Market and Supply Chain

ACCA names Laura Demarse president and CEO

Demarse, who led future-of-work programs at the Charles Koch Foundation, starts Nov. 9. She succeeds Barton James, who left in June.

By The Gradient Report Staff

Key points

  • The Air Conditioning Contractors of America named Laura Demarse, Ed.D., its president and CEO. She starts Monday, Nov. 9.
  • Demarse was vice president for future of work at the Charles Koch Foundation and earlier directed Ford Motor Company's STEM Office for Outreach and Engagement.
  • She succeeds Barton James, who ACCA said in June had "concluded his service" as CEO. Former board chair Martin Hoover served as interim CEO.

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America's board has named Laura Demarse, Ed.D., as the group's next president and CEO, board chair Kurt Hudson wrote Nov. 5 on ACCA's blog. "Laura will start on Monday, November 9," he wrote.

Demarse was vice president for future of work at the Charles Koch Foundation, where Hudson wrote she "led a national portfolio supporting economic growth and mobility." Before that she was a workforce development leader at Ford Motor Company, where she directed the STEM Office for Outreach and Engagement. She founded the Accelerate to Industry Program, or A2i, which Hudson wrote is "now used at more than 30 institutions worldwide."

"Finding, training, and keeping skilled technicians is the defining challenge facing HVACR contractors today," Hudson wrote.

"It is an absolute honor to join ACCA," Demarse said in the post. "My commitment is to champion your work, amplify your voices."

ACCA's board chair wrote that finding, training and keeping technicians is the main challenge for HVACR contractors.
ACCA's board chair wrote that finding, training and keeping technicians is the main challenge for HVACR contractors.AI-generated illustration

ACCA said in a release announcing a national CEO search that "Barton James has concluded his service as Chief Executive Officer." The release named Martin Hoover, ACCA's 2024-2025 board chair, as interim CEO. ACHR News reported that James led ACCA from March 2019 until June 2026.

Hudson is principal of LC Anderson in Boston, according to ACCA.

Sources

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