THE REASON FOR THE SEARCH

Dual Fuel initiated the search following the departure of the Director of Controls who had led the division since its early development. The business required a leader who could quickly step in to maintain momentum across both the engineering and product development sides of the operation.

The Controls department, launched in 2017, had grown rapidly and now represented the most profitable part of the company. With over 400 customer sites connected to the proprietary Axxon monitoring platform, the division generated approximately $2M in revenue—$800k from SaaS subscriptions and $1.2M from hardware sales.

Leadership needed someone who could:

• Manage and grow the controls engineering team
• Guide installation, commissioning, and integration work
• Contribute to the evolution of the Axxon software platform
• Improve system integration across customer buildings
• Build the internal structure required to scale the division to $4M+ revenue

This role required both hands-on technical capability and leadership to build systems, processes, and team structure.

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THE PORTFOLIO COMPANY

Dual Fuel is a full-service mechanical contracting company specializing in heating plants for multifamily and commercial buildings throughout the New York City metro area.

The company differentiates itself through technology-driven service delivery, combining mechanical expertise with proprietary controls and monitoring systems to create a proactive maintenance model.

The Axxon platform captures and analyzes data including:

• Water temperature
• Burner life cycles
• Fuel consumption
• Equipment performance

This data-driven approach enables Dual Fuel to deliver predictive maintenance and energy efficiency improvements across hundreds of customer sites.

The Controls division plays a critical role in the company’s strategy, integrating hardware, software, and field operations to create a scalable building intelligence platform.

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THE SEARCH REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate needed to demonstrate:

Extensive HVAC controls engineering and building automation experience

Hands-on DDC programming capability (Node-RED, Niagara, or similar platforms)

Experience integrating systems via BACnet and Modbus

Strong understanding of mechanical HVAC systems and control logic

Ability to lead installation teams and coordinate field execution

Experience collaborating with software engineers on platform development

Technical leadership capability to build and mentor a controls engineering team

Practical field experience wiring control panels and commissioning systems

This role required a leader who understood both the engineering realities of the field and the product development potential of a growing SaaS-enabled controls platform.

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WHAT WE LIKED ABOUT HIM

Zeke stood out immediately due to his strong combination of technical expertise and leadership capability. He possesses deep HVAC controls knowledge and the ability to clearly articulate complex systems and solutions, which made him particularly compelling during the interview process.

His background includes extensive experience working with HVAC software and controls platforms, giving him the capability to not only manage installations but also influence product development. Zeke demonstrated the ability to take an existing controls application and customize it to improve operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and usability for field teams.

Equally important, Zeke brings strong management and organizational skills. He has the ability to lead a controls department, coordinate engineering resources, and ensure projects are executed efficiently from design through commissioning.

His ability to bridge engineering design, software functionality, and field implementation made him an excellent fit for Dual Fuel’s vision of combining mechanical expertise with a proprietary technology platform.

Zeke brings both the technical depth and operational leadership needed to scale the Controls division, strengthen the Axxon platform, and support Dual Fuel’s continued growth in the NYC mechanical services market.

Jack Burns, Principal, Raw Selection