Las Vegas, NV — Nearly 1,000 contractors and industry professionals convened in Las Vegas for a powerful, high-impact conference hosted by Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) last week.
The four-day conference at Caesars Palace was held March 15-18 and drew record-setting contractor attendance as well as industry leaders, strategic partners, and vendors from across the country. The 2026 expo hall sold out in 2025 with a wait list of nearly 100 companies interested in exhibiting.
The conference delivered packed sessions, a vibrant expo hall, and the kind of peer-to-peer energy that has made ACCA’s annual gathering the premier event for contractors in the HVACR industry.
Energizing sessions designed just for contractors
Educational sessions throughout the week gave owners and operators dedicated space to connect, swap real-world experience, and ask the questions that matter most to their operations.
“ACCA 2026 was everything we hoped it would be — and the contractor energy in the room made it something truly special,” said Barton James, president and CEO of ACCA. “When contractors connect with one another, share what’s working, and challenge each other to think bigger, the whole industry moves forward. That happened in Las Vegas, and we can’t wait to build on it next year in National Harbor, Washington, D.C.”
Breakout sessions were packed throughout the week, with AI and workforce development drawing strong attendance. Sessions on AI-powered call centers, lead generation, and scaling operations ran alongside recruiting, retention, and technical training.
Contractors also participated in high-impact networking events such as the highly popular MIX Group® MIXer, where attendees connected with one another to form peer-to-peer groups of non-competing contractors.
ACCA leadership transition
The conference also marked the transition of leadership for ACCA's Board of Directors. Kurt Hudson of LC Anderson, Inc. stepped into the role of chair from senior vice chair. Hudson takes over for 2025–2026 Chair Eddie McFarlane of Sila Services, LLC.
The 2026–2027 ACCA Board of Directors Executive Committee includes the following contractor leaders:
- Kurt Hudson, Board Chair, LC Anderson, Inc. (Boston, MA)
- Eddie McFarlane, Immediate Past Chair, Sila Services, LLC (Lititz, PA)
- Matt Marsiglio, Senior Vice Chair, Flame Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, and Electrical (Warren, MI)
- Tim Cropp, Vice Chair, CroppMetcalfe (Fairfax, VA)
- Vince Gillette, Secretary/Treasurer, Gillette Air Conditioning Company, Inc. (San Antonio, TX)
2026 award winners announced
The 2026 ACCA award winners were announced during the 2026 awards ceremony, sponsored by ServiceTitan.
Residential Contractor of the Year Colony Air Conditioning & Heating (The Colony, TX)
Finalists: Atlas Butler Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing; Classic Air’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning; Columbia Home Services; Great Dane Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, and Electrical
Commercial Contractor of the Year C.R. Wolfe Heating Corp (Middletown, NY)
Finalists: Envirotech Heating and Cooling; Waibel Energy Systems, Inc.; Willis Mechanical, Inc.
Additional award winners:
- Distinguished Service Award: Steve Schmidt, ACCA Board Chair, 2018, President, Frederick Air, Inc. (Frederick, MD)
- Service Manager of the Year Award (sponsored by The ACHR News): Bryan Jones, Hoffmann Brothers (St. Louis, MO)
- Super S.T.A.R. Award (sponsored by Federated Insurance): Air Control Home Services (Lake Havasu City, AZ)
- Community Leadership Award (sponsored by Cooper and Hunter): Mark Swepston, Atlas Butler Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing (Columbus, OH)
- Marketing Masters Award — Traditional Media: Atlas Butler Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing (Columbus, OH)
- Marketing Masters Award — New/Digital Media: LCS Heating and Cooling (Indianapolis, IN)
- Marketing Masters Award — Branding: Worley’s Home Services (Yorktown, VA)
Looking ahead to ACCA 2027
Registration is now open for ACCA 2027, which will make history as the first ACCA annual conference combined with ACCA Advocacy Day.
The combined event will be held March 10-12, 2027 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Washington, D.C. — putting world-class industry programming and direct access to Capitol Hill in the same trip. It is an unprecedented opportunity for ACCA members to learn, connect, and take their collective voice straight to the policymakers shaping the future of the HVACR industry.
“ACCA 2027 will be a defining moment for our contractor members,” James added. “Combining our annual conference with Advocacy Day means our members can do it all in one place — connect with peers, sharpen their businesses, and walk into Congress and speak up for the trades.”
Registration for ACCA 2027 is open now at accaconference.com. Discounted early bird registration is available for attendees.
The ACCA 2026 expo hall sold out three months ahead of the event in 2025; exhibitors are encouraged to reserve booth space early.
Media inquiries:
Kate Wessels
VP of Communications, Marketing, and Partnerships
kate.wessels@acca.org
703-824-8864