Next Gen All Star: Tris Coffin

Age: 34

Company: Bill Howe Plumbing, Heating & Air, Restoration & Floor

Title: Hot water specialist

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How long have you been in the PHCP-PVF industry?

TC: Over 16 years

What drew you into the industry?

TC: My father owns his own company and I started working with him on weekends and holidays when I was young. I started working full-time right after high school and went to trade school. I fell in love with it because it felt like a new puzzle and every job had a different solution.

What is the most rewarding aspect of working in the industry?

TC: Getting to know my customers and learning about their past life experiences. We’re in an industry that’s ultimately about people, and I love getting to know the people I work with and providing solutions for our customers. It’s an extremely rewarding part of the job that often goes overlooked because people can tend to focus on the technical aspects rather than the people. Getting to know a customer and finding the best solution for them is the most rewarding.

What motivates you every day?

TC: Keeping up-to-date with new technology and educating customers about innovations and how this affects their choices. My goal is to provide the best solutions to the problems my customers are trying to solve and everyone’s use case is a little different which keeps things interesting. I love attending training and seminars and finding new ways to bring innovative technology into the workplace.

What is one thing you wish more people knew/understood about the PHCP-PVF industry?

TC: The opportunities and ability to be successful without a college degree. I think there are a lot of people who don’t feel that college is an option for them and this industry represents an alternative pathway for them to do the things they want to with their lives and embark on a very rewarding career. It still requires studying, but it’s a very different style of learning, and you get to apply technical and theoretical knowledge pretty much immediately, which is something a lot of college programs lack.

What has been the proudest moment in your career so far?

TC: Moving from New Jersey to San Diego was a huge transition that coincided with my professional growth, and I’m very proud that I was able to make it happen. I have been out in California for nine years and have been working at Bill Howe Plumbing since I moved. They have helped me grow a lot and are always receptive to new ideas.

What is one thing most people don’t know about you?

TC: I love American History. I am interested in the origins of our country and love being able to connect certain concepts and historical facts with the influence they have in our lives to this day.

Why he was chosen as a Next Gen All Star Top 20 Under 40 winner:

“Tris is an industry visionary who never stops learning, innovating and pushing toward better for his company and his team. He came to Bill Howe in 2014 and took on a new role for the company in 2021 as hot water specialist. He has been instrumental in developing our capabilities and our market share in residential and commercial hot water technology. He developed our capability to offer commercial tankless rack systems. He was a leader for our company in the TECH Clean CA rebate program when it was announced in June 2021.

“As a result of this work, Tris launched Bill Howe into the Heat Pump Water Heater space. He continually seeks training in new technology and, after attending a conference in Texas, has sold more in Q1 for our filtration division than the entirety of 2022. Tris stays ahead of the technology curve and is strongly motivated by how technological developments can help our customers. He has also negotiated more productive relationships with our suppliers and grown commercial relationships in our service areas.

“On top of his career achievements and commitment to his profession, he genuinely cares about the people he works with and the community he serves. Our management team loves that he is autonomous and driven, and continually finds new ways for us to do better business. His teammates find him inspiring, motivating and a pleasure to work with. Tris is a rare breed of person, and for these reasons, he deserves to be considered as a Next Gen All Star.” — Matt Palmer, Bill Howe

Plumbing & Mechanical's Top 20 young professionals to watch.

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