Meet Our HVAC Service Team
Ernie Cooper
Ernie Cooper was born in Vermont. He grew up on a dairy farm and became his grandfather's shadow. It was from his grandfather's influence that his interest in mechanics developed. As he grew up, Ernie found life leading him into college, where he did well, but he couldn't handle sitting in classes all day. In 1973 he married his high school sweetheart, left college, and started working for a landscape company. Ernie's father-in-law owned a Heating and Cooling HVAC Service Company, and in the spring of 1974, he offered Ernie to join his company as an installer helper. Ernie has never looked back.
- Fall of 1974 to Spring of 1976 - Vocational training night school.
- Fall of 1982 - Joined CMIS Inc. as a lead mechanic.
- December 1990 - Passed Master Mechanical exam.
- July 1995 - Founded Heart of America Service Company LLC with brother-in-law Eugene Rathjen.
- 2002 to present - Has 136 hours of continuing education through Johnson County; it is required for a person to do continuing education in order to keep their Master's rating current in their field.
- Certified Diakin mini-split and VRF installer/service.
- Certified York heating and air conditioning installer/HVAC service.
- Licensed in 4 states and 50+ municipalities.
Gene Rathjen
Eugene Rathjen was born in rural Iowa. He attended college for two years at Muscatine Community College before transferring to Central Missouri State University. In college, he pursued degrees in Math and Education with a minor in Geology and Psychology. Gene met and married my wife here in Kansas City in 1984. As college did little to prepare me for working in the heating and cooling HVAC service industry, he has participated in continuing education both in the field and with industry-specific training.
- July 1995 - Founded Heart of America Service Company LLC with brother-in-law Ernie Cooper.
- August 2009 - Completed Nordyne training in commercial refrigeration.
- November 2012 - Passed Master Mechanical Exam.
- April 2018 - Completed training in Variable Capacity Heat Pump Systems.
Nathan Rathjen
Nathan has been with Heart of America Service Company starting as a teenage assistant to his father, Gene, later returning to become a technician. He was born in Kansas City and is the third generation doing HVAC. He is a dedicated husband and a father of 7 with his high school sweetheart, Linda.
He holds a Master of Mechanical since 2016 and keeps continuing his education each year. Nathan is certified for air balancing through NCI as of 2026. This knowledge not only gives him that superior edge but ultimately benefits our customers with peace of mind that when Nathan is on the job, it is going to be done right.
Whether residential, commercial, or construction, Nathan takes pride in his quality work and an eye for detail.
Josh Kitchens
Born and raised in Southeast Kansas, Josh graduated from high school in Caney before earning his Associate of Applied Science from Oklahoma State University. He joined the Heart of America team in 2023, putting his downtime to use by completing his EPA 608 Universal certification. Since then, he has been a dedicated service technician who genuinely enjoys the daily challenge of solving complex problems—especially when it means his customers can live and sleep more comfortably.
Adam Rathjen
With over five years of dedicated experience in the HVAC industry, Adam is a cornerstone of the Heart of America Service Company team. A true local, born and raised in the Kansas City area, Adam’s career is rooted in family tradition, mastering the trade within the very company his family built.
Adam holds an EPA certification and specializes in complex diagnostics - He is a problem solver by heart. Adam is dedicated to the longevity of your system.
Jonathan Fisher
Jonathan is an HVAC technician with a passion for troubleshooting, problem-solving, and animals! He enjoys the challenge of diagnosing HVAC/R systems and finding practical solutions to keep equipment running reliably. He is always learning and expanding his knowledge of the trade. Opportunities for growth are a priority for him.
Having worked in construction since day one here, he thoroughly enjoys watching an empty building turn into, piece by piece, a moving and “breathing” operation.
Jonathan believes in doing quality work, treating everyone with respect, and explaining things clearly so you will know what’s happening with your system. His future goals include achieving a mechanical master certification.
Oualid Ben Messaoud (Ben)
Ben is an HVAC technician with 5 years of hands-on experience in residential and commercial service. Part of the Heart of America Service team, he handles everything from diagnostics and troubleshooting to full system installations and construction projects. Originally from Algeria, Ben earned his HVAC certification through Johnson County Community College and holds his EPA and OSHA licenses. Ben is serious about staying sharp whether that’s keeping up with new equipment, troubleshooting tricky jobs, or getting better. The work’s rewarding, the learning never stops, and he takes pride in doing it right.