HVAC Excellence Names Committee

HVAC Excellence has recently appointed a new committee for the National HVACR Education Conference. This committee comprises individuals who have transitioned from diverse roles in the field to positions in education.?

The National HVACR Education Conference provides serious professionals with an opportunity to enhance their knowledge, expand their network, and position themselves at the forefront of this dynamic field. The committee's primary responsibility is to identify industry partners who can assist HVACR educators, trainers, contractors, and professionals in improving their effectiveness.?

Meet the Committee Members:?

Eugene Silberstein

Eugene Silberstein boasts over 45 years in the HVACR industry, including 30 years in front of the classroom. He currently serves as HVAC Excellence’s National Programs Director. Eugene holds dual bachelor’s Degrees from The City College of New York and a master’s degree from Stony Brook University. He is a Certified Master HVACR Educator (CMHE) and holds the BEAP credential issued by ASHRAE. He is the author and co-author of several industry leading titles.?

Pat Murphy

Murphy has served the HVACR industry for over 45 years and the accreditation industry for 20 years. He spent many years as a commercial HVACR contractor that specialized in supermarkets. When the opportunity arose, he transitioned from the field to the classroom, where he was an instructor for many years. In more recent years, he has served in leadership positions with several industry trade associations, including NATE and RSES. He is presently a contract assessor for the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) performing assessments for Certified Food Protection (CFP) and ISO/IEC 17024:2012 Conformity Assessment.?

Jason Obrzut

Jason Obrzut is the Director of Industry Standards and Relations at ESCO Institute with over 20 years of industry experience. He has chaired AHRI’s Safe Refrigerant Transition Taskforce (SRTTF) and was named one of the industry’s “Top 40 Under 40” by the ACHR NEWS. Jason holds the CMHE title and is currently co-authoring a bestselling HVACR textbook as well as ESCO's "Low GWP Refrigerant Safety" and "Gas Heating" titles.?

Clifton Beck

Clifton is a seasoned HVACR professional known for his expertise and commitment to advancing industry standards. Starting as an apprentice in a commercial refrigeration shop, he honed his skills and embraced emerging technologies. With a Master Electrician Unlimited License, he delved into commercial automations and efficiency controls. Transitioning to education, he pioneered virtual training for contractors across five states and developed industrial programs in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Now, as Digital Media Manager at ESCO Institute, Clifton drives innovation in classrooms and workplaces, sharing his knowledge and passion for learning with the HVACR community.

Ty Branaman

Throughout the years, Ty has undertaken many diverse roles, ranging from technician to teacher and program chair, to social media influencer. As a testament to his passion for HVAC, Ty was honored as the 2024 Influencer of the Year at this year’s HVAC Tactical Awards ceremony in January. He presently holds HVAC Excellence’s CMHE credential and now focuses exclusively on HVAC education, helping others with their training programs, and creating educational content.?

Howard Weiss

Howard Weiss, has over 30 years serving the building science trades. In his various roles with the ESCO Group, he has had the opportunity to, among other things, lead the standards committee for programmatic accreditation, and chair the National HVACR Education Conference to help advance the quality of education in our ever-changing industry. To strengthen industry partnerships and alliances, Howard has worked closely with the EPA, Department of Education, individual state Departments of Education, Department of Energy, registered apprenticeship programs, and the National Institute of Building Sciences. In his present role, he works closely with a dedicated group of like-minded and forward-thinking individuals to help improve the quality of education in the HVACR and Building Science fields.?

Summary

This uniquely qualified committee will work with the HVAC Excellence team toward developing a program of excellence for the 2025 National HVACR Education Conference. Subject matter experts interested in presenting, should submit their application here by August 15, 2024.