Most small business owners around the country do not plan to hire due to the uncertain economic outlook. Parts of the HVAC industry seem to be trending in the opposite direction, however, as many contractors say they are planning to hire over the next 12 months.

The “great recession” has come and gone. But has it left a hangover? Of course. But it isn’t all doom and gloom. The economic downturn has given business owners the unique opportunity of turning the mirror on themselves.

Congratulations to Lou Bindner, founder and chairman of Climate Engineering Inc., Denver! Bindner won The NEWS’ contest to locate our oldest current, long-term subscriber.

Today there are vast possibilities for online marketing and connections through social networking.

If the 1920s readers of The Electric Refrigeration News and today’s NEWS contractor subscribers could see each other, they would probably be unrecognizable to each other.

When it comes to small HVAC contractors drawing attention to themselves, they find putting a company name on the back of a jersey, buying ads in a hometown newspaper, and volunteering for a service project becomes a way to draw attention to the company.

Champion AC, a veteran-owned and operated HVAC contracting company, recently added solar air conditioners to its list of product offerings.

Samuel Guy Neese Jr. is 73 years old, and he has been in the HVAC trade for 51 years. He has seen ups and downs during his career, but through it all he continues to return to work every day with unheard-of stamina.

The results are in and the news is good — the post-recession era for HVAC contractors has been a bright spot, at least for the first half of 2011.

Dispatchers, take note: A recent survey shows that drivers seem to suffer a significant and unhealthy increase in physiological stress when driving in traffic.