Frontier Heating and AC Service has grown from Tom Laine’s garage to over 7,000 customers

Chamber’s Business of the Year moved to bigger location, maintains focus on customer service

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Tom Laine, owner of Frontier Heating and AC Service, stands by one of their trucks at the base at 14530 East Lee Rd. The business has been named “Business of the Year” by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce. Frontier will be recognized at the awards dinner Oct. 17 at White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville.                      

ALBION – The owner of Frontier Heating and Air Conditioning Service is honored to be named Business of the Year by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.

“I was elated with the news,” said Tom Laine. “It’s nice to be recognized for the good work we’ve done over the years.”

Laine founded Frontier Heating and A/C Service in 1991 in his garage in Albion, after working for 11 years for other contractors, he said.

“We did business there until 1995, when my wife Lora (Lori)  and I purchased 115 East Bank St., where we did business for 27 years,” Laine said.

In March 2023, Laine moved his business to a new, bigger location at 14530 East Lee Rd. The new 12,0000 square foot facility is more convenient for them to better serve their customers, he said. They have ample parking with a showroom to display the products they sell.

It’s a challenge to keep on the cutting edge of technology, Laine said.

The worst part of his business is “around the clock” service, but Laine knows it is important to his customers to have emergency service available at any time.

This facility at 14530 East Lee Rd. is the home of Frontier Heating and AC Service, the Orleans County Chamber’s Business of the Year.

They service all brands and sell Amana and Mitsubishi equipment, as well as boilers, water heaters, air conditioning units and heat pumps. In addition they install Generac and Honeywell generators, and  deal with all types of fuel, including natural gas, fuel oil, electricity and propane.

Laine, who will be 67 this year, is gradually letting his son Raymond and son-in-law Rex Harvey have more responsibility.

“I keep going, because I know the day will come when I can’t,” he said.

Frontier Heating employs 15 to 20 people at any given time, nearly all Orleans County residents. Over the years, their service area has expanded to include Orleans, Monroe, Genesee, Niagara and Erie counties.

Laine is proud of how his business has grown over the years.

“When I started, my wife delivered mail and would speak to her customers daily, giving out my business card,” Laine said. “That’s where I got my first lead for a furnace.”

Today Laine boasts a customer base of 7,000.

“I’m happy to say we still have that first client,” he said.

He says his job is making sure each and every customer has a good experience and is 100 percent satisfied.

“We’re looking for customers for life, and we’re not happy until you’re happy,” he said.