About Us

Tom Vessella likes to say yes. He believes everybody deserves to succeed, and he’ll do everything possible to provide opportunities and prevent obstacles to their success. His faith in people often pays off.

His employees see him as a partner. They know that if you’re serious about your career, and you’re trying to earn the highest income for your family and for yourself, Energy-One is the place to be. Same thing if you want to work where you’re appreciated and actually like what you’re doing. You’ll be given good support, good direction, and all the tools you need to succeed. Then there’s the financial piece—the security of the paid hundred percent health insurance, the 3% 401K, and the nine paid holidays, plus uniforms, boots, and reliable transportation to the site.

Vessella hires the best, and he invests in them. He says, “Educating service techs is huge. The money and time we spend on this is just the cost of doing business. In the end it will pay dividends. Problems will be solved quicker; time will be spent more productively. You go in knowing you can get the job done quickly, efficiently, and then go on to the next one.” That’s what it’s all about—a high level of professionalism and cohesiveness. Who wouldn’t want to be on a winning team like that?

Bob does just about everything at Energy-One, from estimating to project management to service and installation. He steps in wherever there is a need.

Bob grew up in the plumbing industry. His father was in the trade, and Bob started out in high school as a plumbing apprentice. He’s always had tools in his hands.

His licenses include master plumber, master sheet metal worker, master pipefitter, and master refrigeration in Rhode Island, plus master sheet metal worker and master plumber in Massachusetts.

In 1993, he met Tommy Vessella when they worked together at a different company. The two started Energy-One in 1996. The company evolved from the original team of three to where they are today.

Gasbarro says, “It’s just been a learning process for all these years. Every day is a new adventure for us. We’re always learning something new in the industry.”

Bob is happy to be part of the premier HVAC company in the region. He likes that it’s a growing organization that is well-respected in the community with a large clientele. He’s proud of his talented and intelligent co-workers who do quality work in a diversified way. They communicate well, which may be why they are able to bring something so good to the table.

“Tom and I are very involved in the business, not absentee owners. We don’t just send the crew out in the cold to figure it out on their own. Our employees like about us.”

A lead estimator is most like a project executive. He basically does business development, from bringing in commercial customers to estimations and writing up the contract, then finishes up the job documentation. He sets up the job so the installers can execute it well, then manages the profit and loss.

Bryan has degrees in business management and accounting. He’s briefly served as HVAC apprentice but quickly moved to the office as project manager or estimator.

Bryan enjoys the great opportunities at Energy-One. He feels like you are in charge of your own destiny there. You can run with good ideas and grow with full company support. The teamwork, good communication, and feeling of being part of something that is growing—these are the things he appreciates.

D. J. Lawrence was doing carpentry on a construction site when he met Energy-One owner, Robert Gasbarro. Gasbarro needed help, so Lawrence stepped in as an HVAC technician. He went on to trade school and gained licensure as journeyman pipefitter, refrigerator tech, and sheet metal worker.

Today he runs high-end residential and commercial HVAC projects. He gets information about the project, visits the site to confirm what is needed, then designs the system, produces a materials list, and plans the job. He makes sure everything is ready, so no time is wasted when he returns with the crew to install the equipment.

He treats every customer like their home is a castle. This respect has helped him forge deep relationships with his customers.

He is grateful for the knowledge and resources that are available to the crew, as well as the 401K plan and the excellent health insurance. And he appreciates the fact that Energy-One is a good-sized company, but owners Tom & Bob make it feel like family. In fact, Lawrence considers them to be the best bosses you could ever work for! They work alongside the rest of the crew and are always available to work out problems that arise. Plus, they have helped him personally and professionally in countless ways.

As for the rest of the crew, the teams—plumbing, residential & commercial HVAC, and small project—all of them have each other’s backs on the job.

Kim Roles gained an accounting degree early in her career so she could take care of her young son. Further coursework and certification in yoga, meditation practice, and Reiki therapy brought new perspectives and greater work/life balance. All these steps on her path make  her perfect for the corporate controller role at Energy-One.

Today she oversees the financials and manages HR for this complex organization. Every day brings new deadlines, reports, tax filings, and fresh challenges. Roles appreciates her team and does her best to advocate for them. They know that every hour worked by the technicians and every part supplied needs to be accounted for, and they are adept at dealing with any discrepancies.

Along with all the other benefits the company provides, Roles is happy to be part of a team that truly values its workers. She’s grateful that the owners pick up the phone whenever she calls with a problem. They listen and do their best to fix it.  Generous, fair-minded, and supportive, they go out of their way so support every employee.

At age 25, I had my plumbing, pipefitter, and oil burner licenses, but little experience in heating service and none in air conditioning or refrigeration. I was offered positions at four companies. Energy-One’s offer wasn’t the highest, but I took the position because of Tom Vessella’s demeanor. He was very professional, he gave off a vibe that made me feel comfortable talking to him, and he was an honest man. He was the only of the four employers to offer more than just money. What could be more important than money? Simple: experience and knowledge. Tom asked if I would be willing to go back to school for air conditioning with all expenses paid—just show up, sit in class, and pass. I took the job. When I found myself in school a week later, I knew I’d made the right choice!

I became fascinated with HVAC because of the complexity of some of the systems. I just wanted to learn everything I could about the industry, so I began reading articles, schematics, and blogs. I watched troubleshooting videos. I rode with a co-worker for about seven months to absorb all he knew. He was excellent at low voltage wiring circuits and relays, which people in the industry struggle with all the time—some for their entire careers.

Here I was, a licensed technician getting paid to ride with a guy just to learn, like a first-year apprentice again. And Energy-One only charged the customer if it was an authentic two-man job. Every other company I know would bill the customer for training their guys. That’s speaks volumes about Tom’s character as an honest businessman.

I developed an obsession with being the best tech I could possibly be. Then one of the original companies I interviewed with contacted me with a proposal. They would pay significantly more money and give me part ownership of the company, a future I didn’t think Energy-One could match. When I told Tom, he turned down my offer to pay him back for my schooling. He invited me to contact him if the other company did not work out. I knew from the start this wasn’t a good fit. I was working ridiculous hours while the owner was out playing golf three days a week. I hated the way the shop was run.

So, I contacted Tom. True to his word, he welcomed me back with open arms, gave me a new van, paid for more schooling, and soon offered me the Lead HVAC Tech title. The company went through incredible growth on install and service. We began doing digital dispatching and invoicing and built a new team, each member bringing their own set of skills.

Now I’m in a whole new situation. I am a master plumber, master pipefitter, master refrigeration, with my oil burner service PJF license and my Connecticut P2 plumbing license. The trades have offered a good life for my family.

My passion is to succeed as a great father, husband, son, employee, service technician, and manager. I want to succeed in all aspects of life, and to encourage others to do so as well. That may not mean making the most money, having the biggest house, or the finest vehicles. It means giving 100% in everything you do. That will bring success, whether you see it or not.

As service manager, Paul Marquis makes sure the technicians are doing the work they are supposed to be doing. He tracks all the service calls that come in and the time they take to do.

He oversees maintenances of company vehicles and keeps the overview of people in the different departments, making sure everything is going the way it’s supposed to go. Any problems that crop up during the course of the day filter through him first, then go to the owners if he cannot make a decision. Irate customers unhappy with an invoice or who have other problems—he gets to deal with them to resolve the problem to the best to his ability.

Paul basically does whatever it takes to keep Energy-One running.

His background is in the oil industry where he started out delivering oil. From there, he went to trade school and did a lot of research on his own. He wanted to learn everything he could. Today he holds licenses as a master pipe fitter, refrigeration journeyman, and oil burner journeyman.

What he likes best about the company is the idea that he can make his own decisions. He treats Energy-One as if it were his own company. The owners give him free reign to make decisions, but they are always there to back him up.

As manager of the small projects division, Iacobucci is integral to the process from start to finish. The sales team passes residential HVAC requests directly to him. He contacts the customer to schedule jobs. Then he takes field measurements, plans the job, and orders materials. He makes sure technicians are on site with the information they need to succeed. All installation work for boilers, warm air and AC ductwork systems, and ductless systems run smoothly under his watch.

Iacobucci believes management at Energy One is committed to the continued success of its employees and customers. Employees are provided with vehicles, clothing, and 100% paid health coverage. He says, “Most of our work for new projects or replacement of aging equipment comes through our existing customers. I’m proud of the many compliments I receive from customers on our positive attitude,  workmanship, and cleanliness on the job sites.”

I manage the daily operations of the plumbing installations on all the commercial and residential projects.

Working at Energy-One has been a pleasure throughout my entire career there. I first started out as an installer and was promoted to manager as the company grew.

Owners Tom and Robert have been absolutely fantastic to work with, which is why I have been here for 18 years now. Although the industry can be challenging at times, I feel like Tom and Robert always have your back.

In addition to the other benefits of working there, I appreciate being able to drive the company vehicle home. That saves on gas, and along with the paid holidays, sick time, and vacation time, gives me more time with my family–and that’s really important to me.