About Us
Jim and his wife, Laurie, purchased Palm Air and Electric in 1997 from Jim’s father, Truman. Jim brings over 30 years of expertise, including proficiency in Wrightsoft, a heat load and duct design program. He uses this tool to calculate air conditioning and heating systems for residential and commercial buildings, design duct systems, and effectively diagnose airflow and temperature issues.
Jim has attended numerous industry-related training sessions and consistently stays up-to-date with advancements in the field. His focus includes understanding how homes "breathe" to achieve better indoor comfort and transitioning to more environmentally friendly refrigerants and systems. Over the years, he has witnessed the industry’s evolution from R-22 to R-410a refrigerant, which has a significantly lower ozone depletion potential (ODP). He has worked with single-stage air conditioning and heat pump systems, then two-stage systems, and now the latest inverter-driven, variable-capacity cooling and heating systems that provide superior comfort. Today, the industry is transitioning to even greener refrigerants like R-454b and R-32, which have lower global warming potential (GWP).
Born in Northern Wisconsin, Jim grew up around dairy farms near Shell Lake. He often says, "Put me on a John Deere tractor, and I’m a happy camper." He graduated from high school in 1985 and enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 with his parents’ consent.
Jim served nearly a decade in the Army, with assignments at Fort Dix, New Jersey; Yongsan, Seoul, South Korea; Fort Hood, Texas; and Fort Irwin, California. He also participated in Desert Shield (Saudi Arabia) and Desert Storm (Iraq) during the Persian Gulf War. His final duty station was Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.
After leaving the Army, Jim moved to Florida and began working alongside his father in the heating and air conditioning industry. After two years of collaboration, his father, Truman, retired.
As a combat veteran, Jim has applied his military discipline and Midwest work ethic to become one of the most technologically advanced contractors in the industry. He continually adapts to innovations and changes, ensuring he remains at the forefront of his field. Today, Jim and Laurie have built a great team of coworkers to provide the highest level of service that their customers deserve. Their motto is: "We Care About Your Comfort."
Jim and Laurie are also passionate about giving back to their community. They contribute through initiatives such as Habitat for Humanity’s Home Repair Program, the Indian River Veterans Council, and the Indian River County SHIP Program. Through these efforts, they provide air conditioning and heating systems at very low costs to those who need and deserve assistance.
Jim is not only a dedicated professional but also a loving husband and father. He and Laurie have a blended family, which includes James (his), Cliff (hers), Caitlyn (theirs), and Shann, Luis, Wayne, Jarez, and Cameron. All their children are now grown and pursuing careers of their own.
In his free time, Jim enjoys building and restoring cars, watching NASCAR, and cheering for his hometown team, the Green Bay Packers.
