This month, Robert Smith celebrated his 30-year anniversary with Trane. Robert started with the company in 1994 as a Service Technician, moving into a Lead Technician role in 2017 and most recently, a Heavy Iron and Technical Support Specialist in 2023. Prior to joining Trane (previously Damuth Trane), he was the owner of his own residential HVAC business.
As a Heavy Iron and Technical Support Specialist, Robert is responsible for Heavy Iron projects, complex service repairs, and technical assistance. Heavy Iron projects are categorized as those which are associated with water-cooled chillers and involve the disassembly and re-assembly of its major components, whether through an R’newal or overhaul job. Robert’s role also includes technical mentoring for Heavy Iron project development, estimating, fulfillment, and quality assurance, along with technical and estimating support for service repair opportunities, particularly complex repair projects. On his recent role transition, Robert stated, “I have made many great memories spending countless hours solving a problem, reading IOMs, sharing experiences with others, and watching a broken machine come back to life. I put some of the tools away last year to take on a new role here with Trane. After approximately 150 Centrifugal and Screw Overhauls and R’newals, it was time. Now, sharing that knowledge and assisting the overhaul technicians gives me great happiness, and I intend to do so a little longer.”
Robert’s passion for continuing education is evident in that he holds several professional licenses, certifications and has undergone many years of both education and field-based training. He received his associate’s in Business Administration from Tidewater Community College and went on to earn a bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership and Management from Regent University. In 2016, he received an additional associate degree in HVAC Principles; each degree Robert has earned was given magna cum laude designation. Notably, he’s also been a contributing author to a Transportation Research Board (TRB), Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP), and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) manual in reference to HVAC Principles. His biggest passion is teaching new technicians and solving challenging chiller problems.
Jobie Walker, Service Technical Center of Excellence said of Robert: “I've been working alongside Robert for the past 22 years. Within the industry, Robert has garnered the respect of many due to his ‘failure isn't an option’ work ethic, and dedicated attention to our clients’ needs. He is always willing to share his knowledge, tools, and time. Congratulations Robert on 30 years with Trane!”
Robert lives in Virginia Beach with his wife, Ruth, and has three adult daughters and three grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys building things in his workshop and reading. Reflecting on his time with the company, he expressed: “Wow, what a ride! Back in 1994 when I joined this organization, I could never have imagined where that path would lead and the people I would encounter along the way. I learned from our past masters, Keith Forbes and Barry Quesenberry, Skip Krepcik, along with Willis Carrier, Rueben Trane, and so many others who took the time to write down their knowledge for others. Working for this company has been a blessing; it changed the course of my life for the better. Trane has given me opportunity and access to enable myself to improve and provide for my family.”