Building on a legacy of learning

Long before the ribbon was cut on a 25,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art training facility in Maple Heights, Ohio, the foundation for the Jay Blaushild Training & Education Center (J-TEC) was already firmly in place.

For decades, the late Jay Blaushild, second-generation leader and former chairman of Famous Supply, championed a simple but powerful idea: training is not optional in the trades, it is essential. He believed that investing in people was the most direct path to strengthening not only individual businesses but the industry as a whole. That mindset became embedded in the company’s DNA, shaping how Famous Supply approached contractor relationships, employee development and long-term growth.

Today, that philosophy has taken physical form.

In February, Famous Supply officially opened J-TEC, welcoming more than 500 customers, vendor partners, community leaders and associates to the new facility, which is attached to the company’s Cleveland Regional Distribution Center. The center stands as both a tribute to Jay Blaushild’s legacy and a strategic investment in the future of workforce development across the PHCP-PVF and HVAC industries.

“Seeing this vision come to reality has been incredibly rewarding knowing what it would have meant to my grandfather, Jay,” says Brian Blaushild, president of Famous Supply and a fourth-generation family leader.

From counter conversations to immersive education

Famous Supply’s commitment to training is an evolution decades in the making.

Founded in 1933, the company has grown from a single-location supply house into a multi-state distributor, but its approach to supporting contractors has remained consistent: go beyond transactions. In its earliest days, that support often happened informally, across the counter.

“From the beginning, Famous Supply has always believed our job was bigger than moving boxes,” Brian Blaushild explains. “Supporting contractors has meant helping them build better businesses. In the early days, that support happened at the counter — sharing knowledge, answering questions, helping troubleshoot.”

As systems became more sophisticated and the industry grew more technical, those informal interactions evolved into structured training through Famous University, the company’s long-running educational platform. But even that model, leadership realized, was no longer enough.

“As the industry became more technical, we knew we had to take the next step,” Blaushild says. “J-TEC is that next chapter… It’s not just a class, it’s an experience.”

That evolution mirrors broader shifts across the PHCP-PVF landscape. With increasing complexity in hydronics, electrification, controls and high-efficiency systems, contractors are under greater pressure to not only understand products, but to apply that knowledge in real-world scenarios. The gap between product knowledge and applied competency has widened, and distributors are uniquely positioned to help close it.

A facility designed for the realities of the field

J-TEC was built specifically to address that gap.

The 25,000-square-foot facility includes three classrooms, 12 fully equipped hands-on training labs and a 300-plus-seat Legacy Event Room. Each lab is designed to replicate real-world installation, troubleshooting and service environments, allowing contractors and technicians to move beyond theory and into practice.

“The scale changes everything,” Blaushild says. “Traditional classes are often limited in space, time and equipment. At J-TEC, we can simulate real jobsite scenarios. Technicians aren’t just watching slides. they’re diagnosing and troubleshooting. They perform it.”

Training areas span a wide range of applications, including residential and commercial HVAC systems, hydronics, boiler systems, controls and electrical, water heating, backflow prevention and ductless technologies. The goal is not just exposure, but to give contractors the confidence to apply skills immediately in the field.

The facility also deepens collaboration with manufacturer partners, a key differentiator in today’s training environment.

“J-TEC gives them a true platform to train alongside us, not just talk about product features, but teach application, troubleshooting and best practices on live equipment,” Blaushild notes.

That collaborative approach was on full display during the grand opening, which featured hands-on lab demonstrations, vendor showcases and technical sessions led by industry experts, including hydronics authority John Siegenthaler, P.E.

Honoring a philosophy

Naming the facility after Jay Blaushild was not simply a symbolic gesture, it was a reflection of the role training has played in shaping the company’s identity.

“Training became central under Jay’s leadership as the industry began changing more rapidly,” Blaushild says. “He firmly believed that expertise was not optional; it was essential.”

That belief extended beyond internal teams to customers and partners alike. Jay Blaushild viewed education as a shared responsibility, and one that required continuous investment and a commitment to raising the bar for professionalism across the trades.

“He saw training as an investment, not an expense,” Blaushild added. “He understood that when contractors grow in competency and confidence, their businesses grow, and so does the industry as a whole.”

J-TEC embodies that philosophy in tangible ways. From its 12 hands-on labs to its large-scale event space, the facility was designed not just for instruction, but for collaboration — bringing together contractors, manufacturers and industry leaders under one roof.

“He would be proud to see contractors, associates and manufacturers all collaborating… committed to raising the standard of the trades,” Blaushild says.

Addressing the workforce challenge head-on

While J-TEC represents a significant investment in advanced technical training, its impact is not limited to experienced technicians.

Workforce development remains one of the most pressing challenges facing the PHCP-PVF industry, with labor shortages, an aging workforce and increasing technical demands converging at a critical moment. J-TEC is positioned to play a key role in addressing that challenge.

“Beyond advanced training for seasoned technicians, J-TEC supports apprenticeship tracks, entry-level skill building and structured learning pathways,” Blaushild explains.

Through partnerships with schools, community organizations and local leaders, the facility aims to create a clear pipeline into the trades, introducing new talent to viable career paths while providing the training needed to succeed.

This dual focus on both entry-level and advanced training reflects a broader shift in how distributors are thinking about their role in the industry. Increasingly, they are not just suppliers of products, but stewards of workforce development and long-term industry sustainability.

A strategic investment in what comes next

For Famous Supply, J-TEC is more than a facility, it is a strategic statement.

“This is a transformational investment in the trades,” says Marc Blaushild, chairman and CEO of Famous Supply. “J-TEC represents our long-term commitment to helping contractors grow, compete and win,”

That commitment is closely tied to the rapid evolution of technology within the industry. As hydronics systems become more advanced, electrification gains momentum and controls grow increasingly sophisticated, the demand for technical expertise will only intensify.

“J-TEC positions Famous Supply, its manufacturer and contractor partners ahead of that curve,” Marc Blaushild says. “By investing in training infrastructure now, we ensure contractors are prepared for tomorrow’s technologies.”

It also reinforces the company’s broader vision of what a distributor can — and should — be. “We aim to be more than a distributor,” Blaushild adds. “We strive to be a strategic growth partner.”

The enduring message

If there is a single thread connecting Famous Supply’s past to its future, it is the belief that learning never stops. That message, leadership says, is one Jay Blaushild would still be delivering today.

“He would probably say something simple: ‘Never get comfortable,’” Blaushild says. “The industry rewards those who never stop learning.”

In an industry defined by constant change, from evolving codes and technologies to shifting customer expectations, the companies and contractors that prioritize education will be the ones best positioned to succeed.

With the opening of J-TEC, Famous Supply has made its position clear: the future of distribution is not just about moving products. It is about building knowledge, developing talent and creating opportunities for the next generation of skilled professionals.

And in that sense, Jay Blaushild’s legacy is not just being remembered, but it is being put to work.