Then and Now

The Hunton Group was founded in November 1981 by Richard O. Hunton as a subsidiary of Trane, operating at the time as Houston Trane in southwest Houston on Landsbury Drive. The organization originally consisted of three core divisions, Commercial Sales, Service, and Parts. From the very beginning, Mr. Hunton envisioned building the leading HVAC solutions provider in Southeast Texas.

The company launched with 75 associates and generated $28 million in sales during its first full year of operation. In early 1983, the Building Controls division was established, and on January 1, 1984, the business transitioned to an independent, privately owned company under Mr. Hunton’s leadership.

During the economic downturn of the mid-1980s, commercial HVAC equipment sales declined sharply across Houston. Despite challenging market conditions, Hunton Group’s HVAC service and parts operations continued to grow year over year, prompting leadership to implement long-term growth strategies focused on resilience, diversification, and future opportunity.

By prudently scaling financial resources, workforce, and technology, Hunton Group achieved steady growth throughout the decade, more than doubling revenues by 1986. In 1990, the company expanded into the residential HVAC market after acquiring exclusive Trane Residential and LCU distribution rights for Southeast Texas. That same year, Hunton Group constructed a new corporate headquarters in Houston’s Westchase District, consolidating all divisions under one roof.

The 1990s marked a period of strategic expansion:

• 1993: Existing Building Systems division launched
• 1994: Vical Financial, an in-house HVAC financing company, was formed
• 1994: Sales surpassed $60 million with 115 associates

By this point, Hunton Group had realized its founding vision, becoming the dominant HVAC equipment and services provider in Southeast Texas. Notably, Hunton Group is the only major HVAC supplier in Southwest Texas to remain intact and independently operated since 1981.