Meet the Owner & CEO
Barry Farah
Builder · Entrepreneur · Author · Servant Leader
“We do not gouge customers when it’s 120 degrees. Our approach is missional, not mercenary.”
$1B+
Career Revenue Generated
12×
Champion Air Growth
388%
Best Exit Return (Annual)
25+
Years Nonprofit Leadership
Barry Farah is a builder of companies, cultures, and people. Over four decades he has founded, scaled, and led organizations across technology, engineering, hospitality, real estate, and business services. His career began at IBM, where he became a Top Performer in a culture defined by precision and customer-centric rigor, then moved to Ford Motor Company, where he served as Controller on the $8 billion second-generation Ford Taurus and Lincoln Continental program.
In 1991, he launched a group of national B2B service companies that grew to serve clients in 43 states and generate more than $1 billion in total revenue. He later founded Master Solutions, a defense software firm with a four-star general on the board and premium DoD contracts in radar and satellite systems. When he sold the company to SGT, a NASA-adjacent contractor supporting the Hubble Telescope program, the exit delivered a 388% annual return.
In 2014, he founded Precocity, a technology consultancy that grew to 300+ employees across 30 states and three countries, serving Goldman Sachs, UBS, Fannie Mae, Louis Vuitton, MIT, and GEICO. Across every venture, the through-line has been the same: build environments where customers win and teams thrive.
20
out of 7,200
Champion Air is one of roughly 20 dealers in North America to receive the Dave Lennox Award for excellence in service, growth, and customer satisfaction.
In 2020, Barry acquired Champion Air with a vision to build a missional company where the customer is the Champion. Under his leadership, the company grew from $1 million to $12.2 million in five years and earned the prestigious Dave Lennox Award. He introduced a leadership framework built on three pillars: Authority & Responsibility, Proactive Service, and Continuous Improvement.
That philosophy didn’t come from HVAC. It came from three decades of studying what makes customers stay. Barry pioneered the concept of Customer Success in the late 1990s and authored three books on the subject: Customer Success, The Magic Wand, and Customer Go Ahead. Each explores a different dimension of what he calls “missional” business, the idea that companies exist to serve, not to extract.
He teaches his team to think ahead, communicate clearly, and take pride in their craft. He believes technicians should be educators, not salespeople. And he believes excellence is a habit, built one thoughtful action at a time.
Four Decades of Building
Corporate Foundation
- IBM National Marketing Division, Top Performer
- Ford Motor Company, Controller on the $8B Taurus/Continental program
- Crowe, Chizek & Company, Management Consultant
Entrepreneurial Breakout
- GAAP Solutions, The Personnel Department & The Payroll Solution: 43 states, $1B+ revenue, 37% avg. annual return
- Master Solutions: DoD radar & satellite contracts, sold to SGT (NASA/Hubble), 388% annual return
Technology Leadership
- Precocity: 300+ employees, 30 states, 3 countries. Clients included Goldman Sachs, UBS, Louis Vuitton, MIT & GEICO
Real Estate & Development
- $22.5M Hyatt House hotel: stepped in as licensed GC after contractor default, completed in 8 months
- Bakken Residence Suites: 133 rooms, 62 buildings, 71% annual return
Education
The Ohio State University
MBA, Finance & Operations
Weidler Scholar, Logistics Scholar
Oral Roberts University
B.S. in Computer Science
Harvard Business School
Executive Education
Strategic Negotiations
U of Chicago Booth
Executive Education
M&A Finance
Published Works
Customer Success
The playbook that defined Barry’s customer-first philosophy across four decades of business.
The Magic Wand
Transforming ordinary businesses into extraordinary customer experiences.
Customer Go Ahead
Giving frontline teams the authority to serve customers without red tape or hierarchy.
Barry Farah
Chairman & CEO · Author · Entrepreneur
Community & Service
Champion of the Week
With NBC 12 News — celebrating Phoenix Valley youth.
Brenda’s Champion Award
Free AC gifted annually to a community hero.
25+ Years Nonprofit
Board leadership across education & global missions.
Family & Faith
Married 40+ years. Father, lifelong learner.
As Seen On
Experience the Champion Air Difference
See why Arizona homeowners have trusted Champion Air for over 40 years. Contact us for a free estimate.