Air Assurance Business Heating Up

Like other small businesses, Air Assurance began in a garage.

More than 20 years later, the heating and air conditioning service company operates in an 18,000-square-foot building and has about 50 employees.

“It’s a nice-size business and it still seems like a small business,” said Narissa Rampey, co-owner of Air Assurance. “We are a small company with a great big process and investment in technology.”

Air Assurance provides comprehensive heating and air conditioning, refrigeration and air quality services to the Broken Arrow and Tulsa area.

The company recently received the Circle of Excellence Award from Lennox Industries, an international heating and air conditioning equipment manufacturer.

Lennox Industries markets is air conditioning and heating products through a network of more than 7,000 North American dealers.

Air Assurance received the award and was recognized as one of the top 50 heating and air conditioning companies in the U.S. and Canada.

Rampey said work culture is a key component in any company’s success.

“We try to make it where everyone loves to come to work and not dread it,” she said. “We’re a family-owned-business and we make them feel like part of the family.”

While the company has received steady increases in business every year, Rampey said there has been a slowdown this year, which has been seen by other businesses in the industry across the U.S.

Rampey said the economy plays a role in the decrease, but the company also experienced negative press earlier this year.

Las fall, the former Broken Arrow superintendent, Jim Sisney, said Air Assurance was paid $77,000 for work school officials didn’t request.

Sisney claimed competitive-bidding laws might have been violated.

But Mike Rampey, president of Air Assurance, said they won the business fairly and were the lowest bidder. He said he has the documents to prove the accusations are false.

Another claim was that Air Assurance overcharged the district for its services, which Mike Rampey disputed.

Though it was a frustrating time period, Narissa Rampey said the accusations didn’t leave a lingering effect.

“To tell you the truth that hasn’t done that much damage, we think it’s more because of the economy,” said Narissa Rampey. “Although I don’t think here in Oklahoma, we have seen nearly the decline, which we are relieved about that.”

The downturn actually provides an opportunity for the company to expand their services in areas they hadn’t before, said Narissa Rampey.

Air Assurance always has been one of the few air and heating service companies in the geothermal industry and is certified for geothermal applications, Narissa Rampey said. They will continue to look more into green technologies, she said.

“For the future, you will probably see us develop into other areas in this industry,” she said. “We always like to be a step ahead.”