South MS man aims to be national champ at his trade; urges consumers to check credentials
Alex Ivey is competitive and creative, so one might wonder how the Ocean Springs resident found outlets for those attributes in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning business.
Creativity finds a way.
Ivey loves designing HVAC systems for new construction and posting content on social media for his business, Ivey’s Air Condition and Refrigeration. And lately, he’s satisfied his competitive drive by entering competitions.
The latest has Ivey and wife Stephanie winning an all-expense paid trip to West Palm Beach, Florida, where he’ll compete next week as one of 10 finalists in the ServiceTitan HVAC National Championship.. The first place winner receives $40,000.
The competition will air on CBS Sports Network.
Ivey was one of almost 8,000 to enter the competition for HVAC professionals. He completed a timed quiz in Round 1 and assembled a special competition kit that involved brazing in Round 2. The challenge for Round 3 hasn’t been announced, he said, but usually involves installation.
The HVAC competition is only one of the national championships that ServiceTitan has been sponsoring since 2016 to highlight opportunities available in the trades industry, a website about the competition series says. There are also competitions for plumbers, electricians and auto technicians.
Finding the HVAC trade
Ivey’s plan after high school had been to get a bachelor’s degree in business, but he found a part-time job with an HVAC company and liked what he was doing. The pay is good, too. Today, he said, an HVAC technician can earn $35 to $40 an hour.
Ivey has been in the business for 18 years, first as an employee. He started his own company nine years ago.
“I have a passion for HVAC.” he said. He has 10 employees. His wife Stephanie serves as office manager. Ivey is licensed for residential and commercial HVAC work in Alabama and Mississippi.
He said some HVAC technicians will tell people they are licensed when they’re not, although it’s easy for consumers to check. In Mississippi, consumers can check for a trades license on the Mississippi State Board of Contractors website by plugging in the name of the person or their company.
Ivey said plenty of people wind up paying for HVAC work that’s not up to par. He said some technicians just don’t know enough to correctly diagnose a problem, some are too lazy to check everything that needs to be checked and others are just downright dishonest.
Social media boosts business
Ivey likes to share his knowledge and expertise, offering tips and opinions on products in the TikTok and YouTube videos that he creates, without overwhelming people with too much information.
“It demonstrates authority,” he said. “ ‘Hey, that guy knows how to handle that problem.’ It’s a powerful tool in business.”
He said he learned about the HVAC championships from one of his TikTok followers. He didn’t have as much lead time as other competitors. He took the first round timed test, which was multiple choice, daily for two weeks, while other competitors got an earlier start.
He finished in under 12 minutes — faster than last year’s winner.
The Iveys are looking forward to their expense-paid trip to Florida. He doesn’t expect to be too nervous when the final round starts.
“I think the time to be nervous about it is now,” Alex said. “I’m always under pressure when we’re working on an air conditioner.”
This story was originally published September 5, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
