Distributor members of Heating, Airconditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) were recognized as “Top Testing Organizations” by North American Technician Excellence (NATE), during the HARDI Annual Fall Conference, Oct.31-Nov. 4, 2009, Orlando, FL.

Bud Mingledorff, president of Mingledorff's Supply, with Kathy Corr, NATE director of strategic relationships, and the banner signifying Mingledorff's NATE award as the NATE Top Testing Organization for 2009.

Kathy Corr, NATE's director of strategic relationships, presented awards to those HARDI distributors that have administered the most NATE exams to HVACR technicians employed by their contractor customers.

The “Top Testing Organization” Award was presented to Mingledorff’s Inc., Norcross GA. Mingledorff’s administered 432 NATE tests.

Johnstone Supply, Denver, CO, was awarded as NATE's “Top Testing Location,” for allowing its facility to host 276 NATE tests in 2009.

Frank Alexander, chairman of the board of Johnstone Supply, accepts the NATE 'Rising Star' Award from Kathy Corr on behalf of Johnstone Supply of Las Vegas.

A new award — the “Rising Star” award— has been added by NATE to recognize organizations that have made significant strides in testing.

“Rising Star” winners are:

• U.S. Air Conditioning based in City of Industry, CA, for more than doubling the number of tests it administered last year. US Air Conditioning administered 226 tests in 2009.
• The Johnstone Supply location in Las Vegas, NV, was recognized as a "Rising Star" for administering 137 exams in their first year of NATE testing.

Corr expressed NATE’s gratitude for HARDI distributors' dedication to NATE testing:

• HARDI distributors accounted for 5,911 — or 29% —of all NATE tests for 2008
• 15 of NATE’s 25 Platinum Testing Organizations are HARDI members
• Seven HARDI members appear on NATE’s list of Top 10 testing organizations.