Division president Art Klee is celebrating 40 years at Suburban, an Airxcel brand that supplies RV water heaters, indoor and outdoor heaters, stoves and ovens.
The announcement of the anniversary was made by Airxcel CEO Jeff Rutherford.
Klee has spent his entire career at Suburban, joining the company in 1981 to work in sales and distribution.
Within four years, he relocated from Anaheim, Calif., to Dayton, Tenn., and moved into sales and marketing roles. With a background in heavy equipment maintenance, he found a niche within product development and was instrumental in bringing the Suburban SF series low-profile furnace to market, which the company said is still a top-selling product.
Described by his company as a natural leader, Klee was promoted to VP of product development in 2009 because of his detailed understanding of manufacturing, product expertise, acuity of industry trends and ability to inspire his team to develop class-leading products. Upon company president Roger Panoz’s retirement at the end of 2010, Klee was named his replacement.
Previous Suburban presidents advised Klee that, “you don’t employ 600 people, you become responsible for 600 families.” Taking this guidance to heart has been a hallmark of Klee’s leadership, the company said.
“Even though we’re a large company in a small town, Suburban offers a family feel,” said Klee. “We celebrate together, grow together, grieve together and support one another.”
“Art has led Suburban through many challenges over the years including responding to the rebound of the industry from COVID shutdowns,” said Rutherford. “He has the unique ability to challenge and inspire others, and create a culture of creativity that leads to industry-shifting products and new market outlets. More so, his employees trust that he will keep the company competitive and financially thriving. He’s an invaluable asset to Airxcel and I thank him for his 40 years of dedicated service.”
