About
Hunt Utilities Group
What is Hunt Utilities Group?
Hunt Utilities Group (HUG) is an engineering design corporation based in Pine River, MN. HUG is dedicated to promoting resilient living through proven engineering design and innovative research. Our goal is to develop resilient housing & home products that are renewable minded and balance with the environment. One of our recent innovations includes HUG Hydronics that radically simplifies in-floor plumbing installation for heating and can utilize multiple heat sources for dual fuel applications, including renewables such as solar, electricity, or heat pumps.
A Personal
Commitment to
a Better World
Paul and Lynn Hunt experienced their first real encounter with resilient living in 1985 when they made the decision to forego the paycheck and start their own company, Hunt Technologies. Despite many years raising their family on little-to-nothing, they never looked back. Their tenacity eventually led to The Turtle, a device capable of sending data over already-established electrical wires. This gave electric utilities a tool that allowed them to automatically read electric meters, gathering data 24 hours a day. Thanks to The Turtle, Hunt Technologies experienced rapid growth and soon had more than 200 employees.
Paul and Lynn sold the business in 2001, but quickly reinvested themselves into a new idea – Hunt Utilities Group, commonly known as HUG. They put together a coalition of minds to conduct research and development into ways of reducing the world’s dependence on carbon-based fuels. At the same time, they started Happy Dancing Turtle, a nonprofit arm centered on environmental education and promotion of resilience as a way of life.
The Hunts believe it is everybody's duty to use the resources they have to make the world a better place. When it comes to investing – in your community, your family, or in the search for world solutions – the giving of time is equally important as money. In other words, volunteering is a valuable aspect of resilient living. Resilient living, said the Hunts, is about whether you’re willing to do the hard work (and stick to it) for a payoff that is measured in your quality of life and a better world for everyone.
Resilience is a mindset of Hope and Optimism
When you are prepared, you do not fear. You know you have (or have access to) the tools and knowledge to make it through whatever life is throwing your direction. This means building your network of friends and family and being able to love your neighbors. It is being honest and charitable in all your doings so that you have nothing to hide or fear.
What is Resilient Living?
It is a set of tools, habits, lifestyle and infrastructure, that helps you live well during good economic times and bad. It makes you less vulnerable to the whims of nature, climate change, politics and marketeers. It builds stronger, healthier, and happier individuals, families, businesses, communities and ecology by making each of those less vulnerable and needy.
Resilience is confidence, based on real skills, knowledge, tools and goods. Our goal is to help everyone move towards living and being truly resilient one step, one skill at a time.