MultiGenerational Success Story
Dynaire’s path from small business to industry-leading corporation
In 1957, Alvin Soffler was working at Carlton Stuart Corporation, a major distributor of air conditioning products for Carrier Corporation, when he saw an opportunity to capitalize on the new technologies that were emerging in the industry by starting his own company.
As a professional mechanical engineer who graduated from The Cooper Union in New York City, Alvin had a hunch that his professional training, combined with his knowledge of air conditioning equipment, sales acumen and hard work would be enough to set out independently. He decided to start a business selling and installing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units for small residential projects. Alvin launched Dynaire Corporation with a tiny team that included a service technician and a receptionist.
Alvin’s son, Marc, remembers during childhood that his father was always out of the house, selling air conditioning systems all day and into the evening and night. Marc would eagerly wait to listen to his father’s voice on the radio, which would play the company’s advertisements. Alvin did everything he could to drum up more business and grow his company.
In the summertime, Marc and his older brother, Glenn, would work with their father. Marc recalls installing his first condensing unit by the age of 12.
A decade after Alvin started the company, in 1967, his brother Sam, joined the business. He worked with Alvin as a sales engineer for 50 years until he retired two years ago.
A Growing Family Enterprise
Now, 62 years after its formation, Dynaire Corporation employs 50 people. Alvin’s sons, Glenn and Marc, are at the helm.
Glenn, now President, joined the business full time 40 years ago. It was Glenn who drove the company to pursue more commercial and industrial work, which led to the business’ significant growth. These days, the company’s project types are diverse and include large homes, along with multimillion-dollar commercial and industrial projects.
Marc, now Vice President, has been with the business for 33 years. He heads up the day-to-day construction operations while Glenn takes the lead on the financial and accounting aspects of the company. Both Marc and Glenn also have a strong sales focus.
Glenn trained as an engineer and Marc gained a degree in architecture. Both, like their father, combined their technical background with strong sales skills to build the business to what it is today. This winning combination has helped the company build a reputation for integrity and top-tier service among colleagues, engineers and vendors.
Alvin died two years ago at 90 years old. Even after Glenn and Marc began leading the daily operations, Alvin lent his expertise and advice on important company decisions, particularly related to insurance and administration issues.
“Alvin was a pioneer in the industry, and he remained active in the business until the end of his life,” Marc says.
Balancing Comfort and Efficiency
Dynaire Corporation, which has sales, engineering and installation teams, has two sister companies: Aeroduct Inc., an in-house sheet metal fabrication shop, and Dynaire Service Corporation, which provides HVAC service and maintenance. Together, these three dynamic divisions take on a wide range of work, including fully specified projects, design-build engineering, value engineering, fabrication, installations and service/maintenance. Their expertise also extends to building automation systems.
Dynaire Corporation employs managers, engineers, fabricators, technicians, and service and support staff who together have the capacity to tackle a diverse range of complex projects. The company even has its own designers and project managers and closely collaborates with architects and engineers, working to minimize change orders and maintain schedules to keep the jobs within budget.
The majority of employees at Dynaire Corporation have been with the business for over 15 years. Some of the industry veterans have stayed with the company for more than 30 years.
“We treat our employees as if they’re family,” Marc says. “We do this because we all rely on each other to do a better job, which makes the company better for everyone.” The result is a large team of individuals that takes personal responsibility in the care and quality of installations and services, all working to fulfill Dynaire Corporation’s core objective—to balance comfort and efficiency for clients.
Those clients include office complexes, industrial plants, manufacturing facilities, hospitals, medical facilities, health clubs, multistory high-rises and private homes. They also take on highly technical custom projects, providing HVAC equipment for spaces, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) rooms in medical facilities, computer rooms and indoor swimming pools. The team has also installed large, industrial-grade chiller and boiler plants.
Aeroduct Inc.’s fabricators support these specialized installations by producing sheet metal products, using state-of-the-art automated sheet metal technology and plasma cutters.
Finally, Dynaire Service Corporation offers 24/7 service, a fully stocked parts department, a fleet of vehicles that can be dispatched quickly via radio, and a written guarantee for the quality of its installation work.
Leading Technology
For the past 30 years, Dynaire Corporation has installed building automation systems for HVAC equipment, providing centralized controls to monitor things such as temperature, humidity and air filtration. The company’s engineers and technicians have extensive experience installing and operating these remotely controlled systems, in both new buildings and in existing systems.
“We’re able to provide greater comfort to our customers by having the ability to diagnose equipment remotely and better respond to their needs,” Marc explains. The company monitors systems remotely either from its office or a technician’s laptop. This efficient approach allows technicians to test and optimize systems rapidly, which improves the building’s energy efficiency, lowers an owner’s operating costs, extends equipment life and limits equipment downtime.
“We’re constantly striving to implement the latest technology into our design and installation that benefits the environment,” Marc adds. “This includes staying on top of the latest technology and suggesting and providing energy-efficient equipment.”
A Culture of Giving
The quality of work and service by Dynaire Corporation has made the company a household name on Long Island, and in the boroughs of New York City and the New York metropolitan area. The company is also known among local communities for charitable giving.
Dynaire Corporation works with Community Mainstreaming Associates, a charity organization that builds homes and helps find employment for people with special needs. The company has donated equipment, provided free installations and raised money for the construction of Community Mainstreaming homes. Marc, who has a child with autism, sits on the organization’s golf committee charity board.
The business also works with other local community groups and organizations. This includes fundraising for local hospitals such as St. Joseph Hospital and supporting the L.I. Against Domestic Violence charity.
Through their community and business leadership, Marc and Glenn feel they have managed to carry on the legacy of their father. Even though he’s no longer physically present, the brothers still look to his example for guidance.
“He was very entrepreneurial, an A-type personality who worked diligently to support his family, his employees and the needs of his clients,” Marc says. It is this tenacity that paved the way for a family enterprise that has played a valuable role in its community for six decades.