Partners of Our Pack: Erik Rasmussen

The Coyotes' community commitment is tied to the involvement of its corporate partners. One of those partners is Apex Refrigeration & Boiler Co., which has supported the Coyotes' outreach, while developing a valued relationship with the Arizona Coyotes Foundation.
General Manager Erik Rasmussen has been with the company since 2007. As such, Rasmussen oversees all operational functions and finance, marketing, legal/contracts, strategic planning, licensing, human resources, and safety.

The company's clients include many local Valley rinks.
In this "Partners of Our Pack" feature, Rasmussen discusses the company's expansive relationship with the Coyotes.
What led to Apex Refrigeration & Boiler Co. partnering with the Coyotes?
The whole relationship started about six or seven years ago when we saw there was a golf tournament with the Arizona Coyotes Foundation. We went out to experience it, and it was an epic afternoon, and we thought, 'Why are we not really engaged with this side of the Coyotes?" We had been season ticket holders for a long time, but now we wanted to engage in a partnership. We began a relationship that led to sponsorships and charities the Coyotes were working with. We really got to know a lot of the players and staff. And we've been really engaged ever since.
Can you describe the partnership between Apex and the Coyotes?
We're Coyotes fans first, that's what keeps us engaged. The owner of our company, Joel Weisheit, has made it a personal goal to travel to every one of the NHL arenas for a Coyotes away game. As to the Arizona Coyotes Foundation, we are very engaged with events such as donations to the Phoenix Children's Hospital. On a youth hockey perspective, we believe in growing the game in the Valley. We are engaged with local ice rinks, such as the Ice Dens and Oceanside Arena, not just as a refrigeration partner, but as a primary sponsor. Being around the game and being around Coyotes functions has just naturally crept over into our culture.
What is your favorite part of the partnership with the Coyotes?
We were talking with a potential partner and one of their representatives said, 'We weren't really sure you guys were the right partnership for us.' As it turns out, that guy's daughter is a new girls hockey player in the Valley and she had a game last weekend over at the Ice Den. He was walking through the Ice Den and saw our logo there and it legitimized us for him. Not because of a refrigeration design, but it was, 'Hey, these guys aren't just a company that checks the boxes as a contractor, but they're here at the Ice Den engaged in this hockey community.' It made him think of us in a different light, not just as a contractor, but as someone (who connected) with his personal life.

Tell us about your involvement with the Arizona Coyotes Foundation?
Over the past six years, Apex has donated more than $130,000 to the Arizona Coyotes Foundation through the various events and initiatives. What makes it great is it's not even something that we think twice about. We're not some giant behemoth corporation where $130,000 is any easy thing to part with, but we (partner) with the Foundation like it's a part of our culture. It's built into our daily habits and what we plan for annually.
How does your partnership with the Coyotes affect Apex's overall business strategy?
From a business strategy, you don't want a customer just for the sake of having a customer. You want to find people to work with who are like-minded, have similar cultural values, have the same desire to be more than just an entity or corporation, that they actually see some value in giving back to the community. And that's what we've found partnering with the Coyotes. When you find a customer who celebrates the values of your organization, it becomes more than a monetary transaction. It ends up becoming an actual partnership. That's the way we like to engage with our customers.
Can you tell us about Apex's partnership with the Ice Den Scottsdale/Chandler and Oceanside Ice Arena?
We make sure the ice stays cold. It started with the Ice Dens years ago, then they expanded from Scottsdale and out to Chandler -- and we've continued to grow with them. There is a real energy behind growing the sport in Arizona. I think the Coyotes are the sole reason for that. The engagement at the youth level has been the key. There are a number of other sheets of ice that are going to open up in the Valley that will be full the moment they're open. That's a testament to the growth. It will help the Coyotes, and obviously for companies like us, we would love to partner with every rink across the Valley.
What is your favorite part about attending a Coyotes game?
I've never met somebody who's left a hockey game after watching it in person who thinks it's better on TV. I've got people who aren't hockey fans who we bring to the rink. They sit with us at games and leave the arena as rabid, crazy screaming fans. They're like, 'When can I come back?' It's fun to take somebody who's never been to a live game, put them in those seats, and watch their reactions.
Who is your favorite Coyotes player?
Oliver Ekman-Larsson. He does nothing but care about his community. He has always been willing to go the extra mile. We had a family member last year who was diagnosed with cancer, and Oliver sent him a personal video message. When this guy saw it, he broke out in tears. He never expected anybody like Oliver to care about him. It just floored him. For me, I want players representing my team to have that level of character.