Purl's Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for the ‘Employee Spotlight’ Category

It is with a very heavy heart that we say goodbye to Michael Purl.

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2017

 

Mr Purl

We will miss this great man!

It is with very heavy heart that say goodbye to Michael Purl.   Michael was a very respected business man in the San Joaquin Valley and he was known as a man of great integrity.    He was a true leader in every sense of the word, and his leadership, friendship and guidance affected us all.

He was proud of the employee’s at Purl’s Sheet Metal and saw the importance in continuous training to adhere to “better than industry standards”.   Many of the employee’s on our team have been with Purl’s Sheet Metal over 10 or 20 years.   He felt he was very fortunate to have been surrounded by great people over the years.   He expressed that this has been a key factor in the growth of Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning.    He had an amazing ability to choose the right people for the right job.

He always said “Madera has been good to Purl’s Sheet Metal.”   That is absolutely true.   Michael and Mickie Purl also showed us the importance of supporting our community and giving back.  We learned why it is important to invest time in youth programs.  The Purl’s were deeply rooted and involved in countless organizations.

He was very proud of the solid relationship he built with Carrier and very honored to provide Carrier equipment to our customers.   In 2010 Michael received a very high honor and was inducted into the Carrier Dealer Hall of Fame. The coveted lifetime achievement award is given each year to only a select few.  This was a very special honor and he was humbled by the award.

Michael also shared his love of antique fire engines with us.   We have some of the greatest memories decorating and riding on the fire engines in the Madera Light Parade.  Even a memory or two of a break down and quick repair to make it back to the shop!   This event brought us together each year for some extra holiday cheer!

He led by example.  He taught us that the little things can matter.   He showed us how to stand back and see the whole picture.  He taught us how to respect the American Flag.   He expressed we should always be prepared.  He wanted us to take pride in our work and our relationships with our customers.

He made time to stop and talk about the latest Giants game or a local little league team.  Always a quick wit and smile!  He was interested in the important events in our lives.  He took the time to create lasting relationships and he made the business atmosphere feel more like a family.

He always did so much for others and wished to remain unnamed in his good deeds.   He always said that he wanted to fly under the radar!

Mr. Purl, you may have flown under the radar with some, but for us, you you could never hide how great of a man you were.   Words cannot express how much we will miss you!

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Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning receives the 2017 Carrier President’s Award

Tuesday, April 4th, 2017

We are so proud to announce that Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning was awarded one of Carrier’s highest awards “The President’s Award”. This award is only presented to Carrier Factory Authorized Dealers. Carrier Factory Authorized Dealers are an elite group of dealers that are required to meet a strict set of standards set forth by The Carrier Corporation. Of that group, only the top 2 percent in the nation qualify to receive the President’s Award.

2017 Carrier Presidents Award

Pictured from left to right:

Chris Nelson (President North America HVAC Systems) Steve Small (Sales and Operations Manager Northern & Central CA Sigler Wholesalers), Brian Driggs (Owner of Purl’s Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning), David Meyers (VP Residential Sales Carrier), Matthew Pine (VP Marketing HVAC Residential Carrier)

The award is based on a dealer’s representation of the Carrier product line, customer satisfaction, excellence in business and sales leadership. The number of years as a loyal Carrier Dealer also contributes to the award criteria. President’s award winners are invited to serve as part of a national sounding board to the Carrier brand leadership team.

 

2017 Carrier President's AwardPurl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning has been a Carrier Dealer since 1973 and a Factory Authorized Dealer since the program began in 2003. The Presidents Awards were presented during the Annual Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer National Dealer Meeting held March 15-18th in New Orleans.
Purl’s Sheet Metal maintains and services HVAC equipment and our team is available to handle all of your maintenance and emergency needs. To learn more about Purl’s Sheet Metal and the complete range of cooling and heating products and services we offer contact us today.

2017 Carrier President's Award

Purl’s Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning was awarded the 2017 Carrier President’s Award.

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Russell Sigler Award for Sales Excellence 2016

Wednesday, May 4th, 2016

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning is proud to receive the Russell Sigler Award for Sales Excellence for 2016. Co-Owners Brian Driggs and Kurt Davidson were honored to accept this special award. This award is given to a very few select dealers to recognize sales excellence. It recognizes companies that embody the same commitment to hard work, dedication to success and high integrity as Russell Sigler. This is a distinct honor to receive this award. Since 1952, Purl’s Sheet Metal has conducted business with the same high standards and commitment to excellence as Russell Sigler.

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Brian Driggs and Kurt Davidson with the Russell Sigler Award 2016

Brian Driggs and Kurt Davidson with the Russell Sigler Award 2016

Russell Sigler started his company in 1950 after being inspired by Dale Carnegie and Napoleon Hill. Russell was called into service in 1941 and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1946 and then worked as an engineer. He attended classes from Willis Carrier, who is the founder/inventor or modern air conditioning. A savings bond and war bonds he had sent to his parents to help out at home during the war provided his startup capital. His parents put those bonds in a savings deposit box to save for him.

Always a believer in positive thinking, Russell wrote himself a letter in 1949, stating that he expected to “earn 1 million dollars by 1980 by establishing air conditioning contracting business to install and service the best air conditioning systems at competitive prices.” Not only did he meet that goal, but, by 1970 the company was already recording sales of $8 million dollars. His next goal is to reach $1 billion dollars in sales in 2017 when he will also reach 100 years of age. Russell Sigler Inc. is currently comprised of 29 locations in 6 states.

 

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Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Receives the 2016 Carrier President’s Award

Tuesday, March 29th, 2016

16PresAward

We are so proud to announce that Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning was awarded one of Carrier’s highest awards “The President’s Award”. This award is only presented to Carrier Factory Authorized Dealers. Carrier Factory Authorized Dealers are an elite group of dealers that are required to meet a strict set of standards set forth by The Carrier Corporation. Of that group, only the top 2 percent in the nation qualify to receive the President’s Award.

The award is based on a dealer’s representation of the Carrier product line, customer satisfaction, and excellence in business and sales leadership. The number of years as a loyal Carrier Dealer also contributes to the award criteria. President’s award winners are invited to serve as part of a national sounding board to the Carrier brand leadership team.CFAD_Dealer_Meeting_2016

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning has been a Carrier Dealer since 1973 and a Factory Authorized Dealer since the program began in 2003. The Presidents Awards were presented during the Annual Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer National Dealer Meeting held March 17-19 in Huntington Beach, CA.

Purl’s Sheet Metal maintains and services HVAC equipment and our team is available to handle all of your maintenance and emergency needs. To learn more about Purl’s Sheet Metal and the complete range of cooling and heating products and services we offer contact us today.

 

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Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Earns Esteemed 2015 Angie’s List Super Service Award!

Friday, January 15th, 2016

Award reflects company’s consistently high level of customer service

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provided to members of the local services marketplace and consumer review site in 2015.Angies_LIst_2015_Super_Service_low_resolution

“We are proud to have earned the Super Service Award from Angie’s List and to have earned an “A” rating based on customer reviews.” said Brian Driggs of Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning.

“Only about 5 percent of the HVAC Contractor in the Fresno/Madera market have performed so consistently well enough to earn our Super Service Award,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “It’s a really high standard.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2015 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade; the company must be in good standing with Angie’s List, pass a background check and abide by Angie’s List operational guidelines.
Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality

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Hot Dog Dinner at Madera Fair 2015

Tuesday, September 8th, 2015

Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning along with Randy and Sheryl Berry are hosting the Annual Hot Dog dinner on September 8th from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. We will be hosting a dinner for all the 4H and FFA Exhibitors and their families for the Madera District Fair. The 4H and FFA kids arrive a few days before the Fair to work and prepare to show their livestock animals.  The hot dog dinner is an annual tradition in Madera that everyone at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning looks forward to attending.  We cook over 500 hotdog dinners complete with drinks and all the fixings’.  It is a great way for us to get out in the community and support our local hardworking kids and the agricultural community.

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Employee Spotlight Sheryl Berry

Thursday, April 30th, 2015

Sheryl BerryIMG_0097_1 began working at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning in August of 2006. She works part time in the office in accounting. She keeps the Purl’s team active in the community and organizes the annual 4-H/FFA dinner we provide for the kids and families at the Madera District Fair. She is the person we all ask for suggestions, recipes, and advice. She is truly everyone’s friend.

Sheryl brought a wealth of knowledge with her from her years working at Teco, the family owned business in Madera. Sheryl said she worked every possible job during her time at Teco, but specialized in management and accounting. She has always loved working with numbers and making things balance.   She retired from Teco in 2005 and could not stand to be retired! Retirement was not a good fit for Sheryl Berry! She likes working and keeping an active schedule. She said working helps her get more done in a day!

Sheryl said the move to the new office location in 2010 was an exciting event that affected everyone at Purl’s Sheet Metal. She feels the change that affected her job the most was the conversion and upgrade to our new computer system several years back. The accounting capabilities were such a giant step into the future. It was fun and challenging for our team to figure out how to make everything work.

Sheryl was born and raised in Madera. She can trace her family roots in Madera back to 1893. She and her husband Randy raised their family of boys here. Sheryl and Randy have 12 grandchildren that range in ageIMG_4986_1 from 2-21. When she talks about her grandkids she is all smiles! She spends as much time as possible with her grandkids. She loves to teach them the art of canning, baking, sewing and gardening, all the while teaching them to have a good work ethic.

Sheryl Berry is very well known in our community. She has more energy than most and seems to require little sleep. She spends her spring and early summers canning her famous pickles, pickle relish, jam & jellies. She donates large baskets with her canned and baked goods to local fund raisers and auctions. *Did we mention that her cookies are legendary too!* The people in our community have been known to buy her items for big dollars! One of Sheryl’s most favorite things to do is to “play in the dirt” in her beautiful yard and garden. (Her back yard was featured on the 2014 Garden Tour in Madera). It is a labor of love and every corner of her yard shows something special and unique. She also spends a lot of time sewing and quilting!

Sheryl is deeply rooted and involved in our community. She has been part of Alegria Guild Children’s Hospital Central CA for almost 45 years. In 2014 she and her good friend Mickie Purl created a special quilt to be auctioned off for Alegria Guild Children’s Hospital. The quilt brought in nice donation for the Hospital. She is the President of the Madera County Historical Society since 1999 and has been involved in the organization since 1990. She is also serves on the Board of Directors for the Heritage Society. She has been involved with 4-H, FFA, Camp Fire and numerous other organizations.

IMG_1481Sheryl said she has so many great memories and loves the people she works with at Purl’s Sheet Metal. She said we have been through a lot together, and it is never dull! She especially remembers the April Fools joke played on her a few years back. She returned a phone call to the local Chafee Zoo, only to ask to speak to Mr. Lion….and it went downhill from there. Sheryl thinks we definitely have a lot of fun at Purl’s Sheet Metal and looks forward to a bright future.

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Employee Spotlight: David Barnes

Friday, April 10th, 2015

David Barnes joined Purl’s Sheet Metal in October of 2005. He works as a service technician in our service department. David enjoys his work and being part of a great team. He looks at every opportunity as a learning experience.
His favorite part of his job is developing IMG_9992_1relationships with his customers and being able to provide the best service possible. David’s customers truly trust and respect him.

There have been many changes since David began at Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. He feels a big improvement was the move to the new location in 2010. Moving to the new location has helped tremendously with the growth of the company. David also credits the addition of computer tablets in the field as a leap in technology. David feels the tablets have allowed the technicians to provide faster and better service to our customers. All of the information needed is available while they are at the customer’s home.

He also feels the efforts of Purl’s Sheet Metal management have helped create a united team. The weekly meetings and continuous training help increase the knowledge of products and services. David feels that if you miss a meeting, you miss a lot! David thinks the increased efforts in our branding and website have helped us reach new customers. He also really enjoys participating in all of the community activities with Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning. It is a great way to bring his own family in and share in the festivities and community involvement.IMG_9987_2

Outside of work David enjoys spending time with wife and two young children. He and his family are very active in their church. David sings in the choir, teaches Sunday school and helps drive the bus to pick up children for church. He loves vacationing with his family and Disneyland is a favorite location!

Overall, David credits great leadership for helping grow the business through his years at Purl’s Sheet Metal. He said it started with Mr. Purl and has continued with Kurt and Brian. He appreciates the lengths management will go to make our customers happy. “Having someone on call nights and weekends, speaks volumes about customer commitment.” David thinks we have a great team, that truly care about each other and it feels more like a family.

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Welcome Brian DaSilva to our team!

Wednesday, February 25th, 2015

 

Meet our newest employee!

Brian DaSilva – Installation Technician

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Brian joined the Purl’s Sheet Metal in 2015 as an installation technician. He enjoys working with his co–workers and learning new things. Brian feels he has the opportunity to work with the best in the business! In his free time Brian enjoys working on his truck and playing guitar. He also enjoys spending his time with his girlfriend and his dogs. (Brian’s favorite movie is “The Sandlot”).

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Employee Spotlight Bob Martin

Wednesday, December 24th, 2014


Bob Martin
joined Purl’s Sheet Metal in December of 2003. Bob is in our Service Department and leads our dispatch team. Bob enjoys coming to work every day and the fact that you never know what the day may bring! He said he really likes the relationships he has developed with our customers over the years. When you listen to Bob work with our customers, it is easy to see why he is so good at his job.

Bob has seen many changes at Purl’s Sheet Metal. One of the biggest changes he mentioned was the move to our newest location in 2010. We went from very tight quarters to having enough room for everyone and some room to grow. In terms of technology he feels the best change has been the addition of computer tablets in the field. This allows our service technicians to take payments on site and communicate to Bob and the office directly through the tablet. Bob said he is proud of the fact it has made a big difference in the overall efficiency of our service team and increased our ability to get to customers faster for break downs.

Bob is the proud father of 6 children, and 15 grandchildren. The oldest granddaughter is 2nd year at UCLA and the oldest grandson just finished basic training for the Air Force. Just talking with him about all of his children or grandchildren you know instantly how proud he is of each and every one! He has been a very active volunteer for Special Olympics for over 12 years. He loves working with the kids and getting involved with the program. Bob enjoys spending time with his wife and the whole family. He loves to camp and spend time at Lake Tahoe.

Anyone IMG_5944who knows Bob also knows he is an avid sports fan and a huge baseball fan. When asked how he became a Giant’s fan, he said “I was born into it!” His mother used to listen to baseball games on the radio when he was young and he has fond memories of her shouting at the radio about Willie Mays… “Hit that ball Willie”. He has shared his love of sports with his children and grandchildren.

Bob said that leadership and teamwork are key at Purl’s Sheet Metal. He remembers the summer of 2009 when there were over 30 consecutive days of record heat above 100 degrees. Calls were flooding the office. Right in the middle of this heat wave, the computers went down for a couple of days. Bob, Melissa and our whole office were taking calls and hand writing tags as fast as possible. Our service technicians were working into the nighttime to try to get to every call. Bob said he was so proud of our whole team and the fact that we were able to take care of all of our customers in this crisis. He said he learned from this the importance of the entire team. He said he enjoys his job and appreciates the team environment and the big community involvement. He said Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning just feels like one big family.

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