After a very thorough search, the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) has named Dr. Laura Demarse as its new CEO. Demarse succeeds Bart James, who led the organization from March 2019 until June 2026.
Demarse was most recently the Vice President for Future of Work at the Charles Koch Foundation.
“We used a search firm, which was a big help,” said Kurt Hudson, current ACCA chair. “We were originally looking for someone with contractor experience to have that perspective. But once we got into the interviews, we talked to some really exceptional people who came from the association world. We decided that association experience was so important.”
Demarse has been actively involved in skills and leadership transformation across various sectors such as higher education, private industry, and philanthropy. She is known for her role as the founder of the Accelerate to Industry Program (A2i), a widely acclaimed workforce development model implemented in over 30 institutions globally.
Demarse has been recognized with a National Science Foundation (NSF) award, the 2019 NAGAP Exemplary Programs Award, and the 2020 Blackburn Award for Excellence. Her work has also received funding from the National Career Development Association.
At Ford Motor Company, Demarse served as a workforce development leader and directed the STEM Office for Outreach and Engagement, supporting the growth of the technician economy. Her work connected industry talent needs with education and training partners to build clearer pathways into technical careers. She regularly publishes and speaks on these topics, including on podcasts and at national convenings.
“She is an authority on workforce development, which is obviously very big for our industry,” Hudson said. “She has not been in HVAC, but when she went into Ford, she was not a motor person. She very much threw herself into that industry. So, I am positive she will do the same with HVAC.”
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Martin Hoover, a former HVAC contractor, stepped in after James and has served as the interim CEO for the last few months. He will help with the upcoming transition.
“We have talked and shared information already,” Hoover said. “She has been onboarding for a couple of weeks now. She has been getting up to speed on our priorities.”
“I really want to thank Martin for stepping in during the interim,” Hudson said. “He was a huge help. It was a great advantage for us to have someone of his stature and experience hold the interim position for us.”
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