WHO IS THAT MR. WATERBURY?

A gentleman named Don Bliss started the business in early 1950.

Mr. Bliss was known in the area as a “Mr. Fixit” individual. Mr. Bliss spent most of his time doing repairs on gas, oil, electric furnaces, and oil boilers. In the early 1950′s he had done work for an individual by the name of George Schaffer. Mr. Schaffer was a young man that had just started a realtor business. At that point, Mr. Bliss was encouraged by Mr. Schaffer to get involved in all of the new construction HVAC business in Sioux Falls. Most of the their work was done in the Hilltop area and the area in the new part of Sioux Falls near 33rd street and West avenue. Mr. Bliss had at one time approximately 10 people working in his business.

Due to the dwindled economy in the early 1980′s and just becoming tired from working very hard, Mr. Bliss decided to retire and sell the business. Two young men from a heating wholesale house made purchase of the business in 1985. They were Pete Ackerman and Robert Ritter. Their focus was to continue the service that Mr. Bliss had built and to promote their business in the booming economy in the Sioux Falls area. At this time they became a LENNOX product dealer. They had hired a salesman to help promote their business and create expansion. That was Tom Stritecky. The company continued to grow in the construction and replacement business of residential and light commercial.

Due to ill health, Pete Ackerman retired in 1990. Tom Stritecky became partners in the business with Bob Ritter. Shortly after that time, Robert Ritter decided to fulfill his dream to become an elementary educator.
In 1991, Tom Stritecky became President of Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc.

With the great local economy and a great staff, Waterbury became a major player in the Heating and Air Conditioning new construction and replacement HVAC market. In 1995, we had purchased Weber Heating and in 2004 we purchased ClimateMasters Heating and started the plumbing division in 2008. With the arrival of these companies, it has given Waterbury Heating & Cooling, Inc. strength in a client base. Waterbury has always focused on quality products and service.

By the way, there was never a “Mr. Waterbury”!

The name came from the furnace they used to install in the 1950′s and the 1960′s called the Waterbury Furnace. This was a very commonly installed furnace in the Sioux Falls area. The Waterbury furnace was discontinued in 1962. They were purchased by a small heating and air conditioning manufacturer in Minneapolis named Honeywell.

Now you know the rest of the story!

Sincerely,

Thomas L. Stritecky
President