Industry News

Service Experts participated in the milestone 40^th season of Military Makeover with Montel on Lifetime TV, a home improvement series that celebrates military families through home makeovers across the country. The latest renovation with hosts Montel Williams, Art Edmonds, and Jennifer Bertrand in Duncanville, south of Dallas, which debuted on Lifetime Friday, honored Sergeant Kevin Jones, a distinguished veteran and devoted family man who dedicated 12 years to the Marines.

“It’s an honor to play a part in the meaningful work being completed by the Military Makeover team, and we were thrilled to have the 40^th season in our own backyard here in North Texas,” said Jackie Vayo, Senior Director of Talent Management and Development for Service Experts, who was among the “boots on the ground” for the company. “Many of our Service Experts employees are veterans themselves, and we’re deeply committed to supporting the military community through our ongoing partnerships with programs like Hiring Our Heroes.”

Jones’ deployments in Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield brought him face-to-face with the stark realities of combat, and he sustained injuries, including a right ankle condition, a twisted right foot, and PTSD. To this day, there are lingering effects, which highlight the physical and emotional toll of his dedication to duty. Following his honorable discharge, Kevin has worked with the VA, becoming a vital advocate for veterans, helping them navigate the often-complex process of accessing benefits. He and his wife, Francesca, have been married for 26 years and are the proud parents of a daughter, Kelsey.

Service Experts installed an A.O. Smith Signature 100 50-Gallon water heater to ensure optimum hot water delivery without an external power source. Additionally, members of the team volunteered by putting on some of the finishing touches like building furniture for and participating in the “big reveal” for the Jones family. While in town for the renovation, Edmonds also visited Service Experts’ Richardson headquarters to see a model of The Home of the Future, which showcases the energy-saving technologies and services transforming homes.

This was the third renovation Service Experts has partnered with Military Makeover on. The company has more than 100 locations across 31 U.S. states to help homeowners like the Jones make their homes havens of comfort, well-being, and energy efficiency.

Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical (Hiller), the region’s largest residential plumbing, HVAC, and electrical provider, is proud to partner with Toys for Tots to share the joy of Christmas with others. For the past five holiday seasons, Hiller has donated to toys to Toys for Tots with the purchase of each new tankless water heater. Since 2019, Hiller has purchased over $50,000 in toys to donate to underserved families in our community.

During this special promotion, available from November 1^st through the end of the year, Hiller contributes $50 from each tankless water heater sold to purchase toys. And, as a special incentive to homeowners, Hiller offers a $250 Visa gift card with every purchase. In addition to funds raised, the company contributes with an additional monetary gift each year.

Toys for Tots is a non-profit organization launched by the U.S. Marine Corps in 1947. The organization is dedicated to providing new Christmas gifts to children and young adults who may otherwise not receive presents during the holidays. To date, Toys for Tots has supported over 301 million children with over 677 million toys and gifts.

Every December, Hiller’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jimmy Hiller, and members of the Hiller family gather to shop for a truck’s worth of toys to donate hand-selecting various toys, games, and gifts that resonate with their own families. This shopping spree has quickly become one of the grandkid’s most anticipated Christmas events.

“One of my family’s most cherished holiday traditions has become our Toys for Tots shopping trip”, remarked Jimmy Hiller. “The holidays can be stressful and challenging for a lot of families, particularly in recent years. Through this promotion, we’re able to make sure that parents can create Christmas magic for their children. We feel so blessed to have had the support of our community for so many years”, he continued, “And we want to give back to our neighborhoods that have been so good to us.”

On Thursday, December 19^th, the Hiller family met at a Nashville-area Walmart to shop together, hand-selecting new gifts, toys, and electronics for other children to enjoy on Christmas morning. This year’s selections, totaling over $12,000, filled more than 18 shopping carts. This donation, made possible by the community’s support, raises the 5-year total to more than $50,000 in toy contributions since the tradition began.

Hiller was founded in 1990 by Jimmy Hiller, the company’s single employee. Today, the organization includes over 600 “Happy Face” trucks and 880 associates across 18 locations in 7 states.

Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical, provides residential and commercial service and repair throughout Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, Northeastern Mississippi, Southeastern Arkansas, Northern Alabama, Northern Georgia, and Northwest Florida. As the homeowner’s premier provider of choice with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, Hiller is Tennessee’s largest residential and commercial plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical services provider. Hiller, a 12-time honoree to the Inc. 5000 List, employs more than 800 associates, boasts a fleet of 600 “Happy Face” trucks across 18 locations, and has responded to over 1.8 million service calls in 7 states. For more information about Hiller, visit http://www.happyhiller.com or e-mail press@happyhiller.com.

State Water Heaters, a leading manufacturer of commercial and residential water heaters, announces the launch of its newly updated website, www.statewaterheaters.com. The fully redesigned website offers an immersive and user-friendly experience focused on meeting the diverse needs of today’s trade professionals and homeowners.

Key improvements to the website include a mobile-friendly, responsive design, an enhanced search functionality, and easy-to-use media library that houses product documents, images and videos. These upgrades provide users with a seamless browsing experience and quick and easy access to the information that is important to them. When researching new water heaters, consumers can quickly navigate to the Contractor Locator Tool, which connects them to their local State Water Heaters installer. From there, the installer can help them select the best-fit water heater for their installation needs.

“The digital experience we created through the new State website delivers unparalleled value and convenience for our customers. We used customer feedback to influence the site design, which allowed us to create an improved user experience that prioritizes customer needs,” said Betsy Curran, Director of Marketing and Customer Engagement.

The website now features a range of additional enhancements designed to benefit both trade professionals and consumers.

A dedicated “ForPROS” Professionals experience better serves the needs of trade partners, with unique content tailored to professionals including plumbing contractors, wholesalers, specifying engineers, builders and utilities. A robust media library and comprehensive search functionality make finding spec sheets, manuals, videos and more easier than ever.

All users will benefit from:

• Rebates Center: The improved Rebates Center makes it easier for customers to find rebates, tax credits and other incentives for installing high efficiency State products.
• Info Center: The revamped Info Center educates customers on most searched and requested water heater topics.
• Accessibility: The website is now equipped with an ADA-compliant tool, ensuring a more inclusive user experience.

Experience the new State website today by visiting www.statewaterheaters.com.

NIBCO INC. has announced its partnership for Season five of American Plumber Stories, a docuseries that serves to inspire, educate and entertain both current and future members of the plumbing industry.

Created by Pfister Faucets, American Plumber Stories celebrates the lives and work of all plumbers by sharing their passion and advice to the next generation of plumbers and their plans to reshape the industry. Anticipated to air in the second half of 2024, Season five will feature perspectives from plumbing experts in Australia, Alaska, Canada, Hawaii, and California and will highlight some of the common challenges faced by plumbers across the world. The series was recently awarded three Telly Awards.

“NIBCO partnering with American Plumber Stories was a natural fit, as we are committed to supporting and elevating the plumbing industry,” said Ashley Martin, president and COO, NIBCO. “The U.S. is in critical need of the next generation of plumbers. This show is helping to engage young men and women in an authentic way to help change the perception and inspire successful and fulfilling careers in the plumbing trades.”

“Young men and women who enter the workforce early can learn the plumbing trade and make it a long-term career. This also allows many to establish and build their own company. The goal of American Plumber Stories is to update the perceptions of the plumber profession in a documentary-style format. We need to engage with young people, sharing an authentic look at the plumbing trade today and real plumbers’ success stories to encourage a new workforce,” says Spencer Brown, Pfister’s director of sales and executive producer of American Plumber Stories.

Spencer added, “The goals of American Plumber Stories are to inspire, educate and entertain. Our hope is that the docuseries changes the image of the industry, helping to attract and recruit new talent.”

Pfister Faucets created American Plumber Stories to feature plumbers across the nation, sharing the passion they have for their profession. The show tells stories of how they got started, their advice for future plumbers, and the rewards that come with the trade. Season five of American Plumber Stories is the first time the show has traveled outside of the United States and there is great excitement about reaching an international audience–especially the next generation of plumbers. Country music star and Army Reserve Soldier Craig Morgan will return as the show’s host.

“I was very excited when Pfister approached me about this project—I am glad to help shine a light on the trade and see what Pfister is doing with American Plumber Stories to help inspire a new generation of plumbers,” said American Plumber Stories Host, Craig Morgan.

For more information and to watch episodes of American Plumber Stories, please follow on Instagram, subscribe to YouTube, or visit the website here.