ST. LOUIS — Unico, Inc., a manufacturer of small-duct central heating and air conditioning systems, has appointed Gareth Richards as its West Coast territory manager. Richards will be factory representative for The Unico System in California, Oregon, and Washington.

“After an exhaustive search we found a true professional to help us build our dealer base in the Western part of the United States,” said Shannon Intagliata, sales director for Unico. “We’re very excited to welcome Gareth into the Unico family.”

Richards brings 20 years of strong sales and territory management experience to Unico. Born in the United Kingdom, his family emigrated to California when he was a boy. Richards once owned an import business bringing goods from India to the U.S. market. In the years since, he has worked with industrial and facility maintenance customers. His latest role before joining Unico was as a maintenance contract sales representative for a commercial HVAC firm.

When asked what drew him to The Unico System, Richards replied, “The distinctive nature of the product — its flexibility and ability to provide more efficient and effective heating and cooling. High-end customers want the latest and best technology for their homes and The Unico System delivers that in spades.” He added, “I love that Unico is a family-owned business — that’s important to me.”