A.O. Reed Celebrates 100 Years of Mechanical HVAC Quality and Innovation
Award-winning full service mechanical contractor A.O. Reed & Co. has hit a milestone few companies ever reach—its 100th anniversary. Over the past century, Reed has provided construction services on some of Southern California’s most recognized buildings, including LAC + USC Medical Center, Rady Children’s Hospital, Pacific Beacon, Sharp Memorial Hospital, Petco Park, Barona Valley Ranch & Casino, Scripps Cardiovascular Institute Tower, Navy Hospital San Diego, R.W. Johnson Pharmaceuticals, Cars Land at Disneyland and the new Camp Pendleton Hospital.
The key to the company’s success and longevity has always been Reed’s constant commitment to provide quality work to its clients, and a culture that stresses pride in one’s work. Reed’s celebration is all about family values and a strong sense of community that has been passed on from one generation to another.
That’s easy to do as there are generations of families working at Reed including fathers, mothers, sons, brothers, sisters and assorted other relatives. Some 45 employees of the 400+ employees have been with the business more than 20 years.
That includes president and CEO, Steve Andrade who started at the company in 1974 sweeping the shop floors, before becoming a plumber, project manager, and holding other positions, until assuming the presidency over 25 years ago.
The key to the company’s success and longevity has always been Reed’s constant commitment to provide quality work to its clients,
and a culture that stresses pride in one’s work.
“At A.O. Reed we’re one big family and that counts for a lot with our clients,” Andrade says. “We have been blessed to have so many loyal clients who trust us and keep coming back to us. The secret is combining 100 years of quality with some really sophisticated technologies. That’s the only way to ensure another 100 years.”
“Reed maintains cutting edge technology because of the technically complex type of projects we construct and service. Whether it’s a lab, hospital, high-rise or entertainment facility, all of these jobs require a strong level of coordination and quality. We use the latest advances in industry software for coordination, and LEAN technology for fabrication. These tools allow us to construct and retrofit the most difficult of sites,” says David Clarkin, executive vice president.
The company practices what it preaches. Reed’s service and energy division retrofitted its own 55,000 sq. ft. headquarters to earn the Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious Energy Star. Reed was been recognized by San Diego Gas & Electric for excellence in efficiency when they took home the 2010 Showcase Award and the 2013 Showcase Award.
A.O. Reed & Co. is one of the largest privately held mechanical firms in the country and set to have its largest revenue year ever of $150 million. Over the past century, Reed has built a legacy of tradition, innovation and solutions. Tantamount to Reed’s success are generations of creative craftsman and infinite possibilities for future innovation. Tradition and innovation are not contradictory concepts, but rather nurture one another and provide sound solutions for A.O. Reed's clients.
Among its many awards and recognitions, A.O. Reed was named the ContractingBusiness.com Commercial HVAC Contractor of the Year in 2007, and one of the company's leaders — General Manager Jamie Lomas — was named the magazine's Woman of the Year in 2011.