Kim's Top 5 Strengths encompass Responsibility, Discipline, Consistency, Relator, and Analytical.
Leadership
Tim Zacharias
President
Tim serves as the President of Cougar USA, where he collaborates with the Leadership Team to manage all facets of the business. In April 2020, he initiated the Building Value Podcast, shedding light on the individuals behind the scenes who contribute to the functionality of buildings, enhancing our daily lives.
Joining Cougar in 2007, Tim's journey began in accounting and project management. Through hands-on experience, he gained expertise in various aspects of the business before ascending to the position of Chief Operating Officer within the Leadership Team in 2017. Holding a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas A&M, he is an active member of ASPE, ASHRAE, ACOE, and CTG Leader’s Forum.
Additionally, he serves on the boards of the Wilchester Men’s Group and SBMSA Soccer Organization.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Tim is deeply passionate about engaging in sports activities with his sons, Mikey and Joey, and spending time with his beautiful wife, Ashley. Tim finds joy in competing – whether it's on the soccer field (HFA), flag football arena (WMC Pecan Bowl), softball diamond (WMC Spring Classic), or defending his title as the reigning champion of the neighborhood Christmas lights contest!
Tim's Top 5 Strengths encompass Achiever, Learner, Competition, Responsibility, and Strategic Thinking.
Scott Magee
Vice President Sales & Marketing
Scott is the Co-Founder and Vice President of Cougar USA. After spending nearly 25 years in the Houston mechanical and plumbing industry, Scott, along with his business partner Mike Zacharias, saw an opportunity to offer not just quality products but outstanding service to their customers and, as a result, started Cougar Sales in 2003. In the 21 years since Cougar Sales began, it has evolved into Cougar USA, a leader in the plumbing, mechanical and controls markets. Scott is a proud graduate of Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Political Science.
Scott enjoys his family, especially his two boys and all of his nieces and nephews. Scott can usually be found any given weekend attending their sports activities and loudly cheering them on from the bleachers.
Scott's Top 5 Strengths encompass Consistency, Context, Communication, Includer, and Activator.
Mike Zacharias
Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board
Mike is a Co-Founder and the Chairman of the Board of Cougar USA. After spending nearly 30 years in the Houston mechanical and plumbing industry, he, along with his business partner Scott Magee, saw an opportunity to offer not just quality products but outstanding service to their customers and, as a result, started Cougar Sales in 2003. In the 21 years since Cougar Sales began, it has evolved into Cougar USA, a leader in the plumbing, mechanical, and controls markets.
Mike is a proud graduate of the University of Houston with a B.A. in Business Administration. He has held many leadership positions in ASPE and the ASPE Product Show committees. Mike and Cougar USA have been recognized each year since the inaugural year as a Cougar 100 business – a roster of the fastest-growing UH Cougar alumni-owned businesses.
Mike is a native Texan who is passionate about his alma mater and their football team, the UH Cougars. He enjoys spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, cooking and watching sports.
Mike's Top 5 Strengths encompass Achiever, Positivity, Responsibility, Self-Assurance, and Arranger.
“EJ” Jaimes
Service Manager
EJ handles the majority of field service calls for Cougar USA. He has been with Cougar since 2009 and brings over 17 years of industry experience to his role here at Cougar. EJ is very hands-on and enjoys the challenge of solving complex problems for our customers.
EJ is a native Houstonian who is married with two children. His favorite hobbies, other than his dedication to his family, are watching sports and traveling.
EJ's Top 5 Strengths encompass Restorative, Achiever, Deliberative, Competition, and Belief.
JD Slough
Chief Financial Officer
JD is the company’s Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for overseeing Cougar’s accounting, treasury, tax, risk management, contract management, human resources, legal, IT, and property management. As part of the leadership team, he plays a key role in strategic planning, as well as managing the financial needs and internal controls of the company.
Randy Milian
Sales Manager
Randy is the Sales Manager for Cougar Sales. He has been with Cougar USA since 2016 and brings over eight years of management experience to his role here at Cougar USA, including managing personnel, inventory, processes, and delivering high-quality customer service. At a prior company, Randy received an award for Manager of the Quarter in 2016. He earned his B.B.A. in International Business from the University of Houston-Downtown and is currently working on his Strategic MBA in Entrepreneurship from the University of Houston-Victoria.
Randy is a native Houstonian, with parents who emigrated from Cuba. He speaks fluent Spanish. He is passionate about culture, service, sports and the arts. He loves meeting people from around the world to exchange points of view and helping other people to make a difference in the world. He loves every aspect of sport, and soccer in particular, because it teaches so many life lessons. He also loves the arts, and in particular, music, because as Aldous Huxley said “After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.”
Randy's Top 5 Strengths encompass Adaptability, Achiever, Ideation, Context, and Intellection.
Steve Hale
Operations Manager
Steve is the Operations Manager for Cougar Systems. He has been with Cougar USA since 2007. He brings over 24 years of experience in the Power, Cogen, Plant Utilities and Marine markets and 12 years Commercial HVAC experience to his role here at Cougar USA. Steve has worked in all aspects of production, including shop floor, field service, repairs and sales. He has performed field control work at fossil/nuclear power plants, petrochemical plants, refineries, shipyards, food processing plants, office buildings, universities and hospitals.
Steve is a native Texan who is married with three children and one grandchild. His favorite hobby is fishing.
Steve's Top 5 Strengths encompass Responsibility, Consistency, Adaptability, Includer, and Achiever.
Engineering Sales
Michael Balboni
Engineering Sales
Michael is our Engineering Salesman who calls on our MEP consulting engineers here in Houston. After a successful internship with Cougar USA in the Summer of 2016, Michael joined Cougar full time in January of 2018 as an Estimator. He completed 2 years as an Estimator before moving into his current role on the sales team. Michael graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution.
In his free time he enjoys spending time with family and friends, golfing, working out, and following all things Houston & Aggie sports.
Michael's Top 5 Strengths encompass Individualization, Achiever, Learner, Analytical, and Arranger.
Mohammad Zaidi
Engineering Sales
Mohammad joined Cougar USA in 2023. He graduated from UT Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in May of 2020. After graduation, Mohammad worked as a Civil Engineer in flood control and then took a gap year to travel.
Mohammad joins our sales team as an Engineering Salesman and will be calling on our MEP customers in HVAC.
Mohammad is from the Houston area, and loves spending time with friends and family, playing sports, and exploring the great outdoors!
Mohammad's Top 5 Strengths encompass Individualization, Restorative, Positivity, Includer, and Futuristic.
Outside Sales
Billy Carroll
Outside Sales
As an Outside Sales Representative at Cougar USA, Billy has the pleasure of working with commercial contractors, and end-users to bid, build, and maintain plumbing and mechanical water control systems. After spending over 10 years in education, he began his career on the plumbing supply side of the commercial construction industry in 2015 and now has the amazing opportunity to work more specifically in water control with the best team in the business here at Cougar USA.
He earned his B.S. from Texas A&M University and his M.S. from Liberty University. He is proud to still be a Certified Texas Teacher, as well as a member of the Texas High School Coaches Association. Additionally, he’s passionate about playing and coaching sports with his sons, Boman and Nolan, and spending quality time with his better half, Shireen. He was a member of the Club Baseball Team at A&M and still likes to compete in local leagues around the Katy / Houston area.
He thoroughly enjoys teaching, coaching, training, and serving others in all aspects of life, but above all, he loves spending time with his family.
Billy's Top 5 Strengths encompass Strategic, Relator, Arranger, Learner, and Ideation.
Jacob Avalos
Outside Sales
Jacob's Top 5 Strengths encompass Individualization, Learner, Achiever, Developer, and Relator.
Jeff Ontiveros
Outside Sales
Jeff is part of the Inside Sales team for Cougar USA. Prior to joining Cougar USA in 2019, Jeff was a department manager and warehouse manager for a flooring company for 6 years, where he coordinated all shipping and receiving of material. Jeff also assists as needed with the fabrication of Cougar Systems products.
Jeff is a native Texan who is passionate about sightseeing and hanging out with his friends. He enjoys both watching and playing a variety of sports.
Jeff's Top 5 Strengths encompass Achiever, Arranger, Consistency, Learner, and Competition.
Kyle Watkins
Outside Sales
Kyle's Top 5 Strengths encompass Achiever, Woo, Learner, Focus, and Restorative.
Miguel Vasquez
Outside Sales
Miguel worked in the oil and gas industry for 7 years maintaining equipment and troubleshooting. Miguel brought over many applicable skills to the Cougar team. He has been in field service for over 5 years, and he believes strongly in customer satisfaction. He has received recognition for safety, quality, cost savings and leadership. Miguel does very well with handling issues and corrective actions.
Miguel is married and has three children. He enjoys hanging out with his family, movies, sports and woodworking.
Miguel's Top 5 Strengths encompass Achiever, Strategic, Input, Self-Assurance, and Responsibility.
Inside Sales
Logan Garten
Inside Sales
Logan's Top 5 Strengths encompass Arranger, Individualization. Strategic, Positivity, and Developer.
Todd Thornton
Inside Sales
Todd handles inside sales for Cougar Sales. He has been with Cougar USA since its inception in 2003 and brings over 30 years of industry experience to his role here at Cougar USA. He attended Southwest Texas State College for two years and has attended numerous training sessions in the various products that Cougar USA offers.
Todd is a native Texan who is passionate about motorcycles, water sports, and exploring nature.
Estimating
Heather Helmer
Estimator
Heather graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. She brings more than 16 years’ experience in highly detailed cost analysis, working with project managers and engineers. She joins the Cougar family as a Project Administrator.
Heather is married with two active children in sports. She loves watching sports, especially when her kids or niece or nephews are playing. She enjoys taking pictures and capturing memories with her family.
Heather's Top 5 Strengths encompass Relator, Responsibility, Achiever, Consistency, and Harmony.
Jayce Barber
Sales Administrator
Jayce’s Top 5 Strengths encompass Empathy, Developer, Includer, Positivity, and Consistency.
Jayce joined Cougar in June 2024.
James Solomon
Estimator
James is an Estimator for Cougar USA. He has been with Cougar USA since 2013 and brings over 25 years of experience in the plumbing industry to his role here, including estimating, fabrication, purchasing and production management. James completed two years in the apprentice program with Plumbers Local Union 68 and is a former member of the Pipefitters Local 211. He maintains an OSHA 10 certification. James excels at problem-solving and in “making things work” to get a quality product to our customers as promised.
James is married and has two children. He enjoys the outdoors with activities such as hunting, fishing and playing golf.
Kristina McCreary
Estimator
Kristina has served as an estimator for Cougar USA since February of 2023. Drawing from nearly 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Kristina integrates her prior work of everything from Inside Sales to Project Manager into serving her duties to fulfill the Cougar Promise. Her experience proves most useful while working as she analyzes a myriad of plans and specs to quote various projects.
Aside from her professional career, she loves caring for her family and playing sports. Her two favorite sports are softball and sand volleyball, though she also enjoys cheering on her son as he plays baseball. Besides sports, she also enjoys restoring old furniture and cooking carefully crafted homemade meals. While she cares for two loving fur babies, she has also been loving her own two children for 14 and 21 years each.
Kristina’s Top 5 Strengths encompass Achiever, Strategic, Futuristic, Relator, and Input.
Customer Service
Alex Amaya
Warehouse Clerk II
Alex's Top 5 Strengths encompass Arranger, Restorative, Analytical, Significance, Strategic
Alex joined Cougar in April 2024.
David Aguilar
Purchasing
David started working for Cougar USA in the Procurement/Purchasing role in 2022. He works with the sales and project teams to place orders for materials on sales orders and helps coordinate shipments. David previously worked at a water and oil filtration systems company for 6 years as a team lead and later as a warehouse manager where he assisted the manufacturing department with the coordination of orders and the purchasing department with cycle count reports and inventory management.
David loves spending time with his family as well as going to concerts, playing soccer, traveling, watching sports, visiting breweries, and trying new foods.
David's Top 5 Strengths encompass Maximizer, Ideation, Context, Strategic, and Achiever.
Derrick Helmer
Driver / Warehouse Coordinator
Derrick's Top 5 Strengths encompass Achiever, Strategic, Relator, Responsibility, and Includer.
Josh Martinez
Purchasing
BIO COMING SOON
Josh's Top 5 Strengths encompass Competition, Ideation, Restorative, Analytical, and Harmony.
Kevyn Eddy
Project Manager
Kevyn manages our bid and spec projects, submittals, and IOM’s, and coordinates shipments to customers. Kevyn earned his BS in Industrial Distribution from Texas A&M University in 2013. He started his career with The Nut Place, aiding Inside Sales and Purchasing, from late 2014 until July 2017 when he joined the Cougar USA family.
Kevyn is a native Texan who is passionate about live theatre and regularly stars in local stage productions. He also enjoys building complex Lego sets.
Kevyn's Top 5 Strengths encompass Woo, Communication, Includer, Positivity, and Consistency.
Lexy Chandler
Project Manager
BIO Coming Soon
Lexy's Top 5 Strengths encompass Restorative, Strategic, Achiever, Focus, and Futuristic.
Lexy joined Cougar in May 2024.
Michael Klefas
Warehouse
Michael's Top 5 Strengths encompass Achiever, Context, Responsibility, Learner, and Developer.
Field Service
Allen Melendez
Field Service Technician
Bio coming soon.
Allen's Top 5 Strengths encompass Strategic, Achiever, Significance, Communication, and Focus.
Allen Sims
Field Service Technician
Bio coming soon.
Allen's Top 5 Strengths encompass Responsibility, Belief, Achiever, Context, and Learner.
Isaias Martinez
Service Coordinator
Isaias is Cougar’s Service Coordinator. He has been with Cougar USA since 2017 and brings 3 years of hands-on mechanical experience, both electrical and HVAC, to his role here at Cougar USA.
Isaias' Top 5 Strengths encompass Restorative, Includer, Relator, Belief, and Responsibility.
Justin Compean
Field Service Technician
Bio coming soon.
Justin's Top 5 Strengths encompass Achiever, Arranger, Learner, Intellection, and Restorative.
Systems Production
Alfonso Pinto
Inside Sales
Alfonso handles Inside Sales for Cougar Systems. He most recently managed the order entry and production administration. He has been with Cougar USA since 2015 in progressively more challenging roles, and brings over 10 years of hands-on mechanical experience to his role. He received his Associates of Applied Science degree from Lone Star Community College and also has his Industrial Controls Certification
Alfonso is passionate about sports, particularly basketball and football. He enjoys working on his home, exercising, and drawing and admiring art.
Alvin Walter
Panel Wireman
Alvin works as a Panel Wireman in the control panel shop for Cougar Systems.
Daniel Ruiz
Panel Wireman
Daniel works as a Panel Wireman in the control panel shop for Cougar Systems.
Daniel's Top 5 Strengths encompass Consistency, Relator, Harmony, Achiever, and Responsibility.
Ivan Gomez
Panel Wireman
Ivan works as a Panel Wireman in the control panel shop for Cougar Systems.
Jacob Martinez
Panel Wireman
Jacob works as a panel wireman in the control panel shop for Cougar Systems. He has been with Cougar since 2018 and brings 2 years of hands-on mechanical experience to his role here at Cougar USA. He is currently attending college to pursue an Architectural Design Associates Degree.
Jacob is a native Houstonian who is passionate about fishing, cycling, sports and cars.
Mark Flores
Customer Service
Mark works as our customer service representative for Cougar Systems.
Mark's Top 5 Strengths encompass Analytical, Achiever, Communication, Restorative, and Arranger.
Miguel Gomez
Production Administrator
Miguel works as the Production Administrator for the control panel shop at Cougar Systems. He most recently served as lead panel wireman. He has been with Cougar USA since 2012 and brings over 9 years of hands-on electrical experience to his role. He has his Associates in Electronics Degree from ITT Technical Institute.
Miguel is passionate about fishing, motorcycles and cycling.
Mike Horton
Panel Design Engineer
Mike has over 40 years of electronics & electrical/instrumentation & controls installation, design, and supervision experience as a US Navy Electronics Technician (ET1), an IBEW Journeyman Wireman & Apprenticeship Instructor, an Electrical Designer/Drafter, and a Business Owner.
Career highlights include graduating from Naval Nuclear Power School & being stationed with Navy Seal Delivery Vehicle Team One in the Navy, working with NASA at Kennedy Space Center in the Engineering Development Laboratory's Hazardous Gas Lab where he helped build and test a prototype Transport Vehicle Purge Monitor for use on the Space Launch System (SLS), and helping develop an enclosed motor-generator driven battery recharge system for an unmanned AxV submersible at Terradepth in Austin, TX.
Mike is originally from Hannibal, MO, and has one daughter and twin grandsons. In his spare time he enjoys playing drums, going to concerts, and working out.
Mike's Top 5 Strengths encompass Achiever, Learner, Intellection, Analytical, and Responsibility.
Administrative
Jennifer Jones
Customer Experience Coordinator
Bio coming soon.
Jennifer's Top 5 Strengths encompass Positivity, Responsibility, Connectedness, Developer, and Empathy.
Jennifer joined Cougar in August 2024.
Erica Poorbaugh
HR Coordinator
Erica has been with Cougar since February of 2019. She brings more than twenty years of multi-industry accounting and administrative experience. Up until January of 2024, she was responsible for managing the company’s full-cycle accounting functions, office maintenance and payroll/HR tasks. As our team continues to grow, Erica has stepped into a new role as our Human Resources Coordinator, responsible for recruiting, hiring, payroll, benefits, and employee relations. She is a Cougar Believer who takes great pride in our mission and core values, working hard to nurture and maintain our ‘Family Oriented’ culture.
A native Houstonian, Erica is a proud mom of a son and two daughters. A self-proclaimed ‘professional commuter’, she loves to drive and enjoys taking road trips, visiting the scenic Texas hill country, live music, crawfish season, and, of course, spending time with her family and friends. With high regard for personal growth and development, she views each circumstance in life as a learning experience and enjoys journaling and dreaming of one day writing a book.
Erica's Top 5 Strengths encompass Harmony, Consistency, Arranger, Responsibility, and Discipline.
Kayla Woods
Accounting Administrator
Kayla's Top 5 Strengths encompass Responsibility, Achiever, Includer, Belief, and Arranger.
Melanie Harper
Marketing Specialist
Melanie is a graduate of the University of Houston, with BBA is Marketing. She brings over 15 years of experience in marketing communications experience to Cougar USA. Melanie joined Cougar USA in 2022 and is excited to learn and grow her marketing skills in this new role.
Melanie is a native Houstonian who is married with three children. Her hobbies include attending UH football games, cheering for the Astros, and getting in the occasional run.
Melanie's Top 5 Strengths encompass Analytical, Relator, Learner, Input, and Responsibility.
Michael Herrick
IT Coordinator
Michael is a Navy veteran and has spent the last 30 years in the IT field, now serving CougarUSA as IT Coordinator. Michael has lived in Houston for the past 18 years, moving from New Orleans in 2005.
Michael has been married for 29 years and is the proud owner of two cats, Walter and Perry. His favorite hobbies are cooking, gardening, and gaming.
Michael's Top 5 Strengths encompass Harmony, Developer, Positivity, Empathy, and Responsibility.
