The Air Conditioning Contractors of America is being recognized for its community service work.

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America has been selected as a finalist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Business Civic Leadership Center's Corporate Citizenship Award.

The ACCA is a finalist in the community service category, and is competing against Southwest Airlines, Xcel Energy, Allstate, and Deloitte & Touche. The award recognizes companies for contributions to social and civic programs. Past winners have included Xerox and Morgan Stanley.

Officials said the ACCA was selected for consideration because of its Heat the Country program, where members volunteer time and donate materials to replace HVAC systems in the homes of less fortunate people.

"Each year, ACCA members fan out into their communities to help give back," said ACCA President and CEO Paul Stalknecht. "We're proud of them and honored that they are being recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Being included in a field of corporate giants like this demonstrates the power of small, community-based businesses to change lives in towns all across America."

A panel of past recipients and officials from member corporations will select the winner. The winner will be announced Nov. 18 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

"Congratulations to ACCA for being named a 2008 finalist for the U.S. Community Service Award," said Stephen Jordan, executive director of the Business Civic Leadership Center. "This year's finalists reflect the many different ways associations and companies, both large and small, are contributing to the quality of life in the communities in which they operate."