COMPANY PROFILE
Enerfit is a family-owned company with hundreds of years of cumulative experience in the HVAC and controls industry.
We began developing our retrofit in 2006 and have spent the last eight years refining & making our products end-user friendly.
We are headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee - a city with a proud history of both industrial and green innovation.
We began developing our retrofit in 2006 and have spent the last eight years refining & making our products end-user friendly.
We are headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee - a city with a proud history of both industrial and green innovation.
RECENT PRESS
Contracting Business, "Enerfit to Market Retrofit System for Single-zone HVAC Rooftop Units"
Entrepeneur.com, "Convincing Naysayers to Adopt New Technology"
Nooga.com, "Local product saves energy, money on commercial HVAC use"
Entrepeneur.com, "Convincing Naysayers to Adopt New Technology"
Nooga.com, "Local product saves energy, money on commercial HVAC use"
RON PATCH, PRESIDENT/FOUNDER
Ron founded Enerfit in 2006 after a long career in HVAC sales and controls.
From 1972-1989, he was a sales engineer at Trane Company. Because of Trane’s unit selection process at the time, Ron had to manually select and specify each component – experience that would later prove critical in developing Enerfit.
In 1985, Ron founded Electronic Controls Inc., a controls contractor and mechanical service company with a broad presence in East Tennessee, Northern Alabama and Northern Georgia. In addition to the controls business, he is also the owner of ECI Industrial, Inc., a UL-listed industrial control panel shop with a customer base in the natural gas and medical industries.
Drawing on his dual expertise in HVAC unit engineering and building controls, he designed and patented the advanced concepts and systems behind the Enerfit retrofit. In recognition of his innovative work with Enerfit, in 2010 Ron was honored with the Chattanooga Technology Council’s Early Innovator Award.
Ron holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mississippi.
From 1972-1989, he was a sales engineer at Trane Company. Because of Trane’s unit selection process at the time, Ron had to manually select and specify each component – experience that would later prove critical in developing Enerfit.
In 1985, Ron founded Electronic Controls Inc., a controls contractor and mechanical service company with a broad presence in East Tennessee, Northern Alabama and Northern Georgia. In addition to the controls business, he is also the owner of ECI Industrial, Inc., a UL-listed industrial control panel shop with a customer base in the natural gas and medical industries.
Drawing on his dual expertise in HVAC unit engineering and building controls, he designed and patented the advanced concepts and systems behind the Enerfit retrofit. In recognition of his innovative work with Enerfit, in 2010 Ron was honored with the Chattanooga Technology Council’s Early Innovator Award.
Ron holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mississippi.
BEN PATCH, VICE PRESIDENT
Ben began his career in writing and journalism. In first position as a copywriter in a New York based ad agency, he wrote for A&P, the NYPD, and pharmaceuticals.
During this time, he realized that his true interest was not in the creative work, but in the systems that created it. In 2005, he co-founded Pixelfix NY, an IT consulting firm specializing in media, architectural and animation studios.
From 2009-2011, Ben assisted Enerfit from New York, but the business soon grew too big and he moved to Chattanooga into his current role as VP.
He is a former board member of the Jazz Foundation of America and currently sits on the board of the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy.
Ben holds a BA in English from Dartmouth College.
During this time, he realized that his true interest was not in the creative work, but in the systems that created it. In 2005, he co-founded Pixelfix NY, an IT consulting firm specializing in media, architectural and animation studios.
From 2009-2011, Ben assisted Enerfit from New York, but the business soon grew too big and he moved to Chattanooga into his current role as VP.
He is a former board member of the Jazz Foundation of America and currently sits on the board of the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy.
Ben holds a BA in English from Dartmouth College.
SHAWN KOTARSKI, SALES MANAGER
A Chattanooga native, Shawn was educated early in customer service while working in the family business from elementary school through college.
After attending the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Shawn spent fifteen years with Graybar Electric, a national distributor of electrical, voice and data products. Rising through the ranks of inside sales and operations management led to a successful run in outside sales, calling on customers in commercial, industrial, OEM, and contractor markets.
In 2007 Shawn joined Electronic Controls, Inc as Sale Representative for the industrial control panel division. In 2008, as Enerfit was getting off the ground, Shawn was recruited as Operations Manager.
After attending the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Shawn spent fifteen years with Graybar Electric, a national distributor of electrical, voice and data products. Rising through the ranks of inside sales and operations management led to a successful run in outside sales, calling on customers in commercial, industrial, OEM, and contractor markets.
In 2007 Shawn joined Electronic Controls, Inc as Sale Representative for the industrial control panel division. In 2008, as Enerfit was getting off the ground, Shawn was recruited as Operations Manager.
ANDY MCDONALD, FIELD OPERATIONS MANAGER
Prior to his work in HVAC, Andy served as a deputy in the Polk County Sheriff's Department and the United States Marine Corps where he served stateside and in Guantanamo Bay. After he finished his tour in the Marines, Andy became an HVAC technician for Central Heat and Air Service in Cleveland, Tennessee and then worked as the HVAC maintenance manager at Lee University.
Andy joined Enerfit sister company ECI as a service and controls technician (Electronic Controls Incorporated) in 2005.
Andy’s variety of field experience in HVAC service, mechanical and electrical work has made him an integral part of the Enerfit development team. His bass voice has not only been featured in a number of traveling singing groups, but also narrates all of our Enerfit service and installation videos.
Andy joined Enerfit sister company ECI as a service and controls technician (Electronic Controls Incorporated) in 2005.
Andy’s variety of field experience in HVAC service, mechanical and electrical work has made him an integral part of the Enerfit development team. His bass voice has not only been featured in a number of traveling singing groups, but also narrates all of our Enerfit service and installation videos.
BALUS SMITH, ELECTRONICS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
Chattanooga native Balus Smith began his electronics career in the United States Air Force in 1965, where he worked on the inertial navigation systems in F-4 Phantom Fighter/Bombers.
In 1969, he moved to the private sector in California to work on the Cointronics Lunar Lander arcade game. In 1970, Balus returned to Chattanooga and began a TVA apprenticeship with courses on industrial electronics at Oak Ridge.
Balus moved to Electric Systems in 1977, where he was responsible for the board design of power supplies, interconnect boards and specialized circuitboards for the textile and carpet industries. In 2003, Balus moved to Enerfit sister company ECI Industrial LLC.
Balus’s insights have been instrumental in developing the current Enerfit Version 1 Basic, which eliminates as many field wiring termination as possible by building them into an integrated mezzanine board.
Balus holds an ASEE from Chattanooga State Community College.
In 1969, he moved to the private sector in California to work on the Cointronics Lunar Lander arcade game. In 1970, Balus returned to Chattanooga and began a TVA apprenticeship with courses on industrial electronics at Oak Ridge.
Balus moved to Electric Systems in 1977, where he was responsible for the board design of power supplies, interconnect boards and specialized circuitboards for the textile and carpet industries. In 2003, Balus moved to Enerfit sister company ECI Industrial LLC.
Balus’s insights have been instrumental in developing the current Enerfit Version 1 Basic, which eliminates as many field wiring termination as possible by building them into an integrated mezzanine board.
Balus holds an ASEE from Chattanooga State Community College.
BRIAN MORRISON, FIELD TRAINING MANAGER
Brian began work as an HVAC subcontractor while studying HVAC refrigeration at Coosa Valley Tech in Rome, Georgia.
After graduation, Brian moved to Cartersville, Georgia as an HVAC service technician at Pendley Heating & Cooling.
In 1998, he relocated to Chattanooga and continued his work in HVAC field service, joining Enerfit sister company ECI in 2009. Brian’s 27 years of HVAC mechanical work, along with control experience, make him a great trainer and pragmatic troubleshooter for Enerfit field installations.
Brian is EPA certified and holds manufacturer's certifications from Carrier, Trane, Heatcraft, Honeywell Boiler Controls, ABB, NOVAR, KMC and Delta Controls.
After graduation, Brian moved to Cartersville, Georgia as an HVAC service technician at Pendley Heating & Cooling.
In 1998, he relocated to Chattanooga and continued his work in HVAC field service, joining Enerfit sister company ECI in 2009. Brian’s 27 years of HVAC mechanical work, along with control experience, make him a great trainer and pragmatic troubleshooter for Enerfit field installations.
Brian is EPA certified and holds manufacturer's certifications from Carrier, Trane, Heatcraft, Honeywell Boiler Controls, ABB, NOVAR, KMC and Delta Controls.