Rex Hammerschmidt

At MNDOT, I am the refrigeration mechanic for the Office of Statewide Radio Communications. My responsibilities include but are not limited to, maintaining all HVAC systems, emergency generators, and general building maintenance at all radio tower sites in southwest Minnesota. My day-to-day tasks include cleaning condenser and evaporator coils, checking AMP draw on HVAC units, and conducting component tests such as capacitors, contactor's, and economizers. In addition to daily maintenance and repairs, I lead our refrigeration mechanics team meetings to ensure that all conflicts, ideas, and communications are addressed efficiently. I am currently participating in a leadership development program that is enhancing my skills in communication, interpersonal relations, and problem-solving.

At Minnesota State University, my job responsibilities included servicing, maintaining and repairing refrigeration equipment which included ice machines, walk-in coolers/freezers, stand alone coolers/freezers, and mini split air conditioning systems. It also included servicing and repair of kitchen and dining equipment in a commercial kitchen application. Other responsibilities included general repairs in my assigned campus buildings. During my tenure at MSU, I taught many student workers from diverse backgrounds about the general repairs and maintenance needed at the facility.

At Northern Comfort Inc. I was a service technician. As a technician, I was responsible for diagnosing problems with HVAC-R equipment and repairing them as needed. Repairs included general servicing, installing new parts, and installing new units if needed. Commercial service included rooftop units, gas-fired make-up air units, as well as boilers and radiant heaters. Residential service included forced air split systems, mini-split ductless systems, boilers, and indoor air quality units. At this company, I serviced all makes and models of equipment.

At Elite Mechanical Systems I was a job site foreman and a service technician. As a foreman I was responsible for assessing tasks and managing employees to complete the job in a timely manner, which also included; ordering materials, dealing with engineers, construction foreman's, and customers. Examples of some of those jobs included installation of commercial walk in coolers and freezers, piping and installation of chiller units, as well as residential and commercial HVAC systems forced air and radiant types. On the service technician side I was responsible for diagnosing, servicing, and repairing residential and commercial HVAC-R equipment which also included reading schematics and manuals to understand specific units. At this company I serviced all makes and models of equipment.

• At Medieval Metalwerx, my job was to fabricate sheet metal pieces by cutting, punching, bending, rolling, and forming with hand tools or machines. I interpreted blueprints, sketches, and product specifications to determine the sequence and methods of fabricating, assembling, and installing sheet metal products.

At Northern Comfort Inc. I was a service technician. As a technician, I was responsible for diagnosing problems with HVAC-R equipment and repairing them as needed. Repairs included general servicing, installing new parts, and installing new units if needed. Commercial service included rooftop units, gas-fired make-up air units, as well as boilers, and radiant heaters. Residential service included forced air split systems, mini-split ductless systems, boilers, and indoor air quality units. At this company, I serviced all makes and models of equipment.