HARDI Foundation Announces 2nd Edition of Myths & Misperceptions, the Culmination of Extensive Industry Study

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Allison Greene, HARDI Director of Marketing & Events

Email: agreene@hardinet.org

Direct: 614.345.4328

HARDI Foundation Announces 2nd Edition of Myths & Misperceptions, the Culmination of Extensive Industry Study

COLUMBUS, OH – May 13, 2026 – The HARDI Foundation announced today that the second edition of Myths & Misperceptions: How Markets Are Really Made in HVACR, has been released and is available for purchase. The book is the result of a broad industry study conducted by authors Michael Emerson, Steve Deist, and Mike Marks of Indian River Consulting Group, a distinguished firm that has extensive experience in HVACR and focuses exclusively on market access within distribution channels.

The first edition, released in 2015, helped establish new standards across the industry, including coining the phrase CSE, or Critical Selling Event, and in defining the stickiness of customer relationships as it relates to a business’s health. The new edition extensively updates the book to account for changes in the industry landscape, to what degree existing best practices have changed, and what distributors can do to maintain and grow their market position.

"What we aim to do in the book," said Marks, "is explore how customers in the HVACR industry choose their brands and suppliers, and what drives them to switch. We also wanted to provide a roadmap for distributors so that they really understand what that means for updating their business practices." Marks also spearheaded the 2015 edition, the first study that the HARDI Foundation commissioned.

The book features data-driven insights on how to leverage Critical Selling Events to grow and defend share in a changing landscape. The second edition includes updated data on how distributors are structuring their go-to-market models to intercept CSEs and meet the needs of today’s low-touch market. It also benefits from extensive industry insights of HARDI’s Market Intelligence efforts, which include its Voice of Contractor, Voice of Distributor and Voice of Supplier studies, which inform much of its State of the Channel report.

"The first edition of the book cut through a lot of myths that existed at the time in HVACR," said Talbot Gee, CEO of HARDI. "In the decade since, we've been through COVID, huge changes in efficiency standards and the regulatory environment, and the world has transformed due to new technologies that are driving business. The need to refresh this information for modern businesses was obvious, and is what incited us to action."

The HARDI Foundation was created in 2006 with a merger of the ARWI Research and Education Foundation and the NHRAW Wilder Educational Foundation. Since then, it has supported educational and research programs in the field of distribution sciences and related disciplines within the HVACR industry. "The book and its findings,” continued Gee, “are one of the clearest ways we've been able to pursue HARDI’s mission for our members. We've seen the profound effects it's had over the last decade and look forward to a new wave of industry evolution springing from its insights."

The book is available to purchase through Amazon. Additional details are available at hardinet.org/myths-and-misperceptions

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ABOUT HARDI

HARDI (Heating, Air-conditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International) is the single voice of wholesale distribution within the North American and Latin American HVACR markets.

A non-profit association, HARDI serves its members through government affairs and advocacy efforts, market intelligence and benchmarking, training programs, and world-class events. HARDI proudly represents more than 570 distributor members and their 5,000+ branch locations, and close to 600 suppliers, manufacturer representatives, and service vendors. HARDI Distributor members serve installation and service/replacement contractors in residential and commercial markets, as well as commercial/industrial and institutional maintenance staff. HARDI Affiliate members market, distribute, and support heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration equipment, parts, and supplies.

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