Taco After Dark

The 2025 season has wrapped.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Taco After Dark this summer. The live training series is officially complete for the 2025 season, and we’ll be back with more real talk, real installs, and real connection when we announce the 2026 season.

Until then, the conversation continues.

🎙 Listen to the Taco After Dark podcast
Catch unfiltered conversations, industry stories, and practical insight from hydronic pros wherever you get your podcasts:

Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music

No scripts. No fluff. Just the Taco way of sharing knowledge and keeping it real.

Stay tuned for updates on the 2026 season.

About Taco After Dark

Real conversations. Real experience. Real training.

Taco After Dark brings the hydronics community together for honest conversations, field insight, and practical takeaways you can actually use. While the live Summer Training Series is complete for 2025, the show lives on as a podcast until the 2026 season is announced.

Voices You’ll Hear
Featuring Taco trainers and industry experts including:

John Barba
Dave Holdorf
Jason Kockx

What the Show Covers

Field stories and lessons learned
Installer insights and real-world problem solving
Audience questions and candid discussion
Product talk grounded in real installs
The occasional surprise or giveaway call-out 👀

🎧 Missed the live shows?
Every episode is available in podcast form on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

Behind the scenes
Taco’s own Christina Cagliotti-Diglio leads production and keeps the conversation flowing across channels.

Individual Class Descriptions and Registration links:

Stay tuned for the 2026 Season

Trainers

John Barba

Director of Training, Taco, Inc.

John Barba has been in the plumbing heating industry most of his life, growing up in his family’s plumbing and heating business in Harvard, MA. John’s practical experience includes everything from ditch digging and drain cleaning to boiler piping and PEX slinging, as well as business management and contractor sales. Since 1995, John has trained over 30,000 contractors on the fine art and subtle science of hydronic heating design and installation through highly interactive, entertaining and informative seminars.

John is Director of Training for Taco Comfort Solutions, the leading manufacturer of commercial and residential circulators, controls and accessories for plumbing and heating systems. He is the 2012-2014 recipient of the Carlson-Holohan Industry Award of Excellence, and was recently named the industry’s Best Trainer for 2015 by AHRI News Magazine.

David Holdorf

Residential Trainer, Eastern Region, Taco, Inc.

Mr. Holdorf has been in the hydronic industry for 25 years, specifically in the radiant heating side of the business for the better part of his career. Starting out in the technical support/design role and then took over as Engineering Manager overseeing the Technical Support and Design Department. Later he took a position as a Field Technician; supporting training, designing, installing and troubleshooting.

Jason Kockx

Western Product and Application Instructor, Taco, Inc.

Mr. Kockx is a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience in the wholesale distribution sector, specializing in Plumbing and Hydronics. Over the years, he has honed his expertise in managing supply chain operations, building strong relationships with both manufacturers and clients, and delivering top-tier hydronic and plumbing solutions. Having worked for prominent companies in the industry, Jason spent a significant portion of his career with Cal-Steam, a well-established regional distributor in California known for its excellence in plumbing and mechanical hydronics. Most recently, Jason served as a Product Specialist within the Hydronics department at Ferguson Enterprises, where he continues to leverage his in-depth knowledge to offer specialized solutions.

Richard Medairos

Director of Engineered Products and Systems Training

Mr. Medairos is a Senior Systems Engineer and Director of Commercial Training at Taco Comfort Solutions. He has over forty years of experience with demonstrated expertise in engineering, project management and planning. Throughout his career, he has worked on projects with major clients such as NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, Boston University, Rhode Island School of Design, First Data Corporation, and Taco’s Innovation & Development Center.

Brett Zerba

Applications Engineer, Taco, Inc.

Mr. Zerba is an Application Engineer at Taco Comfort Solutions with over twenty years of experience at the company. He graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire in 1981, and in 2003 he earned his Master of Business Administration from Johnson & Wales. Mr. Zerba has demonstrated his skill and expertise in the field of hydronic systems as an ASHRAE and Hydraulic Institute member.

Tony Furst, MSEd, CPD, LEED AP

Sr. Systems Engineer, Commercial Training, Taco, Inc.

Mr. Furst is a Senior Systems Engineer – Commercial Training at Taco Comfort Solutions. He brings over 40 years of experience in the commercial HVAC and Plumbing fields. Throughout his career he has been actively involved in the design and start-up of large central utility plants for Northwestern University, The Ohio State University, and John Deere along with numerous hospitals and educational facilities around the country. Mr. Furst holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Education. He is also an active member of ASHRAE and ASPE.