Meet Our Diamond Certified Expert Contributor

Al Morando: Brotherly Ambition

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO — When asked how he became involved in the HVAC industry, Al Morando cites the influence of an older sibling. “My brother, Ken, started Innovative Mechanical in 1984,” he says. “About a decade later, I was taking a lot of marketing and communications classes in college, and Ken was looking to start a new marketing program with his business that would target the residential demographic. Because of my interest in marketing, he brought me on to help run the program, and I’ve been here ever since.”

Today, as vice president of Innovative Mechanical, Al says his favorite part of his job is interacting with customers. “I like the fact that I get to meet new people every day. I also enjoy the process of finding out what a customer’s needs are and directing them toward solutions that will satisfy those needs.”

A longtime resident of Millbrae (where he lives with his wife, Eleonora, and son, Giovanni), Al appreciates living and working close to home. “I come from a pretty big family, and most of them are here in the Bay Area,” he says. “We get together fairly often for holidays and birthdays. On the 4th of July, we have a barbeque with about 50 people in attendance, so that’s always fun.” When he’s not spending time with family, Al enjoys activities like playing golf and attending local professional sporting events.

In his life and career, Al espouses the importance of treating others with respect. “If a professional comes into my home, I would hope they’d treat me respectfully and look out for my best interests,” he says. “At Innovative Mechanical, that’s exactly the approach we take to serving our customers.”

When asked what his future retirement might look like, Al says he’d continue to stay connected with the family business. “Even after I retire, I’ll probably still come in and help out every once in a while, just to keep myself busy. Of course, I’ll also relax a little more and play a lot more golf.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: Coffee or tea?
A: Green tea.

Q: What’s your favorite season?
A: Summer—the weather is nice, so there are lots of opportunities to get outside and do things with my family.

Q: What country would you most like to visit?
A: Italy. I have family over there, and I enjoy visiting and reconnecting with my relatives.

Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Ristorante Rocca in Burlingame.

Q: What’s your favorite movie genre?
A: I like sports movies like Rocky and Hoosiers.