Pioneers in Marine Air Conditioning.
Today's Thomas Marine Systems was opened by John Thomas Jr. and his wife, Sue, in 1989 — but the company's history in South Florida runs much deeper than that.
A legacy that built the industry
John's father, JT Sr., began working in residential air conditioning with his brothers in Hialeah in 1967 but soon discovered the demand for marine cooling and began to specialize in the field. He installed one of the first air conditioning units ever built by Cruisair founder Jere Crews, as well as the very first unit built by Marine Air founders Bert and Connie Ammons.
Truly a pioneer in marine air conditioning, JT Sr. designed, built, and installed most of the large-vessel air conditioning and refrigeration systems in South Florida in those early days — when the industry itself was still being established.
From the shop floor to the helm
John Jr. started working with his father at the age of 12. He later served in the U.S. Navy, where he received his electrical and 3D radar background, then returned to South Florida to open Thomas Marine — today a thriving family business with 18 employees.
John Jr. has served two terms as a board member of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida and currently serves on the board of the Miami Marine Council, the leading nonprofit advocacy group for recreational boating interests in Miami-Dade County.
Both South Florida natives, John Jr. and Sue have worked together at Thomas Marine since 1989 and have three children. They are avid airboaters and anglers — but enjoy occasionally escaping to the mountains of northern Georgia.
Industry leaders, then and now
Thomas Marine remains an industry leader, specializing in the design, installation, and service of air conditioning, refrigeration, and watermaking systems for private yachts as well as commercial and military vessels.
We operate and staff two physical locations — each with a fully equipped shop for bench testing and repair, an on-site parts and equipment warehouse, and on-duty personnel. Our fleet of service vehicles provides mobile service throughout Florida, including all major marinas and boatyards.
We are longstanding members of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) and strictly adhere to ABYC Standards in our work. We also maintain active membership in the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, the Miami Marine Council, and the US Superyacht Association.
We represent what we believe to be the best equipment available today in terms of serviceability and customer satisfaction — and we take equal pride in our commitment to traditional service values: doing what we say we will, standing behind our work, and being here when the phone rings.
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