General Manager

Company Background DHR Mechanical Service, part of Kelso Industries, is a market leader in commercial refrigeration and HVAC construction and service. Founded in 1997, DHR Mechanical Services specializes in refrigeration and HVAC solutions across the Southeast, serving supermarkets, convenience stores, and refrigerated warehouses. With branches in Atlanta and Tampa, and operations in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico, we are known for engineering excellence and top-tier maintenance services.

Our mission is to exceed customer expectations with quality products, exceptional service, and unwavering integrity, tailoring solutions to meet clients' unique needs.

Recruiter Notice: We respectfully ask external recruiters and staffing agencies not to submit candidates. We only accept direct applications. We are seeking an experienced and visionary General Manager to lead DHR through its next phase of significant growth. Reporting to the Divisional Vice President, South Division, at Kelso Industries, the General Manager owns DHR's full P&L across its Atlanta, Tampa, and Puerto Rico operations, sets the annual growth budget, and is accountable for delivering it. This role is expected to further shape DHR's strategic direction, drive operational excellence, and foster growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial performance: Own the full P&L and annual budget. Lead monthly WIP reviews and maintain clear visibility into backlog, pipeline, and forecast. Drive job costing discipline and margin improvement
• Customers and growth: Strengthen relationships with national grocery accounts, diversify the customer base across grocery, food processing, and cold storage, and grow GC and owner-direct work
• Operations: Lead multi-branch execution across Atlanta and Tampa, including scheduling, manpower planning, safety, quality, and compliance with industry standards and regulations
• People: Hire, develop, and retain top talent and field leadership. Build a strong bench through training, clear accountability, and succession planning
• Kelso partnership: Work with Kelso leadership and shared services (finance, HR, and systems) to carry division initiatives forward and adopt platform best practices

What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)

• Annual budget delivered, with a credible plan for significant growth
• Accurate, on-time WIP reviews and forecasts
• Key customer relationships retained and new customers added
• Project manager and field leadership roles filled and retained
• Strong safety performance across all branches

Qualifications Minimum Required:

• 5+ years of leadership experience in the HVAC/R industry, including 5+ years with P&L or general management responsibility. Refrigeration experience is a must-have.
• Proven success in strategic planning and execution
• Demonstrated strong leadership and team-building skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities
• Proven ability to drive innovation and manage change
• Commitment to delivering exceptional customer service
• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, construction management, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• Experience managing $30M+ business, with a track record of driving significant growth
• Strong command of construction financials, including WIP, percent-complete revenue recognition, and job costing
• Experience leading multi-site operations

Preferred

• Grocery and supermarket refrigeration construction experience, including CO2 and rack systems
• Master’s degree in business
• Ability to serve as a qualifier for state contractor licensing
• Experience with NetSuite or a similar ERP
• Spanish language skills

Location and Travel: Atlanta, GA metro area strongly preferred

• Regular travel to Tampa, Puerto Rico, and customer sites

Why Join Us? We’re committed to attracting talented individuals who seek a company with a strong foundation of success and an outstanding culture. We proactively provide competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and clear pathways for career advancement with autonomy and flexibility in an entrepreneurial environment.

Learn more about us at www.kelso-industries.com