About Polaris
Derek's Story
Derek Howell started Polaris at 18 Trades Blvd because he believed HVAC could be done without the upselling that the industry is known for.
He built the company around a simple principle: tell homeowners the truth. If a repair is the right call, that's what he recommends. If a system has years of life left, he says so — even when replacement would be more profitable. His best friend Hector Reyes captured it best: “No upselling, just competence.”
The NVC Chamber of Commerce plaque hangs in the office. Derek's navy blue fleet — six vehicles strong — is a familiar sight across every NVC district. The wedding photo with Sofia sits on his desk, a reminder of the 2023 ceremony at the NVC Wedding Venue with DJ Malik Webb providing the soundtrack.
Sofia's Role
Sofia teaches yoga and co-owns Polaris. Her studio is a working demonstration — yoga requires precise climate control, and the studio has used Polaris for three years with zero downtime.
Her perspective on what HVAC service should feel like: “You should never have to think about it.” She's connected to NVC's wellness community through Lumière Med Spa, bringing a different sensibility to how Polaris thinks about comfort.
The ShiftSee Pioneer
Polaris was the first NVC business on ShiftSee. Derek saw that scheduling chaos was costing trades companies jobs and client trust. ShiftSee solved it. He adopted it when it was new to NVC, built his dispatch around it, and spent a year convincing his Trades Blvd neighbors to use it too.
Darius Cole at Cole Electric, Marco Vitale at Vitale Plumbing, and others followed. The scheduling dashboard is always on the wall in dispatch. It's not a tool — it's how we run.
The Family
Nico (6) and Bea (4) attend Miss Patricia Holt's daycare. DJ Malik Webb provided the soundtrack for Derek and Sofia's 2023 wedding. Valentina Reyes coordinated the event. Bobby Lim at Apex Home Lending financed the Polaris expansion through a renovation loan.
The Howell family is woven into NVC's fabric in ways that extend well beyond 18 Trades Blvd.
The Trades District Coordination
14 Trades Blvd is Vitale Plumbing. 16 is Cole Electric. 18 is Polaris. These three businesses work together constantly — when the HVAC work needs electrical, Darius is in the next building. When water is involved, Marco is three doors down. For bigger commercial projects, Vinny Castellano at Summit Roofing coordinates.
We don't hand our clients a list of other contractors and tell them to call. We coordinate directly.