Keeping it Cool

In this lively #NomadFuturist podcast, Michael Butigian and Jim Lubratt, award winners at Data Center World 2021, share their respective career journeys in the world of critical infrastructure and HVAC, and their common passion for leaving behind a better world. Their journeys reveal some commonalities. Both men were athletes in college, Butigian playing basketball and Lubratt playing hockey. Both concluded that they were not going to be able to go pro.  Butigian left college and did a four-year stint in night school to learn HVAC and found that he had a strong affinity for the field. He founded CCIA Mechanical which provides commercial and residential HVAC and cooling solutions in the NY tristate area. Lubratt studied mechanical engineering and ultimately joined his father’s firm SVL, one of the Midwest's largest commercial heating, ventilating, air-conditioning (HVAC) and cleanroom equipment dealers where Lubratt is now vice president. Both men became involved in the world of data centers where cooling is an essential aspect of operations. And both became fascinated by the energy-saving nano cooling system offered by Hydromx Inc., where Butigian serves as COO and Lubratt is an investor and board member. They share a commitment to reducing energy consumption and leaving a better world behind for future generations. In Lubratt’s words: “You get to a point, it’s not really about the money. It’s about making a difference, doing something for the better.” Butigian and Lubratt also share a recognition that the data center world has a tremendous need for people in the trades and they encourage young people to consider the trades as a viable career option. In Butigian’s words: “…too many kids are going into college for the college experience and coming out with no skills. Trades are really hurting. So, I really would encourage young people who are not going to become lawyers and doctors and accountants to really think about trades, because trades are always going to be needed.” Lubratt also makes a point that critical infrastructure is a people business and encourages young people to be networking and reaching out constantly. “Meet people…whether on Zoom or face-to-face. Get to know them. Figure out what makes them tick, what do they want, what drives them… As soon as you figure out people’s likes, needs, and wants, you can figure out how to integrate that into your business and how you can help them.”Butigian regrets not learning more about accounting early on and has the following advice for the young: “When you’re taking an accounting class, pay attention! To me accounting is the ninth element that just cannot be explained…If you’re new to the working world, find that accountant in your company and become their best friend. Take them to lunch, learn what they do.” In summing things up, Lubratt conveys the importance of taking care of other human beings, and that extends to taking care of planet Earth. “We’ve got to help this planet. We’ve got to help this globe that we live on…so, it’s going to take a lot of smart people to get it done.”  Michael Butigian is Chief Operations Officer at Hydromx, Inc. whose unique nano fluid cooling heat transfer solution helps save the planet by providing affordable, dependable cutting-edge technology to reduce the use of energy through the increased speed of heat transfer in closed-loop hydronic heating and cooling systems.Butigian is also President of C.C.I.A. Mechanical which has provided HVAC services to commercial and residential clients in the NY tristate area since 1987. Butigian is a Master Mechanic expert in all phases of HVAC since 1973. He lives in NY and is married with four children. Jim Lubratt is Vice President at Schwab-Vollhaber-Lubratt, Inc (SVL). He is also an investor and board member for Hydromx Inc., a manufacturer of a revolutionary nano-technology heat transfer fluid and for Crotega, Inc., a building security system designed to deter an active shooter. Lubrett also serves as Vice President of AQC Industries, a manufacturer of specialized air-duct systems.Lubratt graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1991 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. After working briefly as a Marketing Engineer for a heat pump manufacturer, he joined SVL in 1992 as a Sales Engineer, becoming a partner in 2000. Lubratt has been taking post-graduate classes at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He is married with three children.