kate@entechtraining.org

For nearly 25 years, Kate has been the heartbeat of ENTECH Advance Energy Training. Her work involves every aspect of ENTECH’s operations, from recruiting and supporting students to guiding instructors, maintaining the school’s state certification, advising the School Advisory Board, and serving as a trusted resource for CEMA members on licensing and apprenticeship issues. Her work has helped shape ENTECH into Connecticut’s premier HVACR training facility in the region.

Kate’s expertise is so widely respected that state agencies, licensing boards, and trade organizations regularly seek her counsel. Her involvement with OESP, Eastern Energy Expo, and PGANE has made her not just a leader, but a familiar and trusted presence throughout the industry.

Kate’s top priority is ensuring our students receive the highest level of training so they become the best apprentices in the state. She is a mentor and an experienced leader whom our students rely on as they prepare to enter the workforce.

For her efforts, she was honored by a national organization, Women in Energy, with the EmpowerHER Award, which recognizes exceptional leadership, operational excellence, and unwavering dedication.

books@ctema.com

Melody recently joined our organization and manages day-to-day financial transactions, ensuring accuracy in the general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and bank reconciliations. She provides essential financial data and reports to management and the Board of Directors in support of our daily operations and compliance. She is also responsible for managing ENETCH’s student loan program and CEMA’s rebate program. She brings several years of accounting experience and has excelled in all aspects of accounting, bookkeeping, and financial management.

chuck@entechtraining.org

In 1981, at 19 years old, I came to the realization that if I wanted a family, a house, and that white picket fence life, roller rink management wasn’t going to get me there—I needed a career. I started training to become an HVAC technician. I didn’t really know what the job would involve, only that it meant working with my hands, using my mind to solve problems with heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems, and helping make people’s lives better. All I knew about HVAC at the time was that once a year my parents had our boiler cleaned.

During training, I learned that after gaining experience in the field, I could become an HVAC instructor. I had always wanted to teach, but a high school teacher once told me it didn’t pay much. I figured that maybe around age 50 I’d look for a teaching position.

I was hired right out of school by a company that handled all aspects of residential and light commercial HVAC. I worked there for 10 years, moving from apprentice to service manager by age 25. When the family owned business closed, I contacted the school I had attended—Technical Careers Institute—and they hired me for the next starting class. Before the class began, I was offered a job at an industrial ammonia refrigeration plant. I called the school and told them I felt I’d be a better teacher if I gained industrial refrigeration experience. The freezer facility was in bankruptcy, so I knew the job might be short lived, but the experience would be valuable. After a year, the plant closed, and I reached out to the school again. They were hiring for the next class.

On my first day, I showed up at 7:00 a.m. for a class that started at 7:30. My department head told me I’d be teaching as soon as the students arrived. Talk about baptism by fire. Within two years, I was promoted to department head of the HVAC program. While at Technical Careers, I earned my S1 license so I could teach in the Connecticut Technical High School System.

After a few years at Technical Careers, I moved to Porter and Chester Institute for personal reasons. I was an instructor for about a year before being promoted to department head. During that time, I also started my own HVAC business. Within six months of starting the business, the state called and asked if I wanted to teach at Norwich Tech. I took the position—not for the money (I took a pay cut) or the benefits—but for a steady schedule and summers with my family.

I spent 19 years with the state, during which I had Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma twice. The second time was at age 53. At 55, I decided to retire early and return to field work. I first worked for a contractor in north central Connecticut, and then one of my motorcycle safety students approached me about a supervisor position at HOP Energy. I enjoyed working for HOP but missed teaching.

Having been familiar with Entech, I asked Kate Lennon if there were any night openings so I could get my teaching fix. Chris Herb hired me so Entech could start a second night class. When Berk Little retired, I decided to leave HOP and move into the day instructor position.

I believe Entech is the best opportunity in Connecticut for people to get their HVAC training. The people I work with now are some of the best I’ve worked with in my 44 years as an HVAC technician, supervisor, salesperson, and teacher.

joe@entechtraining.org

Joe is our longest nighttime instructor of 20+ years. He has mentored many students over that time and now is starting to see the second generation of some of his past students. A current S1 license holder, he has a very long history in the home heating oil industry, as well as working for mechanical companies doing everything that goes along with the job from installs, service, sales, and mentoring younger/ newer employees. Talking to him and having him look back over the years of all the changes that have come about in the industry has installed a wealth of knowledge he has gained. He is also a published author and has written articles in the past for oil heating magazine.

dave@entechtraining.org

“Teaching: you either love it or hate it,” “I could NEVER,” or “Better you, than me.”

Too often we hear these words related to the idea of teaching. I am a ground-up kind of person, so when I began my foray into the world of teaching, I was able to draw upon my experiences as a family member, a student, a delivery driver, a service technician, a contractor, and an owner. Coming out of the UConn School of Business (BS – 2004), NEVER did I believe that I would someday be teaching HVAC.

Even after coming to ENTECH as a student to complete my schooling for HVAC, I still never had teaching on my radar… Who knew my career and life would come so full-circle? As a contractor and owner, I understood that it was a necessary part of the job, especially if you want a competent service department. I have been a member of various organizations like OESP and CEMA/ ENTECH. I have previously been an ENTECH School Advisory Board member, I created the CEMA Technology Committee, and I served on the CEMA board of directors for a short period of time. I served all of these roles with pride and a sense of dutiful responsibility.

When I fell ill in 2023, I felt like I had let everyone down: my family, my business, my affiliations, just to name a few things. Teaching now gives me a renewed sense of purpose that I have been lacking since being a business owner. It is wonderful being able to contribute positively for the benefit of others once again. I cannot do the work of a technician or contractor any longer, but I can help guide those in need of guidance. This is nothing new to me because that is what I tried to do as a business owner and lead contractor. While teaching has been a big career adjustment, I am committed to it because I have been on the ownership side and fought the battles with government regulation, conversion to other heat/fuel sources, and the overall changes in consumer behavior. I know what it is like to battle, scratch and claw, and try to earn business from the public and my competitors day-in and day-out, all while trying to maintain a good company image in the age of the internet.

Today’s challenges add significantly more pressure, as well. I feel like society is at a crossroads between A.I., data centers, and superior technology; in contrast to skills and knowledge from the past and present that are STILL needed to heat and cool our buildings. With A.I. threatening so many jobs and industries, HVAC is one of the only “traditional” career paths that is likely to survive for the foreseeable future… or at least until the robots arrive… I feel like I can help both our industry maintain a foothold of providing worthwhile careers. Hopefully I can bestow some knowledge and skills that will help maintain that long into the future. I will, obviously, need some help, and that is where the members and students come in.

In coming to ENTECH as a career choice, I have been afforded more opportunities than I would have otherwise believed were available to me. In the short amount of time I have been here (October 2025), I have become a CETP/PERC Certified Instructor, a NORA Certified Instructor, and gone to some trainings I have been meaning to attend prior to my health challenges. I am always looking to improve. Both for myself as well as ENTECH. I am also open to constructive suggestions for improvement for myself and ENTECH. My dad always used to say, “ALWAYS clean up the area around the equipment and connections… you never know when it will be your head in the cobwebs.” I had no idea what that statement would mean to me when I first heard it 20-plus years ago. At this point, I cannot picture my life without it.

So, as I improve and learn in my career, rest assured that I will try my best to be conscientious and help keep my students’ heads out of the cobwebs as well.

berk@entechtraining.org

Berk began his career in the heating oil industry in 1987 as an Oil Technician Apprentice with Automatic TLC Energy in Bristol, Connecticut. Early in his career, he attended ENTECH Advanced Training, where he completed the B License course and earned his B2 license in 1989. A few years later, he returned to ENTECH to complete the S License course and received his S2 license.

Throughout his career with Heating Oil Partners (HOP Energy), Berk advanced through several leadership roles. He was promoted to Field Supervisor at TLC Energy before becoming Installation Manager at Valley Oil. He later joined Connecticut Refining Company (CRC) as Field Supervisor, continuing to build on his extensive technical and management experience.

Berk concluded his career with HOP Energy in 2009. After leaving HOP, he continued working in the industry with a smaller heating oil company in Bristol, Connecticut, where he remained dedicated to providing quality service and sharing his decades of expertise.

Berk began his teaching career in 2012 as an instructor at Porter & Chester Institute. A few years later, he joined Lincoln Technical Institute, where he served as Lead Instructor. In 2022, Berk returned home to ENTECH Advanced Training as the daytime instructor, a role he held until his retirement in 2024. Throughout his career, he was dedicated to educating and mentoring the next generation of skilled trades professionals, leaving a lasting impact on both his students and colleagues.
He holds an S2 HVAC License, is a NORA Certified Instructor, holds an EPA Universal Certification, and is OSHA 30 Certified.

Berk is a member of both the OESP Connecticut Valley Chapter and the OESP National Chapter. He serves on the National Education Committee and is the Chairperson of the Student Competitions. In 2017, he was honored with the Dan Holohan Instructor of the Year Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to HVAC education.

Some of his most meaningful memories of teaching at ENTECH include watching students graduate and later receiving calls from them sharing that they had earned their licenses and were thriving in their careers. He also fondly remembers rebuilding the lab alongside his students after the floors were redone, giving them a chance to work together and create something they could all be proud of. One of the greatest rewards was seeing the knowledge taught in the classroom come to life through hands-on application in the lab.

He is especially grateful for having worked with the best office staff anyone could ask for, whose support made every day more enjoyable. Even today, one of the most rewarding parts of his career is continuing to serve as a mentor to former students who still reach out for guidance, advice, and support.

Dennis@entechtraining.org

Dennis is a 59-year veteran of the heating industry and has been actively involved with HVAC post-secondary education for 43 years. Home is New Haven, Connecticut, where he is a member of the New Haven Chapter OESP. He has numerous HVACR certifications including a State of Connecticut S1 heating cooling contractor license, SM1 sheet metal contractor license, and a Connecticut vocational teaching certification and is a member of the International Code Council (ICC). He is also a certified National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) instructor and is a test proctor for both NORA and the ESCO Institute.

As an adjunct instructor for ENTECH Advanced Energy Training in Cromwell, Connecticut, Dennis teaches various day and evening HVAC courses, for both entry level and advanced/specialty training and is involved with curriculum development. Dennis is also an HVACR, low- and high-voltage electrical and a distance education on-line program specialist for the Abhes accreditation organization, North Bethesda, Maryland. Additionally, he does HVACR post-secondary curriculum evaluation for the Connecticut Department of Higher Education and is the recipient of the 2016 OESP instructor of the Year award.

In the ever-changing field of HVACR technology, Dennis is constantly attending both manufacturer and numerous HVACR organization training seminars. To keep his post-secondary teaching skills current, for new ideas and best practices that support learning, he is a member of the EdWeb organization.

To Dennis, all students, no matter their age, are special as they all have their own learning and listening styles. Generally, in a class of students, the instructor can identify the one(s) who will do well and succeed. They can also identify the one(s) who truly do not want to be there and generally will end up leaving the program.

But somewhere in between there is that student who wants to learn but struggles with learning and often are not sure of themselves and they may even have some personnel issues affecting their learning. They ask questions, look for extra help and even question their ability. This student generally gets passing grades on the work they do. There are no high marks, mind you, but they are trying to the best of their ability.

I have had students like this and upon them graduating from the program I would wonder how successful they will become going forward, and would they benefit from their newfound trade. The general answer to this is: who knows. But I will add this, many years later I have run into a former student like I just described. Perhaps at a fair or carnival type event, at a shopping mall and even at a restaurant. More often, this former student would recognize me, introduce me to his family, show me his Connecticut HVACR trade license, let me know how well he is now doing and thank me for getting him through his schooling many years before. The few times this has happened to me, I say to myself that it’s all worth it for what I do as a vocational instructor.

chris@ctema.com

Chris Herb has been with association for over twenty-five years where he held the position Vice President for twelve years and currently serves as its President and School Director. From 1999 to 2003, Herb was elected and served for two terms as a Burgess for the Borough of Naugatuck where he initiated town economic development projects and cultural events, capital improvement projects and economic development. Prior to serving as an elected official in his hometown of Naugatuck, Herb worked as a Legislative Aide at the Connecticut General Assembly from 1996 to 2000. As an aide, he worked as the liaison to dozens of state agencies, managed constituent relations, testified before legislative committees and performed research on legislative issues. Herb also worked as the Director of Public Support for the American Red Cross in the late 1990s. Prior to his time with the Red Cross, he was the Head Track and Field Coach and an Assistant Football Coach at Naugatuck High School. Herb is the father of two sons and lives with his wife Dr. Lisa M. Herb, a school teacher, in Naugatuck. Today, he serves as the lay leader of the Naugatuck United Methodist Church, where he also teaches Sunday School. He serves as a Board member of the Naugatuck Alumni Association. And also serves on the state Low Income Energy Advisory Board (LIEAB), the Motor Carrier Advisory Council, the Energy Marketers of America (EMA) Northeast Committee and Heating Fuels Committee.