Carrier Corporation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         (315) 432-3721

ORMOND BEACH CONTRACTOR RECIPIENT OF NATIONAL AWARD

CARRIER DISTINGUISHED DEALER AWARD

ORMOND BEACH, Fla., Nov. 2000 - Total Comfort Heat and Air Conditioning, lnc., Ormond Beach, recently received the Carrier Distinguished Dealer award for 2000. The annual award recognizes dealers that exemplify Carrier's model for delivering heating and cooling products and services that meet quality, comfort and performance expectations.

Total Comfort Heat and Air Conditioning, a first-time recipient of the award, was chosen from a field of more than 300 Carrier dealerships from across the country that participated in the rigorous assessment process. The Carrier Distinguished Dealer process does not prescribe specific goals and conduct; rather, it is designed to encourage self‑analysis to incite new ideas for building and refining best practices for business improvement and success.

Total Comfort Heat and Air Conditioning, which serves Central Florida, was founded in 1976 by Daniel P. Hucks. The company specializes in zoning products and is active in all other segments of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) market, including commercial, residential, new construction and replacement. The company's 58 employees are committed to providing uncompromising personal service. "Our highly trained and professional technicians are one of our greatest assets," said Daniel P. Hucks. "We guarantee that the Precision Tune­Ups they perform are the best the customer has ever experienced, or they're free."

"At Total Comfort, we also work with our customers to enroll them in maintenance programs to ensure that their heating and cooling units are receiving annual tune-ups," said Hucks. "With today's high energy costs, keeping units finely tuned to deliver peak performance is critical."

In line with Carrier's brand strategy, the selection criteria for 2000 focused on leadership, management, customer intimacy, brand recognition, industry expertise and operational excellence - all areas critical to exceeding the quality, comfort and performance expectations of Carrier customers.

"This year's award recipients have demonstrated the tenacity for delivering exceptional customer value, as well as successfully positioning the Carrier brand in their respective marketplaces," said Carrier Residential and Light Commercial Systems President Frank Hartman. "Not only did the recipients meet the stringent standards in the Carrier Distinguished Dealer evaluation process, they also underwent a site visit by Carrier management and an extensive audit of their dealership's business plan."

"This was the second year we participated in the process. We learned so much from the feedback report we received last year from Carrier management," said Hucks. "It helped us better understand our business and the market we serve, as well as prepare for this year's evaluation process."

Hucks recently returned from a four-day meeting where he was honored by Carrier Corporation at a special award ceremony. As one of this year's nine Carrier Distinguished Dealer award recipients, Total Comfort Heat and Air Conditioning joins the ranks of 59 other Carrier dealerships that have received the award since 1994. At the meeting, Hucks had the opportunity to meet informally with Carrier management and exchange business ideas with other successful Carrier Distinguished Dealers from across the country.