He started out by sweeping floors and running parts at his grandfather’s HVAC business. After graduating from college, he founded a software company that developed one of the industry’s first DOS-based service management and dispatching programs. David also served as president of the family HVAC business and was elected to ACCA’s national board of directors. After the family business was sold in 1999, David transitioned to a career in HVAC training, coaching, and consulting, holding various roles with Comfort Institute, Profit Strategies, National Comfort Institute, and SilverBullet Price Page.
David graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Business Management, majoring in Management Information Systems.
Matthew Bratsis
Vice President, Contractor Services (EGIA)
As Vice President of Contractor Services, Matthew is responsible for all lending and finance operations within EGIA. As the founder and creator of OPTIMUS, Matthew used his 30+ years of experience in the industry, understanding of the contractor process and non-stop creativity to streamline and simplify payment solutions for virtually every contractor. Working directly with lending and affiliate partners, Matthew and his team strive to develop cutting edge payment and promotional offerings for EGIA’s vast contractor base. In addition, Matthew leads EGIA’s business development strategy, as well as the design and implementation of finance training content.
After attending Virginia Commonwealth University, majoring in Psychology, Matthew started his journey in finance and customer experience in 1995. He began at American General Finance, followed by stops at Equity Lending, Greensky and Renovate America.