On January 1, 2025, Dean Hilliard assumed the office of PBA President. Read below to learn more about Dean, his ties to the industry, and his plans for the Pennsylvania Builders Association this year and into the future.
Sometimes we just don’t know where the path is going to lead us. That’s what happened to 2025 PBA President Dean Hilliard.
Back when Dean was in college, he worked for a trucking company part-time. In that job, he was offered the chance to go to truck refrigeration school. He was hooked and that’s what drew him into his career.
“I attended Philadelphia Wireless Technical Institute, had training through the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) and courses through the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA),” Dean explained.
Dean is the Owner and President of AC&R Services, Inc. located in Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania. AC&R Services provides heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration installation and service for residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The company employees 14 people, and in the spirit of Dean’s tremendous support for the future workforce, AC&R Services is currently training two interns from Penn Tech.
Over the years, Dean has gotten more and more involved in supporting the home building industry. He is currently a member of the Central Susquehanna Builders Association where he served as the local President.
So, what drew Dean getting so involved in the federation?
“In the late 1990’s, I was invited to a local meeting of the Central Susquehanna Builders by Jim Kistler from Electra Save,” Dean said. “The members made me feel welcome and after just a short time into my membership, I was asked to join the local Board of Directors.”
It wasn’t long until Dean’s dedication to the industry led him to start participating at the state level. First he attended meetings and then served on the Board of Directors, soon he starting chairing committees as well as serving as the Regional Vice President and Regional Legislative Officer for PBA’s Northcentral Region.
In 2023, Dean Hilliard was elected as PBA Secretary. He served as Vice President in 2024 and will be officially installed as the 2025 PBA President on March 21 at the PBA Winter Installation Gala in Wilkes-Barre.
Besides his service as an officer, Dean is active as Chair of the PBA’s Membership Committee as well as overseeing the Association’s strategic plan, and he serves as the Chair of the Pennsylvania Foundation for Housing.
When asked how he personally has seen the industry change over the years, he quickly added that he could spend a lot of time on this topic.
“I started my business in 1979. Like everything else in the building industry, the HVAC field has changed dramatically,” he said. “In 2000, when Pennsylvania adopted the International Residential Code, it created a lot of new opportunities and challenges that I needed to learn. Education in the building industry is never ending.”
Dean sees the biggest issue and challenge facing the home building industry today is the ability to build an energy efficient home while keeping the cost reasonable so that even first-time buyers can afford it.
Each incoming President sets goals for their year in office. Dean Hilliard is no exception.
“I’m sure like every President before me, we have lofty goals,” he laughed.
Paramount in Dean’s mind is increasing membership across the state. He plans to keep members informed of proposed regulations and laws which affect the industry. Of course, he is determined to help local home builders associations and members by providing help, where needed and finding new benefits.
Dean fully realizes that Pennsylvania is a large and diverse state. He is making it a goal of his term as President to find common benefits that will help everyone in the state and not just a few.
In his rare downtime, Dean and his wife of 12 years, Dawn, surround themselves with animals at their home in Sugarloaf.
“Our children are our dogs, cats, and horses,” he said.
Dean, Dawn, and the horses compete in a sport called endurance. In fact, that’s how the couple met. The competition involves riding horses from 25 to 100 miles a day. The Hilliards also have plenty of riding trails near their farm that is located on part of Dean’s family’s larger farm.
The middle child, Dean’s two brothers are a big part of his life.
“I’m the middle son and I’m probably the one that gave my parents most of their gray hair,” he said.
His younger brother, Keith took over the family farm and has been heavily involved in the PA Farm Bureau and has served as President. The older brother, Bruce, is retired, but still takes care of the fruit trees on the family farm.
Dean is a voting member of the International Code Council for Sugarloaf Township and a longtime former member of the Sugarloaf Fire Company where he served in leadership positions as Captain, Assistant Chief, Chief, and Vice President. He is also a member of the Kiwanis.
“I have been blessed with some good friends, family, and mentors in my life. They have all helped me get to this point in my life,” Dean remarked.
Always thinking about the future of our industry, Dean advises younger people who are just starting in the building industry, or are considering it as a career, to know that they will have times when the work is challenging and, sometimes frustrating. However, he stresses that being able to satisfy a customer and see the completed work is far more rewarding than any challenges.
As the incoming PBA President, Dean’s enthusiasm, energy, and dedication will truly be an asset for all PBA members and for the home building industry as well.