Reliable Controls believes it’s the people behind the technology who make all the difference. That sentiment was front and center at a recent celebration in Québec City, Canada, where the company marked the sale of its millionth controller, a major milestone made even more meaningful thanks to the people who helped make it possible.
On March 22, 2025, Reliable Controls President Tom Zaban traveled to Québec City to surprise long-time Authorized Dealer Contrôles AC with a commemorative shadow box that contained our millionth controller sold, a MACH-Pro2. But the real surprise? A second shadow box, crafted just for Tom.
Tom first signed Contrôles AC as an Authorized Dealer in 1997, after a handshake deal with company founder Pierre Pomerleau along with Real Audet and Michel Tremblay. At the event in March these original partners joined current Contrôles AC staff to honor decades of partnership and collaboration.
Behind the scenes, the celebration had been months in the making. Reliable Controls Business Development Executive for Eastern Canada Ben Colborne reached out to the company’s manufacturing team to locate a specific controller from an order placed by Contrôles AC in January. Once identified, they set it aside for the special occasion. Creative Director Richard Prevost then built a custom display box and shipped it to Contrôles AC, where the controller was secretly swapped for the mock-up used during the event. The big reveal came at the end of a heartfelt speech from Tom, who reflected on the growth of the partnership and its importance to Reliable Controls.
The event brought together approximately 50 members of the Contrôles AC team at a nearby restaurant for a pizza lunch and celebration. It was Tom’s first visit to Québec City in 12 years, and the excitement of the milestone made this trip super special.
During the lunch Tom presented a slideshow documenting the early days of the partnership, including archived photos and even Contrôles AC’s original purchase order from the late 1990s. One slide featured a personal spreadsheet Tom has maintained over the years, tracking controller sales by type—from the Burke 1000 to today’s RC-FLEX series—culminating in that symbolic 1 million mark.
Tom and Ben also took the opportunity to visit some local Reliable Controls customer sites, including Desjardins’ head office and the QScale data center project, a cutting-edge facility that will reuse waste heat from servers to warm an adjacent greenhouse, showcasing an inventive approach to sustainable building operations.
The visit was a compelling reminder of the relationships that form the backbone of business at Reliable Controls. As Ben put it, “It was a little stressful to pull off, but it all came together, and it meant a lot to everyone involved. When Tom shed a tear, we knew we had done something truly special.”
Reliable Controls was proud to mark this major milestone alongside the team at Contrôles AC, and they’re even prouder of the values and relationships that got them there. Here’s to the next million—built on people and technology you can rely on.
Interested in partnering with us? Reliable Controls is looking for controls contracting companies to join its growing network of independent Authorized Dealers. Get in touch today to find how it can help you meet your goals.
