Here we are for a new Local 449 Fitter Feature, where we spotlight one of the many valuable members of our organization and highlight the accomplishments and unique journeys of our union brothers and sisters. This month, we focus on Ben Zeller, a former Mechanical Equipment Service Program apprentice, who graduated from our training program and now works at Havtech in Cranberry primarily as an HVAC service technician.  

Ben’s work at Havtec includes commercial systems, where he provides factory rep start-up services for new equipment, equipment setup, troubleshooting, and warranty repairs for many product lines. In simpler terms, he’s servicing the supermarkets that locals get their weekly groceries from. If it weren’t for him and the team he works on—or a commercial HVAC team in general—you might not have access to the frozen or refrigerated sections of your supermarket. In fact, you might not feel the blast of cold air on your skin when walking into the supermarket on a hot summer day in Pittsburgh!  

Ben also works throughout western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio with a number of schools, institutions and hospitals. These technicians are an important part of keeping these systems running (among others in different trades!) that you may not realize when you visit the grocery store or go to the doctor. They provide a level of comfort and a sense of health for their customers.  

While the HVAC industry is constantly changing and demands are ever-increasing, Ben knows companies are looking for well-rounded technicians and Local 449’s apprenticeship can help develop technicians for today’s needs.  

“I would give a recommendation to join this union in particular due to the fact that this union provides a well-rounded education for someone that has no experience in this industry. It also provides a good education for someone that has years of industry experience. 

“I’ve had almost a decade of experience before coming into this union and it has been very accommodating to that experience level…I chose Local 449 predominantly for the world-renowned training that the facility here offers and the legacy that the workers have in the area throughout the apprenticeship.”  

 Check out Local 449’s social media channels for more interviews with Ben!