Refrigeration Technologies announce that its founder, John Pastorello, was recently named the 2026 recipient of the HVAC Tactical Lifetime Achievement Award for his nearly 40-year legacy of advancing technician-first chemistry and reshaping the HVACR trade’s standards around service chemicals for safety, performance and environmental responsibility. 

The HVAC Tactical Awards recognizes individuals who elevate the industry through master-level craftsmanship, teaching and servitude. Presented to leaders whose contributions leave a lasting imprint on the trade, the Lifetime Achievement Award underscores Pastorello’s commitment to redefining what HVACR chemical products should be: "Technician-first by design, safer to handle and more sustainable for the planet. Through four decades of product development and leadership, he elevated expectations industrywide, proving that protection and performance belong on equal footing."

“John’s dedication to safer chemistry has changed the industry in lasting ways,” said Ben Poole, CEO of HVAC Tactical. “He pushed for higher standards long before the rest of the industry caught up, and we’re proud to commemorate his clear commitment to innovation and technician wellbeing, which continues to significantly influence how professionals work today.”

A technician-first standard for safer solutions

According to the company, Pastorello’s impact is rooted in an uncommon career path spanning chemistry, HVACR fieldwork and entrepreneurship. Trained as a chemist and later shifting into the HVACR profession, he experienced firsthand how many traditional service chemicals posed risks not only to technicians, but also to equipment and the spaces where work was performed. Rather than accepting those hazards as “part of the job,” Pastorello set out to eliminate what he saw as a false choice between effectiveness and safety.

“John was never satisfied with the gap between science and the field,” added Bryan Orr, Host of the HVAC School podcast. “He believed that if we’re putting chemistry into HVAC systems, it has to be technically sound, field tested and honest about what it can and cannot do.”

Driven by the conviction that HVACR pros should never have to compromise their health to do their job, Pastorello founded Refrigeration Technologies in 1987 out of his kitchen and garage. There, he began developing non-toxic, biodegradable solutions that delivered real-world field performance without the corrosive or hazardous side effects common at the time. His strict, technician-first philosophy became the foundation of the company and remains central to its development process today.

“I didn’t start this company to reinvent chemistry; I started it to protect the people out there doing the work every day,” said John Pastorello. “If a product couldn’t perform in the field without putting HVACR pros at risk, then it wasn’t worth making.”