Remembering Vincent Anthony Gillette (1931 - 2019) - Gillette Air Conditioning Co.

• Dec 19, 2019
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It is with a heavy heart to share that we lost our founder, our leader, and our friend Vincent Gillette Sr. in 2019. From the very beginnings of Gillette Air Conditioning Company in the 1950s, until his retirement in the late 1990s, continuing through continued involvement until his death this fall, Vincent Gillette, Sr. was an integral part of our organization. We will always remember him as a fearless leader in ingenuity and demonstrating the power in numbers and impact of collaborations.

 

 

Vincent and his wife of 60 years, Marjorie, cultivated and grew Gillette Air Conditioning into the 24-hour, 365 days a year business we all know today. He paved the way for similar businesses in the area and was dedicated to being an early adopter – like having the first air-conditioned service truck in San Antonio. Besides being a leader in the business world, he always found time for the St. Matthews Catholic Church in San Antonio, and donated his time to his kids endeavors including boy scouts, coaching CYO teams and volunteering with the Jr., Special, and Senior Olympics.

 

 

Vincent served as a former chairman of Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA). Longtime friend and colleague, Lee Rosenberg who served as ACCA’s Chairman of the Board in 1995, and is President of Rosenberg Indoor Comfort said, “As a fellow contractor in San Antonio, I worked alongside Vince and his family for decades and was proud to call him a friend. Once of Vince’s proudest moments was when he saw his son, Vince Jr., be inducted into ACCA’s Board of Directors at the 2019 ACCA Conference in San Antonio. It was important for him to be there because he was committed to serving our industry and was proud to see his son carry on this tradition. Vince also encouraged me to serve on ACCA’s board in the 1980s and 1990s, and I am thankful that he pushed me to give back to our industry.” (link to story)

 

Vincent’s philosophy was that when you have a passion for what you do, you never work a day in your life.

“A man who works with his hands is laborer; a man who works with his hands and brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his head is an artist” ~ Louis Nazer, American lawyer 1902-1994).

 

Other Announcements:

• ACCA Announcement on the passing of Vincent Gillette, Sr. 
• ACHR News: ACCA Announces the Passing of Past Chairman, Vincent J. Gillette Sr. 
• Vincent Anthony Gillette, 1931 – 2019

 

Portions of this story have been provided by ACCA’s official announcement