Chinook Refrigeration: Cooling Calgary Since ‘66
Since 1966, Chinook Refrigeration has grown into one of Calgary’s largest commercial refrigeration and air conditioning companies by "keeping things cool."
This simple philosophy has served Chinook well for over 60 years. It was set by the company’s founder, Lloyd P. Elfner, who quickly established a reputation for providing reliable, high-quality refrigeration services to local grocery stores. As his reputation grew, so did the company’s team and ambitions.
Over the decades, Chinook expanded under leaders like Geoff Vachon, who guided its growth for 20 years from the 1970s, and Lorne Kemp, who took over in 2000 after advancing through the company since 1988. In 2021, ownership shifted to a group of long-time employees.
“We’ve been fortunate to have employees who have grown with the business and eventually taken it over to keep it going,” says co-owner Kevin Kisinger, who started as a second-year apprentice in 1993.
Today, Chinook’s team of 40 specialists focuses on the service and maintenance of commercial refrigeration systems for grocery stores, cold-storage warehouses, and specialized environments like server rooms. Co-owner Iver Bonyai, who joined as a draftsman in 1992, attributes much of their success to their local roots: “Calgary and the surrounding area have been good to us. We've had some really good customers who have shaped our business.”
After all these years, Chinook remains true to Lloyd’s founding values while adopting modern technology. “It’s about doing what we say and backing it up,” Kevin says. “We have personal relationships with our customers; when they reach out, they know exactly who is on the other end.”
Chinook has also developed strong ties to the HVACR community. The company is a longtime member of HRAI, with many of its former leadership being actively involved in its events and initiatives. Currently, Iver serves on the contractors' board and attends the annual general meetings, while also being president of the Calgary HRAI chapter, where he works alongside peers to build networks, share knowledge, and promote the sector.“The [HRAI] Annual General Meetings have always been fantastic for those opportunities,” he says. “We like to stay involved and participate in shaping our industry's future – HRAI advocates for our industry, engaging with government policymakers to make a difference, why not have a seat at the table?”
Chinook Refrigeration is still humming along after 60 years. And as the veteran leadership, like Kevin and Iver, map out its future, they are encouraged by the talent ready to take up their tools.“We probably have the youngest group of technicians we’ve had in a while,” Kevin says. “The old guard is retiring, and we have young, bright, energetic technicians coming on board. We’re also fortunate to still have people who have been here for 10 or 15 years, so there is plenty of knowledge to share with the newcomers”.
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