There are four finalists for Contractor of the Year, which is a new category sponsored by Airefrig Australia.
It may be in its first year but it is a highly competitive category with each of the finalists potential winners.
The first finalist is Adam Wareing, the Queensland state manager of Workplace Access and Safety, a company with its own fully NATA-accredited laboratory for the testing of height safety equipment.
Wareing provides equipment and services to keep HVAC technicians safe, an important job. He is passionate about providing solutions for customers.
The second finalist is Alan Patterson, director of Specific Refrigeration and Mechanical Services. Patterson is an experienced contractor providing a 1000kW low charge ammonia to glycol package for Tatura Milk and for Union Dairy Penola.
The company created an ammonia ice bank system to provide chilled water utilising off peak electricity and ice storage to avoid the plant running at peak energy cost periods.
The next finalist is Ryan Malsem, director of Cold Energy Automation, a company which specialises in the design, installation and commissioning of industrial automation and building management systems.
Malsem's projects combine and integrate the latest technologies that control, monitor and manage air conditioning, refrigeration, lighting, process and energy metering systems.
The last finalist for contractor of the year is Brad Wiseman, managing director of Airepair Air Conditioning Services. This isn't Wiseman's first award.
After completing his apprenticeship, he joined Haden Engineering and was awarded Apprentice of the Year in 1985. Of course, a lot has happened since then to make Wiseman a great technician and contractor.
He is currently chair of the Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors' Association's OH&S committee.