We are so proud of our incredible team here at Jacobs Heating & Air Conditioning, a family-owned and operated company since 1952. We have strong family values for creating a work environment that’s supportive, growth-oriented, and inspiring. Here at Jacobs, we care about each and every one of our 140 employees and their families, and we make sure to show it!
We’re very proud of the fact that so many of our employees stay with Jacobs for so long; some members of our team have been with us for over 39 years! We believe this long tenure is a testament to the positive and supportive workplace culture we’ve created, where we give employees lots of opportunities for growth, career development, and learning.
We want to honor some of our longest-standing employees. Let’s meet these Jacobs veterans!
Sal Costello, Commercial Projects
Meet Sal! Sal Costello has worked at Jacobs since 2006. He’s almost hit his 14th year anniversary with us!
Sal began on the frontline of customer service as our Receptionist and then moved into our Accounting Department. After working in Accounting for 5 years, he was ready for a change and became a Commercial Sheet Metal Apprentice. Sal has been working in Commercial Sales since 2014 and continues to thrive in this role. He does such an amazing job, and we’re glad he’s happy to be working with us; in fact, he describes his experience working at Jacobs as both fulfilling and rewarding.
We asked Sal a few questions about his time with us here at Jacobs. Here’s what he said!
What’s your favorite thing about working for Jacobs?
“The people here, including management, are supportive and interested in reaching their career and personal goals!”
Share your favorite memory about Jacobs.
“After I told Fred I was joining the apprenticeship, he asked what tools I needed. He said he would see what old tools he had lying around, and what he could give me. A week later, I got to my desk and there was a big box of brand new Malco tools! It was one of the kindest things someone has ever done for me. I still use many of those tools to this day!”
What a sweet memory! Thank you for all you do, Sal.
James LeBreton, Residential Existing Home Consultant
Meet James LeBreton! James joined the team in 2004 and has been with Jacobs for over 15 years.
Like several of our employees, James began his career with us with no HVAC background. We know that skilled workers have lots of potential, and really value providing learning and growth opportunities for entry-level employees—regardless of their prior experience.
When James first joined us, he started as a Delivery Driver, providing field workers with the tools and materials they needed to finish each job. As James grew with us, he began to receive in-house training to become a Journeyman Installer with our Retrofit Department. What a success!
Following his work as a Journeyman Installer, James was ready for a change. He moved to the Service Department as a Service Technician, where he performed troubleshooting and repair.
Most recently, in 2013, James moved into a new position in Retrofit Consulting. As a Consultant, James helps homeowners through the process of replacing a furnace or adding an air conditioner to their home (learn more about replacing a furnace and AC installation).
Fun fact? You might even hear James’ voice when you call into our office. That’s right; James helped us with our on-hold messaging! He’s such an essential part of our team, and we’re happy that James describes his time working with Jacobs as being both active and fulfilling.
We asked James a few questions about his time working with us at Jacobs. Here’s what he says!
What’s your favorite thing about working for Jacobs?
“A strong sense of family. There is never a shortage of opportunity.”
Share your favorite memory about Jacobs.
“I’m not sure it’s my favorite memory, but one stands out in mind. I was working as a Service Technician and we were experiencing a very snowy winter. I had a “no heat” service call out in Western Washington County. This gentleman had been without heat for going on 5 or 6 days because he was completely snowed in and nobody could get up his 2+ mile gravel road. We were willing to give it a try. When I arrived, there was no way the service van, even with chains on it, could get up the driveway, so I called the gentleman, grabbed my tool bag, and started walking. He met me about ¾ of the way on a 4-Wheeler. He must have taken me from the house and back to my truck 2-3 times for different parts! Eventually, we were able to get the old gas furnace up and running to get him some heat before we could get an install team out there to do the replacement.”
What a beautiful day of teamwork and perseverance!
Fred Piatkin, Commercial Projects
Meet Fred! Just in case you forget his name, Fred wears a belt buckle that says “FRED” on it every day. It’s his signature look!
Jacobs was Fred’s first job when he was 20 years old. We’ll see him retire this summer after 40 years! What an amazing journey! We feel so lucky that Fred has created such a meaningful career with us here at Jacobs; the company wouldn’t be the same without him!
Fred learned the trade from his father. Throughout his time at Jacobs, Fred has truly seen it all. He started under our founder Bas Jacobs as an Installer and later moved into the role of General Manager. Jacobs is now owned by Bas’ son, Brent. Most recently, under Brent’s ownership, Fred has been the Installation Manager for our Commercial, Retrofit, and Residential New Construction Departments.
For the past 15 years, Fred has been a Commercial Estimator. In this role, he’s provided solutions to the light commercial and commercial tenant improvement worlds. He does such incredible work and is a vital part of the Jacobs team and family.
In Fred’s words, it’s truly “been a pleasure.” It’s been a pleasure for us, too! On behalf of all of us here at Jacobs, thank you for all of your time, energy, and efforts, Fred.
Working at Jacobs
We’re so grateful for all of the incredible team members at Jacobs. Be sure to meet the rest of our team here. Interested in forging a career at Jacobs? We’re hiring! Be sure to review our employment opportunities and learn why Jacobs Heating is a great place to start or grow your HVAC career. We look forward to meeting you!
