The year was 1969. Mel Southerland, a union sheet metal worker by trade, wanted to be his own boss. He was also skilled at servicing heating and cooling equipment. That year, he would start his own company, Archway Cooling & Heating, named after the majestic Gateway Arch that had been recently completed.

Mel’s stepson, Bob Jones, along with Bob’s wife, Margaret, joined the company in 1971 and helped turn it into the business you see today; a family-owned and -operated company, with a fully staffed and stocked service department providing 24-hour service by NATE-certified technicians.

Success Built on a Reputation for Excellence

Archway also has developed a large contractor base for its new construction department, installing ductwork and heating/cooling equipment in more than 1,500 homes during the past 10 years.

There is a full-time office staff consisting of Bob and Margaret’s children. Mike entered the business in 1978 as an apprentice, then worked his way up to a Journeyman Sheet Metal Worker. When Bob retired in 2000, Mike took over as the operations manager.

Working alongside their brother, sisters Jeanie & Julie, helped grow Archway into the business it is today. Until her retirement in 2019, Jeanie established and oversaw the service department as Archway's Service Manager. And for over 35 years, Julie served as the Office Manger until her recent retirement in June of 2023. 

Over the last decade, Mike's sons Marc, Alex, and Brandon have followed in their Dad's footsteps joining the Archway team in both the service and new construction departments. In 2022, Mike's grandson's Cole, and Maddox, became the 5th generation to join the family business. So while we aren't quite sure if this is what Mel had in mind when he ventured out to become his own boss, we are glad he decided to bet on himself!

We Trust and Install Only the Best Products

We have installed and serviced Trane brand equipment for more than 30 years, a testament to our commitment to quality. Archway has been among the top 10 Trane dealers of all the 278 Trane dealers in Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa for each of the past 10 years, and has received numerous awards for consumer satisfaction. We celebrated our 40th anniversary in 2009, and look forward to another 40 years of providing quality service to our fantastic neighbors and customers.