ANDREW MILTON POTTER

As a young man in 1958 Mr. Potter became familiar with the mechanics of air conditioning, refrigeration and mechanical devices while living in Weslaco, Texas. His father was one of the last remaining active black smiths in the area. Andy worked with his father often in his welding shop and went with him on field jobs outside the shop. He developed an early understanding of long hours and the need to complete the job in a timely manner. It was here where Mr. Potter learned it was best to do the job right the first time. He also worked at a small grocery store and learned the importance of customer relations in that capacity. He learned early in life the importance of work ethics.

In 1962 Mr. Potter accepted part time employment with Haas Appliance Company and learned more about the refrigeration process while working with Mr. Haas, the local Refrigeration man.

In 1964 Mr. Potter entered the Army and attended the Army Engineering School in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Mr. Potter graduated first in his class in the air conditioning and refrigeration program. He was sent to South Viet Nam that same year and serviced the air conditioning and refrigeration systems in the communication vans. Mr. Potter was honorably discharged in 1967. He gained employment with the Thermo King center in El Paso, Texas. There he learned the importance of fast service in order to get the trucks back on the road as soon as possible.

In 1969 Mr. Potter and his family moved back to south Texas and started an Air Conditioning and Refrigeration business. Working with residential and commercial type systems he learned to service all types. Mr. Potter manufactured several water chillers used to remove the field heat during vegetable packing. Often he traveled to Mexico and worked with U.S. corporations in the vegetable industry there.

In 1986 Mr. Potter and his family moved to Houston, Texas where he was hired by a national Technical School as an instructor. At Universal Technical Institute he acquired the NATTS training certificates in several subjects. He was promoted to Senior Instructor of the air conditioning department the first year and later to Chief Instructor of the Department. He assisted in improving the curriculum while in the Chief Instructor position. Mr. Potter trained the new instructors and held classes for their continued education. Mr. Potter was able to fill in for any class as needed.

In 1992 Mr. Potter accepted a position with a major air conditioning company in Houston, Texas and worked there as a technician and later as their Technical Director, responsible for upgrading the 35 technicians in their troubleshooting and customer relations skills.

In 1995 Mr. Potter submitted for a U.S. Patent for a condensate drain line clean out valve and was issued that Patent. Rectorseal Corporation accepted a contract to manufacture and market the valve. Later they purchased the patent from Mr. Potter and continue to have the “Easy Klear”, in their product line.

In 2002 Mr. Potter and his wife, along with two co-workers founded the HVAC Training Center, Inc. in Hockley, Texas. Mr. Potter held class from 8 AM to Noon and then an evening class from 6PM to 10PM. Over the next five years would graduate several hundred technicians and assisted in their employment. Mrs. Potter developed a very successful placement department as well as handled all the day-to-day duties in running the school.

In 2006, Mr. Potter started POTTER’S HVAC/R CONCEPTS, INC. Mr. Potter now travels through-out the U. S. holding classes for contractors and air conditioning and refrigeration supply centers.

Mr. Potter continues to write a monthly article for the PAMCA Connection. He volunteers to answer listener questions on a Houston Radio Station. He continues to research new products that will improve the troubleshooting ability for the technicians of the HVAC/R industry.

Mr. Potter has been married for forty-four years, has two children, and eight grandchildren. He is a Deacon in his local church and helps with various civic and educational activities.