
The Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association (RACCA) of Tampa Bay celebrated its 58th Annual Awards and Installation Banquet on January 16, 2025. The event took place at the Hampton Inn Tampa Airport and brought together over 60 members and their guests for an evening of celebration, recognition, and entertainment.
The evening began with a lively cocktail reception, setting the tone for a memorable night.
Guests were treated to an audience-participation True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show presented by The Dinner Detectives, adding an interactive and entertaining twist to the banquet. Following Act 3 of the show, the focus shifted to honoring excellence and welcoming the 2025 Board of Directors and Officers.
2024 President Brendan Fuller opened the evening, sharing his reflections on the association’s accomplishments over the past year. “Tonight, RACCA celebrates another successful year of supporting the industry by highlighting a few members who continue to go above and beyond, as well as introducing the incoming officers and directors for 2025. We hope to have some fun as well!” said Fuller.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards, recognizing individuals and companies for their outstanding contributions to RACCA and the HVAC industry in the Tampa Bay area.
The prestigious 2024 CJ Dillard Award, named in honor of RACCA’s first president, was presented to Paula DeSantis-Tarris of Trane Supply. This award recognizes exceptional leadership, participation, and support for the HVAC industry.
Renee Houghton-Pagan of Pelican Aire Commercial Service was honored with the 2024 RACCA Legacy Award for her invaluable contributions to the association.
A particularly special moment came when Bob Cochell of Gulf Coast Air Systems was named an Honorary Lifetime Member of RACCA. This recognition was awarded for his 51 years of service in the trade and his unwavering support and advocacy for Florida’s HVACR industry.
Victor Distributing and Trane Supply were recognized for their exemplary service with 2024 Awards of Excellence.
Pelican Aire Commercial Service received the 2024 Award of Excellence for a Member Company.
The 2024 President’s Award of Excellence for an Individual was presented to RACCA Acting Executive Director Michael Tarris.

The 2025 RACCA Officers and Board of Directors were formally installed during the banquet. The incoming leadership includes:
President: Renee Houghton-Pagan (Pelican Aire Commercial Service), Vice President: Robert Wasilewski (Anytime Air), President Elect: Bryan Wade (Griffin Service), Ex-Officio: Brendan Fuller (French’s Air Conditioning) and Secretary/Treasurer: Jason Hofmann (Gulf Coast Air Systems).

Additionally, Associate Director Paula DeSantis-Tarris (Trane Supply) joins Contractor Directors John Watson (JS Watson Air), Troy Daland (Air Zero Air Conditioning), Shanna Pettys (Gulf Coast Air Systems), Paul Keller (Service-Tech Corporation), and Garrett Lingerfelt (J.P. Griffin) on the board.
Incoming President Renee Houghton-Pagan expressed her gratitude to outgoing President Brendan Fuller, stating, “I appreciate the progress the association has made during Brendan’s tenure and look forward to working with my fellow board members in guiding RACCA another step forward. I also want to thank Federated Insurance on behalf of all our members for sponsoring tonight’s banquet. They have been a constant presence in our association for years.”
The 2025 Awards and Installation Banquet was a resounding success, celebrating the achievements of RACCA members while setting the stage for a promising year ahead.
View and download photos from the banquet here: https://acprosite.com/photos/. Search for “2025 01 RACCA Installation Banquet”.