Youngkin, former co-CEO of the Carlyle Group, to join long-time friend and AIR CEO Brad Hobbs
NORFOLK, Va., July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AIR Control Concepts (“AIR”) today announced that Governor Glenn Youngkin has joined the company’s Board of Directors. Youngkin spent 25 years at The Carlyle Group, including as Chief Operating Officer and, beginning in 2018, Co-Chief Executive Officer, and served as the 74th Governor of Virginia from 2022 to 2026. He joins AIR’s board as the platform continues to expand its network of operating companies across North America and Europe.
Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, AIR is a platform of more than 45+ operating companies and over 3,500 associates supporting HVAC, Mechanical, Electrical, Controls and Service businesses across North America and Europe. The company combines deep local market expertise with the scale and resources of a national organization, and its board plays a central role in guiding that growth as the platform scales.
“Glenn and I have been teammates three times now,” said Brad Hobbs, Chief Executive Officer of AIR Control Concepts. “The first was over 40 years ago, when we were kids chasing a state basketball championship together in high school, and I saw then what I still see in him today: someone who shows up, outworks everyone in the room, and makes the people around him better. The second was when I served as his state co-chair during his campaign for Governor and watching him lead Virginia only deepened my respect for how he thinks about building something that lasts. Now we get to do it a third time, together on AIR’s board, as AIR moves into its next stage of growth. I couldn’t be more excited about what he brings to our team, and I’m grateful to be working alongside my friend again.”
Youngkin holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a BA in Managerial Studies from Rice University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar. As Governor, he served as Virginia’s chief economic development officer; during his administration, Virginia was named CNBC’s “America’s Top State for Business” and reported record job growth and tens of billions of dollars in new capital investment commitments.
“Brad is my oldest friend. He has been a rock for me since high school. He was one of the smartest kids in the class and a star on the court. All of the qualities that make Brad a great friend, also make him a stellar CEO and I couldn’t be prouder to sit on AIR’s board of directors,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin, “AIR has built something rare in this industry: a platform that gives independent operators the resources to grow while keeping what made them successful in the first place like their culture, their people, and the customer relationships they’ve spent decades building. I’m looking forward to working with the board and the leadership team as AIR continues to scale.”
AIR will continue to build its platform through national and international growth and investment in its operating companies. Youngkin’s appointment marks his first corporate board seat since leaving office, and his addition to AIR’s board reflects the company’s continued investment in the governance and leadership needed to support that growth.
About AIR
Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, AIR is a global platform operating across North America and Europe through a network of more than 45+ operating companies and over 3,500 associates. The platform supports leading OEM partners and the customers they serve by combining deep local market expertise with the scale, resources, and connectivity of a national organization. AIR’s operating model is designed to preserve the entrepreneurial culture and trusted relationships of each operating company while enabling collaboration, shared services, and long-term growth across the network. Further information is available at www.aircontrolconcepts.com.
Media Contact
Kelly Duffy
kduffy@aircontrolconcepts.com
SOURCE AIR Control Concepts