About Us
Hi, I’m Jeff Cobena and I’m the proud owner of Southern Contracting. I started this company 32 years ago with one truck (the blue one shown below), $1600 in savings, a used torch set and a few basic hand tools. Much of my early profits were invested back into the company to purchase more tools and technical equipment that are essential to work in the A/C, heating, refrigeration and general contractor trade. I’m a firm believer in having the right tool for every job, it’s a wise investment that helps to insure that the work is done properly.
I graduated from the Refrigeration School of New Orleans after gaining many of my skills working as the Maintenance Supervisor at Cedarwood Apartments. I had worked previously as a maintenance and repair helper at 16 years old. Soon after, I was attending night classes to graduate and test for my refrigeration license. I still attend classes to this day for 15 to 20 hours a year to learn the latest technologies to keep up with the many changes happening in the field.
In 1992 I invested in a second truck and a technician/helper but, before long, further equipment and personnel additions were needed just to keep up with the demands. Now, we’ve expanded to 5 trucks fully equipped with tools and stocked with a wide selection of parts. Another addition is an enclosed equipment maintenance trailer, it’s basically a repair shop on wheels. We’ve also added a large flatbed truck for hauling heavy equipment and machinery and a trash hauler trailer. We’re confident that whatever your repair, maintenance or installation needs, we’re ready to provide prompt, efficient, first class service.