Carrier Hall of Fame

Dan Hucks was recently honored by being inducted into the Carrier Dealer Hall of Fame. This is a lifetime achievement award given to a person who exemplifies the dedication of a life and a lifetime of service and contributions to the industry, the employees, the customers, and the community. It is modeled on the vision statement of Carrier’s founder, Willis Carrier, as described by his early partner, Edward T. Murphy. The award was presented to Dan last week at Carrier’s Annual Factory Authorized Dealer Meeting in Colorado based his career and achievements as described below.

Adaptability is often considered an important key to success, and Daniel (Dan) Hucks knows a thing or two about it. Growing up as a fifth generation Floridian, Dan recalls one specific hardship from his childhood in the 1950’s when his family’s orange groves surprisingly froze over It left them in a difficult state and required adaptability and conservation in order to make it through the rough winter. Dan has since built his business – Total Comfort Heat & Air Conditioning, Inc-with these principles of adaptability in mind. And it has led to a continuous growth since Dan started the company back in 1976.

Dan’s father, Wilford, owned and operated a small air conditioning and refrigeration company in the 1950s, naturally attracting Dan to the industry. Helping his father during his formative years, Dan went on to attend Mary Carl Vocational Institute, focusing on the air conditioning program. Upon graduation, Dan immediately entered the industry with American Air and Heat in Daytona Beach. And when the owner passed in 1976, Dan bought American Air’ s customer list and began forging his own path in the heating and cooling world.

Fast forward 43 years, 40,000 current customers, and a steady growth year after year, it’s no wonder Dan has earned his place among the greats in the industry supplying Carrier products. To date, over $55 million in Carrier equipment have been purchased as a direct result of Dan’s commitment to the brand and its product. His loyalty percentage with Carrier is an astounding 99%+. Because of this commitment, Dan has understandably (and rightfully) earned an impressive eight Carrier President’s Awards.

One of Dan’ s keys to success has been his ability to adapt and innovate to the changing times. So often, businesses get rooted in the ways of old and become stagnant. With Dan, however, there has been a fire within to level up as the growth of electric and gas assumes its place in the heating and cooling industry.

In 1994, Total Comfort added an Electrical Division, performing all electrical services for both the Air Conditioning Division and establishing commercial and residential electrical contracts. Shortly after the Electrical Division began, Dan noticed a shortage in trained personnel for gas-related heating equipment and other products.

Total Comfort then began sending personnel to training courses, acquiring state licenses in gas-related installation and services. It’s because of Dan’s ability to adapt to the needs of his community that Total Comfort has continually been successful. Dan’s eagerness to learn and innovate serves as a top personal reason for success.

A second- and arguably more important- key to Dan’s and Total Comfort’s success is his family. Currently, Dan’s wife Lynda, their three children, and three grandchildren all work at Total Comfort. And they all care deeply about serving their community. This example of loyalty to the family business is precisely why Total Comfort routinely recruits (and keeps) some of the best talent in the industry. All employees- including those in his own family- take notice of Dan’s daily enthusiasm to show up with hard work and integrity every day. For proof, the average term of service of Total Comfort employees exceeds 10 years. It is precisely because of this loyalty to a secure and professional company that has led to now over 40 years of service.

Dan’s success with Total Comfort has also opened doors for a philanthropic approach to their Florida community. He and Lynda have donated multiple air conditioning systems to various local organizations and will always go above and beyond to help out a community member or group in need.

As Dan approaches his 70s, he shows no signs of slowing down and has even been quoted that he has no plans on retiring anytime soon. He’s been a man of integrity, family and adaptability, and it has led to successes in almost every aspect of his life.