Executive Vice President Emily Saving is leaving Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) at the end of the year, the Columbus, Ohio-based company said.

Nick Benton will be promoted to vice president of operations.

Saving joined the HARDI in 2010 as education service manager and revamped the company’s education and professional development programs and services.

Saving later became vice president and then executive vice president in 2018. She played “an integral role in the association’s considerable growth throughout her tenure and she leaves the organization as its chief architect of the current performance management program and innovative rewards and bonus model largely unheard of among similar associations,” HARDI said.

She is leaving to pursue small business ownership outside of the HVACR or association industries.

“This month is bitter-sweet for HARDI and me,” said HARDI CEO Talbot Gee. “Emily had grown into a true jack-of-all-trades and a strong leader who I’m excited to watch thrive in her next chapter. It will take a lot for us to replace what Emily had done for us and our members. Thankfully, we have talents like Nick eager and capable of growing their roles and careers with HARDI and I’m so excited to see Nick’s vision for our continued excellence and improvement.”

Benton joined HARDI in 2014 as an education specialist, expanding the company’s training offerings and eventually growing into the leader of HARDI’s Talent Pillar. Most recently, he served as HARDI’s director of information systems.