Carolina Comfort Air, Inc. Annual Scholarship

Employees of Carolina Comfort Air Inc. surprised co-founder Phillip Tyler in 2014 by creating an annual scholarship in his name at Johnston Community College.

“Our president, Phillip Tyler, attended JCC,” said Carolina Comfort Air General Manager Bill Green. “He felt JCC really opened the door for him to do the things he’s done.”

It was Tyler’s sister, Carol Grooms, who came up with the idea to create the scholarship fund to honor her brother as a surprise Christmas present.

Two $500 scholarships, divided into $250 for each semester, are awarded each year to a Johnston County resident in the heating and air conditioning program at the school.

“We’re really happy to be involved with the college,” Green said. “It’s a win-win situation.”

The company sees the scholarships as a way to get people are trained in the HVAC trade and helps the company fill positions. Even if they go to work for someone else, “we’ll take the chance to make sure other people have the same opportunities.”

Carolina Comfort Air is the nation’s third-largest Trane dealer, Green said. “When we ask them to contribute and donate equipment to Johnston Community College, they come through and we appreciate that.”

Pictured: Brian Worley, program director, Applied Industrial Technology Dept,, JCC (left), Phillip Tyler, founder, Carolina Comfort Art, Inc. (right)