Katy Higgins, Erin Gray and Annie Fonnesbeck started Blue Best Heating & Air more than 20 years ago, providing quality heating and cooling services to residents along the Wasatch Front. It was a rarity for women to own and operate an HVAC company.

“One of the main ideas in the very beginning was that we feel like women bring a different touch to the industry, especially in male dominated industries,” Fonnesbeck said. “So we really wanted it to be a women-owned business. We thought it was a really cool idea.”

This year, the company was a 2023 Best of State Winner for their industry, chosen for their innovative approaches, their excellent work and for contributing to a better quality of life for women in Utah.

The women have had to overcome negative attitudes, sexism, rude comments and the stigma of being female leaders in a mostly-male field. Men in the industry commented about the women’s looks, their lack of knowledge or how ridiculous it was to have a women-owned HVAC business. 

“It was really hard to overcome that stigma that women can’t be in this industry and have knowledge around it,” Fonnesbeck said. “You’ve gotta have thick skin because I feel like that’s something that I’ve had to learn…Don’t let people get you down because it is so easy to let those comments hurt and to make you feel less than. You have to remember that you know what you’re doing. You’re doing this for a reason. So just own it and know that.”

Located at 600 N. 500 West in Bountiful, Blue Best Heating & Air continues to receive high marks and great reviews for its work. Fonnesbeck said customers are sometimes concerned that it’s a female-owned business, but once the work is done, they have customers for life. 

With female office staff, installers and technicians, Blue Best is a pioneer in the field. The owners are always looking for women who want to work in the industry and they are welcomed with open arms. 

“One of our kick*** installers is a female and she’s amazing. She gets some of the best reviews,” Fonnesbeck said. “One of our coolest things is actually having women out there installing and doing technician work. We have a service tech who is also a female and she does really good work.”

Blue Best partners with Lennox for the Feel the Love program. Started in 2009, the program donates a new HVAC system to an individual or family who can’t afford it. Lennox provides the equipment and Blue Best installs the system. It’s one way the women feel they can give back to the community. 

Higgins recently stepped down from her position with Blue Best, but Fonnesbeck and Gray will continue to promote women HVAC employees throughout Utah. For more information, or to apply for a job, visit BlueBest.com. 

“The reviews speak for themselves as to how we embody our culture and how we treat people,” Fonnesbeck said. “We’re just doing what we do best and doing a good job and getting those reviews from actual customers who’ve had the experience with us.”