Meet all of the 2025 Top 40 Under 40 HVACR Professionals
Jake Dawson
Company: Silver State Refrigeration & HVAC
Title: Branch Manager
Age: 33
Jake Dawson fell for HVAC at age 13, riding along on service calls with his father in the sweltering Arizona heat. When his family had moved from California to Arizona, his dad landed a job at B&J Refrigeration in Tucson. About a month later, Dawson was hired as a helper.
It was there that Dawson was taught to be a “tin knocker” — what ductwork specialists were called at B&J. It was there that Dawson was taught to cut/shape/size/install/seal all types of duct materials, including pressurized PVC ducting. And it was there, a short while into his training, that Dawson did his first ride-along with his father and former boss. And it was there that he fell in love with the trade.
“I was hooked from the first condenser I was able to work on,” Dawson said. “Immediately drawn to the system, wanting to figure out how every last component functioned and why it did so. Drawn to how all of these components were working together in harmony to produce such a magnificent result (the refrigeration cycle/process).”
Dawson has done a lot in terms of building/design/repair across a wide range of HVACR applications — from small, specialized systems like skin sampling machines and cryogenic blood bank equipment to large-scale industrial chillers, boilers, and plant refrigeration — and while he’s proud of his technical experience, what stands out most to him are the accomplishments that allowed him to build new departments — creating opportunities for others and sharing his knowledge through hands-on mentorship.
Today, Dawson oversees Silver State Refrigeration & HVAC’s operations across Texas and New Mexico. One of Dawson’s most notable achievements is spearheading Silver State’s expansion into Texas, building the operation from the ground up (marking his third time creating a service team). In its first year, Dawson built it into a $5 million enterprise — recruiting technicians statewide and instilling the culture of expertise and reliability that defines Silver State’s eight-state footprint. Dawson has also earned unrestricted refrigeration, HVAC, and plumbing contractor licenses in both New Mexico and Texas, opening doors for larger commercial projects.
His vision: replicate a supportive “home” in as many states as possible and ultimately serve as regional director across the Southwest.
“I would like to create/build, support/maintain, and grow the best HVAC company out there,” Dawson said. “I want to create a work environment where employees can come to harness their HVAC skills and grow them to new heights … I would love nothing more than to create the perfect home (work-wise) for our team.”