May 8, 2012
Contact: Francis Dietz, Vice President, Public Affairs
Direct: 703.600.0355

Arlington, Va. — At its recent meeting, the Board of Directors of North American Technician Excellence (NATE) renewed the organization’s contract with AHRI to provide in-house services, including accounting, human resources, and government relations. The Board also formed a committee to conduct a search for a president to replace Peter Schwartz, who resigned to pursue other interests.

“In these economic times, it is important for NATE to remain lean and flexible and stay focused on the strategic responsibilities before it. It is essential that we continue to make use of the resources available through AHRI to provide support staff and services that are in harmony with what is best for both organizations,” said NATE Chairman Don Frendberg, who will continue to lead the organization until a new president is identified.

Frendberg stressed that NATE is sound, is financially strong, and is experiencing significant growth in HVACR technician certifications and re-certifications. There currently are more than 30,600 NATE-certified technicians in all 50 states, holding 36,800 credentials. “Certified technicians are required to be recertified every five years and at the end of the first quarter of this year, more than 25 percent of those eligible have completed their re-certifications,” Frendberg said. NATE is the only technician certification organization governed, owned, operated, developed and supported by the HVACR industry and recognized as an ANSI accredited certification body.

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About NATE
Headquartered in Arlington, Va., NATE was founded in 1997 as the nation’s largest non-profit certification organization for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration technicians. NATE tests technicians while others train. Testing validates the technician’s knowledge and a training program’s instruction. NATE-approved testing organizations offer NATE tests in hundreds of locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Candidates can earn installation and/or service certification in nine specialty areas: air conditioning, air distribution, heat pumps, gas heating, oil heating, hydronic gas, hydronic oil, commercial and light commercial refrigeration, and senior efficiency analyst. NATE also offers the International Ground Source Heat Pump test. For more information about NATE, visit www.natex.org.

About AHRI
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating, commercial refrigeration, and water heating equipment. An internationally recognized advocate for the industry, AHRI develops standards for and certifies the performance of many of these products. AHRI’s 309 member companies manufacture quality, efficient, and innovative residential and commercial air conditioning, space heating, water heating, and commercial refrigeration equipment and components for sale in North America and around the world.