That was the challenge former P1 CEO and Best in Class Technology Services (BCTS) Chairman of the Board Smitty Belcher laid out in 2018. And P1 Service’s Maintenance Sales teams did it.
But the challenge was far from over. In 2023, Smitty challenged the team to once again double the maintenance base. Teams took on the challenge.
“The success has come from the collaboration between Sales and Operations. Together, they’ve have made it reality,” P1 Service Director of Sales Todd Andrews said.
“Every year, they’ve raised the bar—not just hitting goals, but redefining what’s possible. That attitude is what continues to drive our growth.”
In 2025, the P1 Service Maintenance Sales teams are having another extraordinary year, setting the performance bar for the rest of BCTS.
P1 Service has already reached 93 percent of its annual PM sales plan with two months remaining. That puts them about $500,000 ahead-ofplan, year-to-date.
The team expects to hit the annual target by the end of October, and exceed it by year-end.
BEHIND EVERY
MILESTONE
IS A SIMPLE FORMULA: Training, application, and collaboration. The current sales team has been intentional about personal improvement, adopting new ways to communicate and customize solutions for customers.
“The success we’re seeing right now is the result of years of discipline and consistency,” Todd added.
“Our people have embraced training, they’ve applied what they’ve learned, and most importantly, they’ve done it together. That’s what keeps this engine running.”
Training. Application. Collaboration.
Behind every milestone is a simple formula: training, application, and collaboration. The current sales team has been intentional about personal improvement, adopting new ways to communicate and customize solutions for customers.
Improved questioning, active listening, and sharper summaries are helping sales people qualify prospects who make the best long-term partners—customers who see P1 as an extension of their business.
That alignment extends beyond sales. Working closely with Operations to build long-term, value-driven solutions builds trust across departments and ensures every agreement can be executed profitably and effectively.
Performance and Recognition
Nearly half of P1’s 13 PM sales consultants have already exceeded their annual plans: Brenan Herrera (Wichita), Dan Swartz (Topeka), Jimmy Perlik (Lenexa), Matt Sipe (Wichita), and Taylor Clouse (Lenexa).
“What helped make it successful was P1 Service’s attention to detail and follow-through. We insisted on meeting face-to-face with decision makers, because P1 doesn’t just email a number and hope for the best.”
Three more are on track to exceed plan by year-end, with Dan Swartz on target to break the record set over the past two years by Brian Glamann in Wichita.
The key sales for 2025 have come from a variety of vertical markets: data centers, healthcare, education, entertainment, and manufacturing have been the highest-valued targets.
This mix continues to demonstrate P1 Service’s reach and flexibility across industries that demand high-performance solutions.
Voices from the Team
PM Sales Consultant Jimmy Perlik helped secure the Bayer Crop Science Agreement.
JIMMY PERLIK , PM SALES CONSULTANT
“What helped make it successful was P1 Service’s attention to detail and follow-through,” Jimmy said.
“We insisted on meeting face-to-face with decision makers, because P1 doesn’t just email a number and hope for the best.”
PM Sales Consultant Taylor Clouse says trust and relationships tend to win contracts.
“Heartland Coca-Cola could have easily given their contract to the installing contractor, but the trust and relationships we built over the years won out,” she said.
“That’s what made it so exciting.”
“The hospital work came from cold calling, and a willingness to go where others wouldn’t. It’s about prioritizing a customer’s biggest pain points and earning long-term trust.”
Taylor also helped lead the effort to regain Guadalupe Centers, coordinating surveys across 14 buildings and partnering with Operations to get their schools back under P1’s care.
Electrical Division Sales Manager Jeff Gardner says performance in the field is what opened the door at Ascent.
“We executed their medium-voltage outages extremely well,” Jeff said. “That trust earned us a chance to compete for their breaker maintenance agreement—and win.”
In Topeka, Dan Swartz swears by persistence and teamwork, which drove success with Michelin.
“Constant communication with the customer helped us identify ways to improve their workflow,” Dan said.
He credits Service Manager Kyndel Paulsen, Assistant Service Manager Jacob Yost, and Technician Dave Oshel for helping engineer the pricing and technical approach.
“We’re now billing more than half a million annually across three Michelin locations—that’s teamwork in action.”
MATT HINES, PM SALES CONSULTANT
In Ankeny, PM Sales Consultant Matt Hines says listening and trustbuilding have been key.
“The ethanol HVAC agreements came from networking at the Team M3 Ethanol Maintenance Conference,” Matt says. “The hospital work came from cold calling - and a willingness to go where others wouldn’t.”
“It’s about prioritizing their biggest pain points and earning longterm trust.”
In St. Joseph, Proactive Solutions Consultant Karley Pearl says the Clarios – JLL agreement grew naturally from the team’s reputation and presence on site.
“Once we put the cabinet cooler agreement in place, our technicians were there more often, and the client saw the quality of their work firsthand,” Karley said.
“That trust opened the door for additional projects, and now we’re supporting another Clarios plant because of the performance at the first. Communication, follow-through, and the camaraderie our team has built over the years make it feel more like family than just work.”
“Heartland Coca-Cola could have easily given their contract to the installing contractor, but the trust and relationships we built over the years won out.”
TAYLOR CLOUSE, PM SALES CONSULTANT
“Constant communication with the customer helped us identify ways to improve their work flow,”
DAN SWARTZ, PM SALES CONSULTANT
Fuel for the Future
A strong sales plan isn’t built on the “whales”.
Every PM sales rep has contributed agreements across all vertical markets ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. A total of 203 new maintenance agreements and addendums have been sold across HVAC, ammonia, plumbing, controls, and electrical.
Together, these create the backbone of the company’s recurring revenue, agreements that lead to pull-through service work and future projects.
Each agreement provides an opportunity for alternative trades to proactively engage with new customers, deepening P1’s role as a single-source partner.
Behind every sale is another opportunity for technicians: Maintenance hours are assigned to primary and secondary technicians, giving them ownership of scheduling, materials, and customer communication. Many of these technicians have stepped into new levels of responsibility, strengthening P1’s bench for the future.
The explosion in project sales is also tied to maintenance relationships. With qualified customers, project teams can have financial conversations about capital planning at the right level of decision-making.
These are customers who already trust P1 Service with their business—making expansion natural.
The maintenance agreement sale remains the engine behind P1 Service’s growth. It fuels opportunity, drives revenue, and proves that when a company takes accountability for its attitudes, behaviors, and collaboration, there’s no ceiling on what it can achieve.
ASSOCIATE PROFILE ON CURT WITTMAN’S AWARD-WINNING
To accomplish a full-build custom vehicle like the one in this story would take most individuals - and shops - 36-48 months.
P1 Construction Project Manager Curt Wittman and his network of experts did it in less than a year.
Even though he didn’t build it to win prizes, Curt’s rare 1955 Chevy Cameo pickup has been garnering national attention – and multiple awards.
Putting his construction project management experience to work played a big role in the success of the project, experience he gained throughout his construction career.
CUSTOM ’55 CHEVY CAMEO
Curt’s dad is a Local 441 pipefitter.
“He always told me and my brothers ‘do anything but become a pipefitter’,” Curt recalls. “Two of the three of us became pipefitters.”
By the time Curt was a journeyman, there was an opportunity at P1 for work on the Honeywell National Nuclear Security Administration/ KCRIMS Relocation in Kansas City, a flagship project for P1 in 2012.
Curt says his dad knew P1, having worked with them through other projects. Then-P1 CEO Smitty Belcher approached Curt to work on the project, where he started as a foreman and quickly moved up to superintendent.
Team
“Teaming up with the right experts is how we not only accomplished the task, but created a winner.”
After that project, Curt left P1 to live in California to be closer to his wife’s family.
Five years later, following the birth of his daughter, he and his wife decided it was time to leave California.
P1 had a project manager position open, and Curt says it was the right opportunity at the right time, so he returned to Kansas, where he currently works out of the P1 Lawrence office.
“I liked P1 when I was in the field the first time. It’s a great culture,” Curt said. “For a big company, it doesn’t feel like it. Leadership is always accessible, and it feels personal.”
When not on the job, Curt enjoys custom truck builds. Two years ago, he restored a 1956 Chevy step-side pickup. He took it to the Goodguys show in Des Moines, IA, one of the largest shows in the Midwest.
After just six hours at the show, someone bought the truck.
“It wasn’t for sale,” Curt said. “It was my first show, but I got good money for it!”
That set the plan in motion to build his dream truck, starting with a 1955 Chevy Cameo. The Cameo is a rare truck itself, with only 5,000 made in ’55, and only 10,000 made overall.
Curt explained that the Cameo was a “gentleman’s truck” - a truck that combines rugged capability with luxurious features - made at a time when trucks were for work, not luxury.
“They just didn’t sell,” he said. “Back then, trucks were for work. People weren’t buying them like they are now, luxury vehicles, all loaded up.”
McLin Paint Works, Grain Valley, MO
Graham’s Hot Rod Shop, Fresno, CA
Elegance Auto Interiors, Upland, CA
Sam Walker, Ottawa, KS
Gentry Brothers, Ottawa, KS
Aaron Poe, Ottawa, KS
Cameo Custom Features:
• Custom chassis built by Bodie Stroud Industries
• Ridetech coil-over-suspension components
• 9-inch rearend with 3.70 gears
• Wilwood disc brakes on all four corners
• 19- and 20-inch Schott wheels wrapped with Michelin tires
• 376c.i. GM LS3 V8/800 horsepower
• Stainless steel pipes and Flowmaster mufflers
• Mattson’s radiator
• Chrome and polished aluminum on engine
• Smoothed firewall
• Fabricated inner fenders and radiator support
• Billet hood hinges
Due to the truck’s limited production, restoring one is a daunting task.
“Trying to find the parts and pieces is a challenge, because a lot of it isn’t reproduced, you have to find original parts,” Curt said.
And that’s where Curt stumbled into some good fortune.
“I lucked out and found two guys through social media in California who happen to have a ton of parts for this truck,” Curt said “They’ve been collecting them since before they were hard to get, since the 60s.”
One of the guys Curt found had a hood in the rafters of his garage, where it had been sitting for 44 years.
With that, Curt pretty much had a complete truck, but to build it to the level he wanted, he needed perfect parts.
“Some of my trim had little dings and imperfections, and that wasn’t going to work for what I was doing, I needed it absolutely perfect.”
• Custom red African zebra wood bed and stainless floor
• Axalta custom red merlot paint
• Gold painted inserts on the fiberglass bed sides and B pillars
• Dapper LED headlights
• Custom interior leather that matches the exterior color
• Billet Specialties steering wheel
• Flaming River tilt column
• Handles and pedals from Billet Specialties and Clayton Machine Works.
• Dakota Digital gauges in the original dash
He ended up trading out a lot of his parts for factory original instead of after-market.
It would normally take 36-48 months to build this vehicle, but Curt got it done in 11.
This is where his project management expertise came in handy. Curt says thinking ahead and being ready for the next step before it was upon him was key in expediting the process.
“I had the truck at my house less than 24 hours after paint, and was sending it off to California for upholstery,” he said.
“It was a super tight timeline, and none of us got any sleep,” he recalled, referencing the team of experts who helped him restore the truck.
So what makes Curt’s truck a winner?
“This was a personal passion project. I didn’t set out to build it for competition.”
Curt starts by comparing his truck to the Ridler Award-winning car.
“The Ridler Award is a very prestigious award for custom and show cars presented annually at the Detroit Autorama,” Curt explained. “It recognizes exceptional creativity, engineering, and workmanship.”
Curt’s truck beat the 2025 Ridler car twice at Tri-Five Nationals in Kentucky, and Triple Crown Rodding in Tennessee.
Curt says what makes the truck a winner is its rarity, but also the sheer quality of craftsmanship. That includes standouts like the matching leather upholstery, the custom red African zebra wood bed, and red merlot paint from world-renowned McLin Paint Works, a one-man shop located Grain Valley, MO.
Curt says he was willing to pay for what he couldn’t do, but it was important to do the rest himself.
“Teaming up with the right experts is how we not only accomplished the task, but created a winner,” he said.
“McLin played a huge role in that, because he worked on it constantly. If you partner up with the wrong person, your vehicle could sit in a dusty corner for years – otherwise known as ‘paint house jail’.”
“This was a personal passion project,” Curt noted. “I didn’t set out to build it for competition.”
But when Curt took the truck to the Goodguys show and it was nominated for Truck of the Year, he realized he had a “show truck” on his hands.
From there it went on to win Tri Five Nationals in Bowling Green, KY, and Truck of the Year at Triple Crown of Rodding in Nashville, TN.
“It has won Best of Show at every show it has been at locally, and mostly the highest level award at every show it’s been to,” Curt added. Curt says that as 2025 draws to a close, the awards will probably taper off, since you can’t win the same awards twice. But now the truck has a new purpose.
Not only does Curt proudly drive it around town, the time, effort, and monetary investment now serves him and his family as money in the bank.
Even though he hasn’t sold it yet, the value will, let’s just say, “make a nice nest egg”.
P1 Service Expands to Windsor, Colorado
Strengthening Western Footprint and Commitment to Long-Term Partnerships
The talent of this team is second to none. They bring unique skill sets, deep customer relationships, and a commitment to win. “
-Andy Dunbar, P1 Service Regional General Manager
P1 Service’s new Windsor, CO, branch marks a major milestone in a 13-year journey that began with a single refinery project and evolved into a thriving operation serving customers across Northern Colorado, Western Nebraska, and Southern Wyoming.
P1’s western presence began when Holly Frontier’s Cheyenne refinery reached out after years of successful collaboration at their El Dorado, KS, site. That opportunity turned into a design-build HVAC upgrade that proved P1 could deliver excellence far beyond its home base.
When Holly Frontier later needed a full-service maintenance provider, P1 earned the work through a four-day facility assessment that secured what became the company’s largest preventive maintenance contract at the time.
To support the account, Regional General Manager Andy Dunbar assigned Eric Williams to relocate to Cheyenne and anchor the site, with veteran Service Manager David Pate providing on-site leadership. Their commitment helped establish a foundation for long-term success, maintaining the Holly Frontier partnership for more than a decade, and expanding P1’s reach across the region.
Today, P1 serves clients in data centers, manufacturing, technology, and commercial real estate, proving one project can spark a decade of growth.
After more than 10 years operating from Wichita, P1 now has a permanent Colorado home. The new Windsor facility supports five full-time technicians: Ben Bradford, Dave Rossi, Clint Peterson, Zayne Serrano, and Tyler Edwards. This means faster response times, localized support, and full HVAC capabilities, including preventive maintenance, repairs, and retrofits.
“I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to support the Windsor branch,” Andy said.
“The talent of this team is second to none. They bring excellent skill sets, deep customer relationships, and a commitment to win.
“It’s will be amazing to watch them grow.”
The Windsor expansion demonstrates P1’s customer-first approach and the strength of the BCTS platform, which supports leading mechanical service companies nationwide.
“Opening our Windsor branch reflects how P1 approaches growth,” P1 Service President Tony Whited said. “We follow our customers, commit for the long term, and invest in the people and infrastructure needed to deliver excellence.
“What started with one refinery project in 2012 has grown into a diverse customer base across Northern Colorado and Wyoming. Windsor isn’t just about where we’ve been, it’s about the momentum we’re building for what comes next.”
With Windsor officially established, P1 is actively recruiting technicians, maintenance sales reps, project sales reps, and administrative staff to support continued growth in the region.
BCTS EXPANDS NETWORK
Prairie Mechanical Joins BCTS to Grow Service Capabilities
Prairie Mechanical’s outstanding reputation and skilled workforce make them an ideal partner for BCTS. Together, we will continue to provide exceptional service while exploring new opportunities for innovation and growth. “
-Eric Reisner, BCTS CEO
Best in Class Technology Services, LLC (BCTS) has announced that Prairie Mechanical of Omaha, NE, a leading provider of mechanical contracting services in the Midwest, has joined BCTS.
Prairie Mechanical will operate as a division of BCTS, under P1 Service, further strengthening the company’s position in the industrial and commercial services sector.
Founded in Omaha, Nebraska, Prairie Mechanical has built a strong reputation for excellence in HVAC, plumbing, and mechanical systems installation and service.
Known for its commitment to quality, customer satisfaction and employee retention, Prairie Mechanical has been a trusted partner for clients across Nebraska and surrounding states with a long-tenured employee base.
Eric Reisner, CEO of BCTS, stated, “Prairie Mechanical’s outstanding reputation and skilled workforce make them an ideal partner for BCTS. Together, we will continue to provide exceptional service while exploring new opportunities for innovation and growth.”
“We’re excited to join BCTS, a partnership that will allow us to expand our geographic reach and the services we offer customers and create even more opportunities for our employees to grow and thrive,” Pat Kealy, President of Prairie Mechanical, said.
According to Smitty Belcher, Board Member and former CEO of BCTS, “Welcoming Prairie Mechanical into the BCTS family is another step in strengthening our network of high-quality service providers. Their deep expertise and regional presence align perfectly with our mission to deliver comprehensive, high-quality solutions to our clients while taking care of our employees.”
This partnership reflects BCTS’s ongoing commitment to strategic expansion and investment in companies that share its values of integrity, excellence, and customer focus.
NEW FACES/ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please join us in welcoming our newest P1 associates. KEY: (C) = P1 Construction, (S) = P1 Service
(C) Kimberley Moran Office Coordinator Pryor
(S) Joi Barnes Accounts Payable Clerk Lenexa
(S) Shannon Visser Hr Manager (FMO) Lenexa
(S) Brian Trigg ETM Sales Rep Lenexa
(C) Miranda Winter Project Engineer II Pryor
(C) Justin Bennet Project Engineer Lenexa
(C) Mark Grant Project Manager Lenexa
(C) Glenn De Soto Sr. Project Manager Lenexa
(C) Ben Hruban Assistant Project Manager Lenexa
(C) Chase Sweeten Project Manager Lenexa
(C) Phil Van Hoecke Sr. Project Manager Lenexa
(C) Jason Larsen Sr. Project Manager Lenexa (C) Russell Corpening VDC Lenexa (C) Jessica Derbyshire Accounting Clerk Lenexa
BIRTHDAYS + ANNIVERSARIES
NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
NOT ALONE: PAUSE POINT WHITE BOARDS PROMOTE
MENTAL HEALTH CONVERSATION
The month of September may be set aside to focus on suicide awareness and prevention, but mental health is something that needs attention year-round.
Even though mental health is a regular topic at P1 safety meetings, Safety Specialist Stephen Ratliff wanted to do something more than just talk.
Knowing that many people are visual learners, he came up with the idea for the Pause Point White Boards, a visual strategy to get P1 associates engaged in a commitment to positive mental health.
White boards have been placed in common areas of P1 offices, giving everyone an opportunity to participate in the monthly questions and challenges written on the board - anonymously.
“My hope is that we can get people to engage with the boards and write ideas down that may help someone who really needs to see it,” Stephen said.
“We may not know that a coworker is struggling, and I want people to see there is hope, regardless of the things they may be going through at the moment.”
Stephen knows from personal experience that the upcoming holidays and winter months can be especially difficult for some.
“The holidays are a time when people can get overwhelmed or lonely for many reasons,” he said. “For me, the hardest times were always the winter months after the holidays. There’s not much to look forward to and the weather is just cold and dreary. It can take real a toll on your mental health if you aren’t careful.”
Stephen hopes that the boards can alleviate some of that holiday/winter stress and also spark ideas and conversations that help eliminate the stigma of talking with each other about mental health.
Everyone has times when they aren’t feeling their best mentally, and even if now isn’t your time, take a moment to write down your thoughts on the board. You never know who might find encouragement in what you have to say.
“My hope is that we can get people to engage with the boards and write ideas down that may help someone who really needs to see it,”
HAPPENINGS
P1C and P1S Food Truck Lunch: The P1 Service office in Lenexa hosted a food truck lunch, bringing associates from both P1 Service and P1 Construction together for great food and a good time. Bottom row from left 1: P1C Vice President Eric Affolter; P1C Project Manager David Becerra; P1C Project Engineer Parker Jenkins; P1C Project Engineer Sam Stewart. 2: P1S Marketing Manager Jeremi Strasser; P1S Marketing Specialist Riley Shoots. 3: P1C Senior Project Manager/Team Leader Carey Minihan; P1C CFO Gloria Keating; P1S Proactive Solutions Consultant Jimmy Perlick
Hey, Baby! TURN THE PAGE...
Congratulations to P1 Construction HR Coordinator Rebecca Oberzan on the arrival of Ila May Oberzan October 22. Rebecca and baby Ila May are doing well.
BIG AWARDS AHEAD! Congratulations to the teams who brought them home, including one of the largest contracts in P1 Construction history!
Check out our big wins under Awarded Work
It’s been a great year for P1well done to ALL TEAMS for making 2025 a success.
