Einar Dahl, Jr. graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1960 at the age of 28 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. He was hired by Johnson Controls in Des Moines, where he worked under Charles Wheeler, another past Chapter President. Einar spent the next five years at Johnson Controls. He spent much of his time going out on the jobsite, helping to get HVAC systems up and operational. By the mid-1960s he had helped create what would nowadays be considered a Test and Balance department while at Johnson Controls.

Foreseeing the need for a good sheet metal contractor, Einar incorporated Dahl Air Conditioning and Heating in 1965. In the early days of his new company, he would estimate jobs and run the company during the day, and continue into the evening hours working to fabricate sheet metal to keep the crew going the next day.

In 1967, Einar formed another new company, Systems Management and Balancing, which later was purchased by a well-known member of the local HVAC industry, Odean Jukam.

Einar purchased Christians Corporation, a sheet metal contractor, in Spencer, Iowa in 1972. In 1978, he formed Dallas Construction Corporation, an architectural and specialty sheet metal company.

Throughout his career, Einar has been a member of ASHRAE and involved at the local chapter level. In 1968, he was elected president of the Iowa Chapter.  Einar believes the most important benefit of ASHRAE is the long lasting and important relationships with others involved in the HVAC industry. Einar has been involved in ASHRAE for over 40 years and was awarded a Life Membership in recognition for this commitment.

Einar now enjoys a much more relaxed lifestyle as a semi-retired contractor and engineer.  He and wife Avonne spend the winters in Arizona and he stops in time to time during the summer, at his office at Dahl Air Conditioning and Heating, to see what the gang is up to.

See more of Einar Dahl’s history and photos in this 2006 article by Charles Heldenbrand.