Design Air Donates $100,000 of Rheem® Equipment to Milwaukee Area Technical College

MILWAUKEE, WI — Design Air, a Milwaukee based HVAC distributor, in partnership with Rheem®, the Atlanta-based manufacturer of HVAC and water heating products, recently donated $100,000 of state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems to Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC).

On Tuesday, Dec. 3, MATC faculty and students, along with representatives from Design Air, Rheem and Capital Heating, Cooling and Electric, the installation partner, gathered to commemorate the donation and the impact the equipment will have when training Wisconsin’s skilled trade community.

Supporting the Next Generation

“Today, we are honored to support the next generation of Milwaukee’s skilled tradespeople to help them learn and grow,” said Jeremy Wiernasz, President of Design Air. “Design Air’s donation of Rheem’s top-tier products further reinforces our commitment to providing the trades in Wisconsin with the best educational resources available.”

Students in MATC’s HVAC/R Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating Service Technician program joined a ribbon-cutting ceremony and equipment demonstration at the college’s Oak Creek campus. Notable attendees included:

"Like MATC, Rheem is deeply committed to investing in the next generation of skilled trade technicians. It is more important now than ever to find and attract new talent to address the current shortage facing our country," said Jose De La Portilla, Senior Manager of Education and Training at Rheem. "High-quality training is essential for developing a pipeline of skilled technicians who are not only expertly trained but also well-informed about the rewarding career opportunities available to them."

Latest in Electrification

The six donated Rheem units are heat pumps, coupled with high efficiency gas-filled furnaces, ensuring students are learning on the newest electrification technology available. Capital Heating, Cooling and Electric, a Menomonee Falls, Wisc. based contractor, provided installation, labor and additional materials to complete the transaction. Additionally, the HVAC installation was supervised by a MATC graduate.

“I take great pride that an MATC graduate supervised the installation of these units,” said Dr. Doni Bartley, HVAC/R Instructor and Department Chair, MATC. “It’s a testament that the instruction students are receiving will result in careers where they earn family-sustaining wages. This is a proud moment.”

For additional information on Rheem, visit www.rheem.com.