Balancing Growth and Legacy in HVAC: Insights from Blue Cardinal’s Founder
Trey McWilliams discusses how he transformed his family HVAC business into a purpose-driven, career-focused organization and founded Blue Cardinal Home Services, which focuses on preserving company legacy while scaling HVAC businesses through people-first acquisitions.
In this episode of "HVAC Chats", Contracting Business Editor-in-Chief Nicole Krawcke speaks with Trey McWilliams, founder of Blue Cardinal Home Services Group and CEO of McWilliams & Son Heating and Air Conditioning. McWilliams shares how he transformed his third-generation family business from a small lifestyle operation into a thriving, culture-driven HVAC company, and how those lessons inspired the creation of Blue Cardinal. The conversation explores servant leadership, employee retention, and how HVAC contractors can protect their company’s legacy while pursuing growth or partnership opportunities.
Nicole Krawcke is the Editor-in-Chief of Contracting Business magazine. With over 10 years of B2B media experience across HVAC, plumbing, and mechanical markets, she has expertise in content creation, digital strategies, and project management. Nicole has more than 15 years of writing and editing experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Michigan State University.
