We’re continuing our employee spotlight series with Dustin, Cala’s Southeast Territory Manager. Dustin works directly with plumbing contractors and builders to expand our Cala Pro network and help bring intelligent water heating to more homeowners. In this Q&A, he shares what drew him to Cala, what he’s learned from working with contractors across the Southeast, and why he believes heat pump water heaters are the future.

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Can you describe your role at Cala and what a typical day looks like?

As the Southeast Territory Manager, I work with plumbing contractors and builders to grow our contractor network and increase adoption of our intelligent heat pump water heater. My days are a mix of contractor meetings, product training, sales support, and lead follow-up, always with the same goal: build relationships and grow the business. Every day is different, but the focus is always on building relationships and growing the business.

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What attracted you to Cala, and why did you decide to join the team?

Coming from the HVAC industry, I was already familiar with heat pump technology, but I hadn’t seen it applied to water heating in this way. Once I looked into Cala, I was immediately drawn to the predictive controls and how the unit integrates with the home. My reaction was genuinely, “How has no one done this before?” At that point, I knew I wanted to be part of a company with the potential to fundamentally change how homes use energy

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You work closely with contractors across the South. What separates the most successful contractors from the rest?

The most successful contractors are genuinely bought in on heat pump water heaters as the future.  They lead with value, not price, and know how to talk about rebates and long-term savings. But what really separates them is process. They run a consistent, repeatable system, and they invest in their own marketing.

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What’s the biggest misconception homeowners or contractors have about heat pump water heaters?

One of the most common misconceptions I hear is that heat pump water heaters are loud and can’t keep up with demand. That may have been true in the past,  but Cala works differently. Instead of reacting after hot water is used, it predicts demand and preheats in advance so hot water is always ready. And it runs at roughly the same noise level as a refrigerator. 

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What’s been your most memorable Cala installation, customer interaction, or contractor success story so far?

NextGen Water Heaters was the first contractor I brought on as a Cala Pro, and they are fully bought in on heat pump water heaters. They completed the first Cala install in Georgia and now have multiple installs under their belt. It’s been rewarding to grow the relationship and watch their success. 

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