HVACR Business welcomes W. Theodore (Theo) Etzel III to its editorial advisory board. He has been a contributing writer for HVACR Business authoring well-read features including Is Your Company Ready For A CFO? (September 2007), “Safety Bucks” Program Pays Off (May 2007), and this month’s cover story Open Up To Open Book, page 20.

Etzel, who was born and raised in Miami, graduated in 1980 from Stetson University in DeLand, Fla., with a Bachelor of Science in economics and finance from the university’s School of Business.

Upon graduation, he worked for Days Inns of America in real estate acquisition for the state of Florida. He quickly advanced in the company and moved to Atlanta to serve as vice president of development.

While in Atlanta, Etzel also owned two Ben & Jerry’s ice cream franchises and was on the staff of Habitat for Humanity acquiring and rezoning land in north Fulton County for the organization.

In 1995, he moved to Naples, Fla., and assumed the position of president of Conditioned Air Corp. of Naples Inc. At the time it was a $2.7 million operation in the residential market. Currently the company is an $18 million company in the residential and light commercial market with service, contracts, production housing, replacement/retrofit, and custom design-build construction. The company employs 130 full-time co-workers.

Conditioned Air is a member of ACCA, ASHRAE, ABC, The Naples Chamber of Commerce, The Florida Chamber of Commerce and the NFIB.

Etzel is part of The Executive Committee, an international association of CEOs dedicated to constant improvement of business practices and personal development. He is also chairman of the board for Grace Place for Children and Families in Naples, a faith-based charity that is committed to helping underprivileged children attain higher learning and life skills through mentoring relationships.

He and his wife have been married for over 27 years and have two children, a son who is married and living in North Carolina and a daughter who is graduating this year from Florida State University.