CENTERPOINT ENERGY/MINNEGASCO EMPLOYEE WINS 46-INCH PLASMA TV FROM RUUD

MINNEAPOLIS – The Ruud Air Conditioning Division announced that Roger Hoffhein, a training specialist with Minnesota energy provider CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, was the winner of a 46-inch plasma TV. CenterPoint Energy is a Ruud service provider in the Minneapolis area. Ruud District Sales Manager, Mark Miller and Gerard Melgaard, president of the Goodin Company, the local Ruud distributor for CenterPoint, presented the TV to Hoffhein at Goodin’s corporate offices. Hoffhein was randomly selected from among hundreds of visitors to the Ruud Innovation Center exhibit displayed at the recent Comfortech 2004 tradeshow in St. Louis. Mr. Hoffhein registered for the TV give-away by participating in a demonstration of the all-new web-based Ruud Better Home Planning Guide that made its debut at the annual industry event. The Ruud Better Home Planning Guide allows contractors, builders, and new home buyers a 24/7 opportunity to comparatively review available home comfort conditioning alternatives to those offered in the standard new home heating and cooling package. It offers home buyers the opportunity to select upgraded, more efficient heating and cooling solutions for cleaner, healthier, more energy efficient homes. This revolutionary new service from Ruud offers builders and their HVAC contractors a no-hassle way to bring new choices and greater value to their home-buying customers. And, home buyers can review HVAC system options and make their selections in the privacy of their own home 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Comfortech drew several thousands of visitors and Ruud showcased its Contractor “Ring of Honor” that recognized the hundreds of contractors who, over the past two-years, provided real-world suggestions that became incorporated into final product designs – such as the all-new Ruud Achiever Super Quiet 80 gas furnace, the quietest furnace in its class. The Ruud furnace line includes the most advanced technology in North America, the quietest furnaces in their class, the most compact design, leading edge efficiency, the most complete, and most highly awarded in the heating family in the industry. The Ruud Achiever Super Quiet 80 received the coveted 2004 Comfortech Heating Product Showcase Innovation Award. This award, combined with the 2003 Comfortech Innovation Award for Heating Equipment and the 2004 ARI Innovation Award make the Ruud heading product line the most decorated and most recognized for leadership in the industry. The receipt of the 2004 Innovation Award marked the first time one company’s products were back to back repeat winner of this prestigious industry leadership recognition. “The company could not have taken such an aggressive approach to award winning product development without Contractor assistance. Their candor helped us launch 18 products in one-year,” said Ed Raniszeski, Director of Market Development and Communications for Rheem and Ruud. “We hope Roger will have years of enjoyment from his new TV, and we appreciated his and our other Comfortech guests’ interest and input in the Ruud Better Home Planning Guide and all of our other new and exciting products. We look forward to their continued ideas, suggestions, and partnership for many years to come.” As a training specialist, Hoffhein is responsible for making sure CenterPoint’s technicians are armed with the latest and most advanced product knowledge available. Hoffhein, as well as other CenterPoint representatives, attend Comfortech to take advantage of a full range of product and sales training seminars, as well as a number of other resources designed to help contractors in their business. Hoffhein sees the show as a vehicle for improving the customer service Minnegasco ultimately provides for its customers, on both the sales and service levels. “I’m thankful to Ruud for this TV and the technical training they provide us, but also to CenterPoint for allowing me to attend Comfortech year after year,” said Hoffhein, a three-year Comfortech veteran. “My attendance at Comfortech each year, means I’m able to provide our technicians with the most state-of-the-art and technologically advanced product knowledge available anywhere. Not to mention, this TV will look great in my living room!” The 46-inch plasma TV features the latest in high-definition technology and is one of the most state-of-the-art sets on the market today.