James Todack: Background and Patents

James Todack’s professional journey began in 1964 when he enlisted in the United States Air Force. During his four years of service, he received specialized training in industrial refrigeration—a skill that would shape the foundation of his career.
After completing his military service, Todack pursued a pipefitter’s apprenticeship in Denver, Colorado, in 1968. He went on to work as a factory representative for Carrier Corp, The Trane Company, and York Corporation, where he specialized as a field technician troubleshooting and servicing industrial refrigeration systems. He retired from the Denver Pipe Fitters in 1988.
From 1988 to 1991, Todack owned and operated Industrial Chiller Services, Inc., a company that provided portable refrigeration system rentals. In 1991, he sold the business to Aggreko Corporation Inc.
In 1992, Todack developed an innovative refrigerant recovery and reclamation process, leading to the formation of Refrigerant Management Services, Inc. He sold both the company and its patent in 1998.
Later that year, Todack founded Coastal Pile Cutters, LLC, serving the heavy highway construction industry with specialized pile cutting services. In 2004, he designed and prototyped a device tailored to cutting concrete pilings for demolition projects. By 2006, he had filed a U.S. patent application for new features that introduced a groundbreaking method for cutting concrete pilings during bridge, dock, and pier removal. His work was recognized in 2007 with the award of United States Patent 7243646.
Todack continued to lead Coastal Pile Cutters until 2016, when he sold its patent and assets to Padgett Shoreline Construction, LLC. Following the acquisition, he was appointed Operations Manager of the pile cutting division, operating under the new name Coastal Pile Cutters International, LLC.