AROUND THE CORNER: Alford’s LOCAL AIR carries on a Delta family legacy

By Guest Columnist Jacob Venuti

Everyone in the Delta knows that the support of our local businesses helps keep us strong. You see, it is the local businesses that support your children’s sports teams and the local schools, and it is local businesses who give back to the very community we live in. Out of town businesses don’t typically use the money they make from local communities and put it back into the community; they don’t use that money to go back and shop at your local hardware or grocery store. Rather, it is your local businesses who put the money back into the community.

For over forty years, those in the area have associated the Alford name with reliable heating and air conditioning service in the Mississippi Delta. Today, that trusted legacy continues — with a new generation, a new name, and the same unwavering commitment to quality. Introducing Alford’s LOCAL AIR, which the owners say will continue to be a dependable, family-owned HVAC solution.

Although they are currently back and forth between their home on the coast and their hometown of Leland, Lisa and Marc Fratesi have been dedicated members of our town. They relocated due to a job change for Lisa; however, they are constantly back and forth. Lisa serves on the board for the “Cross of the Flatlands” and has not missed a meeting yet. Their ties to Leland are strong, and they are eager to get back to Leland, which will always be their “home.”

In October 2023, the Fratesis took the reins of founder Jerry Alford’s HVAC business, launching a new chapter in a story deeply rooted in community values. While the name has changed, the Fratesis say the heart remains the same, with the Alford and Fratesi families keeping the Delta cool in summer and cozy in winter for more than forty years.

“Even though we’ve personally relocated to Ocean Springs for Lisa’s work, Leland will always be home,” said Marc. “We spend as much time here as we do on the coast. This community raised us and our children — now our business is here to serve it.”

At the helm is the couple’s youngest son, Rhett Fratesi, a licensed HVAC contractor bringing fresh energy and a deep sense of pride to every job. With Rhett managing operations and two of his siblings still calling Leland home — Landon, owner of Pipe-Right Plumbing, and Britton, a sales rep at Ayers-Delta — the Fratesi family remains a local presence.

Also key to the transition is Chris Pearson, grandson of Jerry Alford. Chris has stayed on with the company, continuing to provide the same quality, dependable service that customers have counted on for decades. His involvement ensures continuity and keeps the spirit of the Alford legacy alive in every service call.

Alford’s LOCAL AIR services all types of residential HVAC systems. From sales and installation to repairs, preventive maintenance and custom service plans — even light commercial work — they offer comprehensive solutions to keep homes and businesses comfortable all year long.

Financing options are available to help families stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter without financial stress.

“Whether you’re a lifelong customer or a first-time caller, we treat everyone like family and appreciate your business,” said Lisa. “That’s what makes us different — we’re not just in the community; we’re part of it.”

She and Marc credit their own parents, the late Lando and Mavis Fratesi and Mac and Beverly Durastanti, with instilling in them the values of faith, family and community service.

Dependable and local means Delta customers are not just hiring an HVAC company; they are welcoming a neighbor into their home.

For more information, call Alford’s LOCAL AIR at 662-686-4440.