Our Story

After more than 35 years in the HVACR trade—including 25 years as the owner of a commercial refrigeration business—Dick felt called to give back by teaching and mentoring technicians, helping them build successful careers.

To support his classes, DIck began using simple PowerPoint slides to organize content, while Irene collaborated with him to create technical animations that made complex concepts easier to understand.

Through experimentation, they developed visuals such as fluid flowing through an A/C system, and soon Dick was photographing and dismantling equipment so Irene could create even more detailed, engaging materials.

Students responded enthusiastically, noting a significant improvement in their understanding - highlighted by one student asking, “Why don’t the other instructors have something like this?”

Inspired by this response, Dick and Irene founded Refrigeration Training Services in 2001.

Their first resource debuted at the 2004 ARI HVACR Instructor Seminar, followed by additional materials in 2005 and 2007.

Over time, they continued updating their resources with new content, transitioning from CDs to flash drives by 2020, and they remain committed to incorporating user feedback to better serve instructors and students.