Published: 05/18/2026
Mark Taylor Inducted into NARSA Hall of Fame
By: Linda Nguyen Skoglund, Communications Director
linda@narsa.org
Longtime NARSA member Mark Taylor was inducted into the Hall of Fame on April 29, 2026 in Minnesota. Taylor accepted the award during the 2026 Spring Conference at The Garden Event Center in Duluth.
Taylor graduated from Wesley College before starting his own radiator repair business in 1981. He later owned and operated ERS Cooling Systems in Glen Burnie, MD for 36 years. He served as President of NARSA from 2014-2016, then Chairman of NARSA from 2016-2018 before serving as the association’s Executive Director from 2019-2024.
NARSA member Bobby Duran presented the award to his close friend and colleague. During the ceremony, Duran spoke about Taylor’s contributions to the cooling systems industry and his mentorship. He also shared some funny stories from over the years and a blooper reel from their time together as hosts of the Solder & Soot Podcast.
During his speech, Mark thanked his wife, Sandy, and their son, Nick, for their unwavering support.
The Cooling Journal caught up with Mark Taylor to ask what this recognition means to him:
How does it feel to be inducted into the Hall of Fame?
This ranks among the top 5 highlights of my life. Apparently, the board of NARSA thought I did something worth recognizing. I often joke with my wife and friends that I try to be at the top of mediocrity in the tasks and hobbies that I do. I don't think that I have ever been great at anything, so this award is a testament to perseverance and hard work. When my wife told me she thought I was getting an award from NARSA, I thought it would be for the Best Dressed Radiator Man!”
What would you say is your greatest accomplishment?
Lasting long enough to be able to learn how to manage a business and create an organization instead of a micro-managed company. I think and hope that over the last few years I owned ERS Cooling Systems, we created a real team atmosphere where our people enjoyed the workplace and learned skills they could apply in their personal lives.
How has NARSA made an impact on your career?
A couple of years ago, a friend of mine gave me a ride in their brand new SUV. Once I was in the vehicle going down the road, I was convinced I needed to get one. The experience was so great that I was instantly sold. I think NARSA was this way for me when I went to my first regional meeting in the early 1980's in Cherry Hill, NJ. Once I experienced NARSA, it was just like riding in that SUV. I knew I had to be part of it. Over the years, and especially in the beginning of my career, I learned a lot from attending NARSA events. Eventually, NARSA would provide friendships and business opportunities that would positively change my business and life forever.Are there any individuals you consider mentors, or people you have helped mentor?
In the 80s, there were some guys from the Pittsburgh, PA area who hung out together. I met them, spent some time with them, and started to learn about the radiator business. There was a gentleman, whose name I can't remember, who had a radiator shop in Butler, PA. He hosted an ed/tech meeting at his shop, and I attended. He had a fabulous radiator shop and used different radiator torches than anything I had seen up to that time. When I went back to my shop, the first thing I did was buy the same torches and gas that he was using. At this time in my career at the radiator company, this was a defining moment that changed the level of craftsmanship at the company. This is just one of many examples of how one idea can make a difference in your business.
One particular instance in which we mentored someone was when we let Jimmer Seger spend a week in our radiator shop, watching and learning to rebuild industrial radiators. Since Jimmer wasn't in our marketplace, I agreed to show him how we conducted heavy-duty radiator repair. We had hosted several events at our shop over the years, and I felt like most everyone in NARSA had always been forthcoming with information that I wanted to reciprocate.