History - Air Equipment Company

Air Equipment Company was founded in 1946 by Hanks Lutes as the Kentucky Representative for AAF & Buffalo Forge.

Below is a timeline of our company’s history.

1950
- Bob Haragan joins company
1969
- Bob Haragan purchases AEC from Hank Lutes
1986
- Chris Haragan joins the company to succeed Bob
1988
- Chris Haragan BSME University of Kentucky opens office in Nashville to manage Buffalo Air Handling $18 million project at Saturn Plant
- Chip Summers BSME University of Kentucky joins company from Staggs and Fisher to increase AEC presence in the commercial Custom AHU market
1992
- Chris and Chip purchase AEC from Bob Haragan
1994
- Increased focus on specialty mechanical equipment and controls lead to representation of ABB, Phoenix Controls, Air Monitor and others.
2001
- Luke Powell BSME Purdue University joins company as a Sales Engineer to cover the Louisville and Western Kentucky markets
2010
- Jason Nichter BSME University of Louisville joins company as Sales Engineer to cover the Lexington and Eastern Kentucky markets
2011
- Kevin Campisano CPA BA Centre College joins company as CFO
2012
- Wes Harville BSME University of Kentucky joins company as a Sales Engineer to open a Lexington office.
2013
- AEC becomes the exclusive representative for LG, ClimateMaster, Trox, Lennox and Griswold.
- AEC hires Tommy Sallengs to join the Lexington office to provide product support, installation oversight and project management.
2014
- Chip Summers appointed President and Luke Powell VP of Sales.
- Rick Lawson joins AEC in the Lexington office to provide inside sales support.
2015
- AEC is appointed exclusive representative for AAON.
2016
- Tommy Sallengs appointed Service Manager.
- Denis Kieser joins AEC in the Louisville office to provide inside sales support
2017
- Miles Murphy appointed Service Manager
- Will Perkins joins AEC in the Lexington office as a Project Manger
- Rick Castleberry joins company as a Sales Engineer to open a Paducah office.