Iowa native, Tom Koth, worked at a newspaper printing press and a butcher shop while putting himself through college for HVAC-R. Upon graduating he got a job working for Rex Bentley, owner of Whalen & Bentley , a Lennox dealer in Storm Lake, IA. A job wasn’t the only thing he got from Rex. Tom fell in love with Rex’s daughter, Julie, and the two were married. The day after the wedding the couple moved to Dallas, TX but only stayed a few short years.
Eventually, Tom and Julie moved back home and opened Koth Refrigeration and the Lakes Rental Center in the heart of Spirit Lake, IA. The couple had two boys, Tony and Nick. Tom ran the business and Julie worked as a dental hygienist. Life was good, but after 30 years in Spirit Lake, Tom and family decided to make the move to Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri in search of warmer temperatures. He sold the business in Spirit Lake and opened Tom’s Air Conditioning in 2012. Tom soon won the loyalty of many lake area residents based on his integrity and strong work ethic. Things soon became too busy for just one man so Tom called his oldest son, Tony, to be his partner in late 2013. Tom tragically and suddenly passed away in June 2014. He will forever be the heart and soul of our mission at Tom’s Air Conditioning.