2025 Johnstone Supply Dealer Meeting Speakers

Matthew Pollard

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Young, energetic, contemporary, relatable, a powerhouse of differentiation, an expert in niche marketing, and a master sales systemization coach, Matthew is passionate about helping organizations thrive and succeed. With five multimillion-dollar business success stories to his name, all before the age of thirty, his achievements are reflected in the value and credibility he brings to every presentation. Matthew is not a theorist; his methods come from hands on, real-world experience. With over 3500 business transformations and counting, Matthew provides instantly-actionable strategies that make a real and lasting difference to audiences. Whether you’re a multinational conglomerate providing complex solutions to Fortune 500 companies, or a small business association working to give your members an edge over the competition, Matthew provides an uncomplicated blueprint for growth and success. Matthew’s meteoric rise against all odds – and his honesty in sharing his personal challenges – creates an inspirational atmosphere of possibility and belief. Participants walk out of his presentations thinking, “If he can do it, so can I”… and with a complete understanding of the exact steps to follow to skyrocket their success. And when it comes to understanding what makes a speaker truly stand out, Matthew gets it. As Founder and Executive Director of Small Business Festival, ranked as INC’s #3 conference in America for small business, he is annually responsible for organizing hundreds of speakers for thousands of attendees. He knows what it takes to motivate and inspire an audience, provide an amazing experience, and deliver long-lasting ROI. Matthew is an internationally award-winning blogger and contributor to CEO, Entrepreneur, and Top Sales World Magazine. He is a recurring guest on FOX and NBC, and has appeared on top-rated podcasts including Entrepreneur on Fire and Eventual Millionaire. He’s the author of the bestseller The Introvert’s Edge: How the Quiet and Shy Can Outsell Anyone, endorsed by Neil Patel, Brian Tracy, Mark Roberge of Harvard, Derek Lidow of Princeton, and dozens more.

Jerome Wade

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Jerome Wade is the International Master of Ceremonies. With more than 5,000 events of experience, Jerome masterfully creates energy, excitement, and engagement for events and meetings of all sizes and industries. Audiences enjoy Jerome’s relational approach, along with his wit and wisdom, as he facilitates high-impact meetings. Jerome is also the founder of Midlifers.com, a global community of purpose-driven business professionals who thrive in midlife and beyond. With over 35 years of business leadership as a founder and owner, Jerome has mastered human potential, leadership performance, and personal productivity. Jerome skillfully guides clients and audiences through their biggest challenges to achieve their greatest dreams. Leveraging the power of story from his business ventures and global adventures, Jerome creates transformational moments that inspire all to win in life and business.

Alex Ayers

A2L

HARDI

Alex Ayers is the Vice President of Government Affairs for Heating, Air-conditioning, & Refrigeration Distributors International. Alex serves as HARDI’s primary lobbyist and policy expert. Alex has spent over a decade lobbying and has published papers and testified in various policy areas, including taxes, energy, environment, agriculture, and economics. His research has been cited by organizations such as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and the Tax Foundation.

Corinne Beyer

Coleman Commercial

PEAC

Corinne Beyer, a equipment leasing and finance industry veteran, is a result focused Senior Commercial Leader with 30 years of experience. She has been key to the success of building out HVAC programs at PEAC by working together with our manufacturer, distributor, and contractor partners to help develop an impactful product in the market. She has devoted her time to educating our partners on the value of having a finance program available for commercial customers and the impact it can make on sales.

Patrick Carroll

President

Focus Business Development, SANDLER

Patrick Carroll is the President of Focus Business Development, an award-winning Sandler firm based in Richmond, VA, with a 25-year legacy of excellence. With over 16 years of experience with Sandler, Patrick partners with visionary leaders and organizations dedicated to driving sustainable business growth. As a seasoned Sales Professional, Trainer, Coach, and Speaker, Patrick specializes in Sales, Service, Management, and Leadership Development. Before fully immersing himself in Sandler, Patrick gained frontline experience in retail sales and service across industries, including commercial landscaping, retail, and entertainment. A former student-athlete at the University of Richmond, he majored in Rhetoric and Communication—a field that, unbeknownst to him at the time, would perfectly align with Sandler’s core principles. This academic and athletic background laid a solid foundation for his understanding of how human psychology, communication, and rhetoric are vital to success in sales and business. Patrick believes that effective sales are fundamentally about communication, a conviction that drives his approach: Sales is Communication, and Communication is Sales.

Chris M Forth

Vice President

Regulatory, Codes and Environmental Affairs, Johnson Controls

Chris M Forth is a 30+ year HVAC industry veteran who has worked in engineering, product management and most recently in the regulatory and codes space as the Vice President of Regulatory, Codes and Environmental Affairs for Johnson Controls Ducted Systems Business.  Chris is heavily involved in regulation and industry codes and standards development which impact the HVACR industry.  Chris also engages with elected officials and regulators in the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency and others in the development and interpretation of those regulations. Examples of recent efforts include the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act.  Chris currently serves on multiple committees and boards including the Air-conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy (ARAP) and the State Chamber of Oklahoma where he is based and home to Johnson Controls Global Rooftop Center of Excellence.

Tina Hristova

Contractor Success Programs Manager

JOHNSON CONTROLS​​

Tina Hristova is the Contractor Success Programs Manager at Johnson Controls. Specializing in sales and marketing, Tina has developed and implemented innovative programs tailored to help HVAC contractor companies expand their businesses and excel in a competitive market. With 10 years in the industry, her expertise lies in creating strategies that empower contractors to connect with homeowners, win their trust, and grow their client base. Through her extensive work, Tina has helped numerous HVAC businesses improve their sales performance and build long-lasting customer relationships. With a passion for innovation and industry growth, Tina is dedicated to equipping companies with the tools and strategies they need to succeed.

Jeff Hurt

Director of Sales

Coleman Heating and Air Conditioning

Jeff Hurt is the Director of Sales for the Coleman Heating and Air Conditioning line of residential and commercial HVAC equipment. Throughout his career, Jeff has served in a variety of sales, marketing, and advertising leadership roles and has over 25 years of industry experience. His passions include supporting and leading a best-in-class sales and technical team, that delivers industry-leading products and programs — solutions that drive the growth and success of Johnstone Supply, their contractors, and end users of Coleman, heating, and air conditioning equipment.

John Michel

Beginning in 1988, John Michel built a highly successful career in the HVAC, energy services, plumbing, and contracting-related fields with extensive experience in the Residential and Commercial markets. In John’s roles, he was heavily involved in developing corporate organizational structure, including people, processes, and other resources necessary to drive personal and company success. He understands the relationship between sales growth and the organizational structure required to support and manage growth while maximizing profitability effectively. John was a BDR coaching client for over a decade. With this experience, he understands business coaching from your perspective, which helps him to deliver on BDR’s promise to you while holding his clients accountable for their success. An essential aspect of translating one’s success into client-coaching success is the breadth and depth of experiences throughout one’s career. John has:
  • Been president and CEO for two large, multiple-branch, multi-state companies
  • Managed several divisions with P&L responsibility in diverse regional markets
  • Held mid-management roles spanning all operational functions in HVAC and Plumbing and senior management roles for companies ranging in size from $1 million to $75 million in annual sales
  • Executed turnarounds at the divisional and company level
  • Completed several company acquisitions, branch start-ups, branch-system developments, and buildouts
John worked for Haller Enterprises, Inc. for a decade and began as the VP of service & retrofit in 2005. As VP of service & retrofit, John’s division added three new branch locations throughout Central and Eastern Pennsylvania, weathered the “Great Recession” of 2008-2009, and still generated 20% annual growth. In 2011, he was promoted to president of Haller and held this position for four years. As president of an incredibly diverse business with 375 employees, John generated company-wide revenue growth of 10% annually during his tenure. John has always considered himself a coach for his team. He has the aptitude, leadership, capacity, and commitment to providing value, making significant contributions, and enhancing the company’s performance. His proven track record of success ensures that he delivers on his promises and consistently exceeds expectations. John has taken his knowledge and passion for the HVAC Industry and joined BDR as a Lead Head Coach & Trainer. He is excited to be a part of the BDR team and help companies grow through the proven practices of BDR. John experienced first-hand how this can occur, having worked with BDR for over ten years as a client. He looks forward to helping his coaching clients exceed their business goals and believes ongoing mentorship and coaching provide tools for motivated business owners to support long-term growth and profitability in their companies. Along with his coaching responsibilities, John is a trainer in the Offering Accessories in Residential Plumbing and Supercharge Your Plumbing Business classes.

Sean Mullin

national technical advisor & trainer

JOHNSON CONTROLS​​​

Sean has been with Johnson Controls for 17 years. He has held positions in the Residential Products Engineering labs, as well as a Manager in the Residential Technical Services team. Since 2018, Sean has served as the national technical advisor and trainer for the Coleman Ducted Products team. On top of having a background in HVAC, Sean also has deep knowledge in manufacturing factory processes and technologies.

Ralph Sachs

Associate

FOCUS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, SANDLER​

Nearly 20 years ago, Ralph was introduced to Sandler, and the impact was immediate. Having started in sales at age 10, prospecting for customers on a TV Guide route, he felt a spark upon reading You Can’t Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar. Sandler’s approach transformed his perspective, providing tools that fueled his growth not only as a salesperson but also as a manager and leader. Over the years, he sold across diverse industries, including real estate, advertising, new home construction, heating and air conditioning, and cultural change initiatives. Before joining Sandler full-time, he spent 25 years with Albemarle Heating & Air in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he most recently served as General Manager. Today, his focus is on sharing Sandler’s tools and methodologies, helping others improve performance and continue their journey of growth.

Nicole Risinger Scott

Commercial Sales Excellence Engineer​

JOHNSON CONTROLS​

Nicole Risinger Scott is the Commercial Sales Engineer supporting the Coleman brand. Over the past 4 years, Nicole has worked closely with commercially-focused Johnstone groups on attaining growth in commercial segments. Nicole provides Johnstone with product education, high-turn stocking recommendations, programs to target new contractors, identify replacement opportunities, and winning plan/spec projects. With the feedback from Johnstone, she’s helped create many successful tools & programs: Commercial Playbook; Navigator How-To Guides; Commercial Rebate Program for Contractors; 100 for 100 Tons for Training Promo. Her focus this year has been piloting a smooth product transition under the refrigerant changes, from R-410a last call to an evolving roll-out of R-454b commercial rooftops. She has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and lives in Saint Louis, MO.

Randal Tucker

National Sales Manager

Coleman Heating and Air Conditioning

Randal Tucker is the National Sales Manager for the Coleman Heating and Cooling line of residential and commercial equipment.  He has over 17 years’ experience in the industry covering a variety of positions: including sales, leadership, operations, finance and auditing.  His focus is to help his team provide the best solutions and products for Johnstone Supply and their customers.

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