Fairway Cooling and Heating
Back To Doing Business The Fair Way!
by Kevin Boerup
Brian McCulloch built Fairway Cooling and Heating the way a thoughtful golfer plans a shot: with patience, precision, and a clear sense of where he wants the ball to land. His path to HVAC wasn’t a straight line from apprenticeship to ownership. It unfolded in chapters—golf, real estate, then heating and cooling—each shaping a philosophy rooted in honesty, craftsmanship, and community.
The Early years
Born and raised in Seattle, Brian began his career in the golf industry, working in sales at 18. He taught clinics, helped players refine their swings, and built long-term relationships with clients. Those early years shaped how he thought about service. Golf rewards patience and punishes shortcuts. It also demands integrity. You call penalties on yourself. You show up prepared. Those habits stayed with him.
He later moved into real estate, where he learned the value of hyper-local knowledge. Success didn’t come from chasing every listing across town. It came from understanding neighborhoods, knowing the schools, the builders, the uniqueness of each area. That experience reinforced the importance of serving a defined community well.
A conversation during the 2007 housing collapse set him on a new path. A friend who owned an HVAC company asked him if he could sell a furnace. That simple question opened the door to a new industry. Brian credits a mentor—the sales manager he calls his “guru”—for teaching him the technical and consultative side of HVAC. He learned proper system sizing, airflow principles, and how to walk homeowners through options without pressure. The goal was never to sell the biggest unit, but the right one. Those lessons became the foundation of Fairway.
Why Fairway Cooling and Heating
Brian’s move to Tucson began as a lifestyle decision. He and his wife, Cathie, fell in love with the desert landscape, the sunshine, and the strong sense of community while shopping for a second home. The original plan was to split time between Arizona and Washington. Instead, Tucson became home.
In 2017, after working at a local shop and reconnecting with colleagues in Seattle, Brian and Cathie decided it was time to build something of their own. He wanted to create a company from the ground up that reflected his values.
Fairway was built on a simple idea: return to the way business used to be done. Be the trusted local company people can count on year after year. Rather than casting a wide net across the entire metro area, Brian focused on northwest Tucson communities—Oro Valley, Marana, and SaddleBrooke—choosing depth over breadth. That focus allows the team to respond faster, reduce windshield time, and truly understand the homes they service, many of which share similar builders and layouts.
Character first, then skill
Fairway’s hiring philosophy starts with character. Skill can be taught; character cannot. Brian looks for people who are honest, respectful, humble, and team-oriented. Once he finds the right fit, he invests in training and development.
He brought in Jacob, Fairway’s highly skilled service manager, who keeps the team technically sharp and up to date on evolving equipment, diagnostics, and certifications. Julian, the install manager, leads with craftsmanship, handling custom sheet metal fabrication and ensuring the install crews are efficient. Attention to detail matters, especially in Arizona’s extreme heat.
Two decisions highlight Fairway’s commitment to integrity. Their service technicians are paid on salary, not commission, removing the pressure to upsell unnecessary repairs. Customers get straightforward recommendations based on need, not incentive. In addition, Fairway maintains an open showroom where neighbors can stop by, meet the team, and see examples of workmanship. In an industry that often operates behind closed doors, that transparency builds confidence.
What makes Fairway different
Fairway’s advantage isn’t a flashy feature or aggressive marketing campaign. It’s culture. Calls are answered by people who listen. Technicians arrive on time, communicate clearly, and leave homes as clean as they found them. Recommendations are explained in plain language so homeowners can make informed decisions.
Brian intentionally limits advertising and rapid expansion. Growth comes primarily through referrals and repeat customers. By staying focused on selected communities, the company protects service quality and keeps standards high.
Operationally, Fairway stands out for its family feel. Chloe, the office manager, keeps scheduling organized and responsive, making sure technicians are dispatched efficiently and customers aren’t left wondering when help will arrive. The result is a company that runs smoothly behind the scenes and delivers comfort without drama.
A neighborhood company with a human touch
Brian’s varied background continues to shape Fairway’s identity. From golf, he learned patience and accountability. From real estate, he learned the power of local expertise. From his HVAC mentors, he learned that education builds trust.
Inside the company, he works to create a family atmosphere. He prefers spontaneous team barbecues to rigid, checkbox meetings. He believes morale grows through genuine connection, shared wins, and mutual respect.
In an industry where short-term profits can tempt shortcuts, Fairway refuses to cut corners. Brian’s belief is steady and practical: do the job right, treat people fairly, and stay rooted in the community. Over time, that approach compounds. For homeowners in Oro Valley and nearby neighborhoods, it means reliable comfort, (with 10 year parts/labor warrantys) honest guidance, and a local company that plans every job with care.