Our History
Established in 1953, Sun State Mechanical has served New Mexico for over 50 years. During that time, it has gained a reputation for excellence. The legacy of its founder has continued to flourish under Sun State's two successive owners. Discover what has made Sun State great by reading about these extraordinary men below.
The Presidents, current and past
Mark Watkins
2000-present
A native New Mexican, Mark
Watkins grew up in the North Valley of Albuquerque. Beginning only as
a helper at Sun State in the early 1980s, Mark worked to obtain his
plumbing licenses and eventually moved to work in the office as head
foreman for many years. In 2000 he purchased the company from Gordon
Lovedahl.
Gordon Lovedahl
1985-2000
Born and raised in North
Carolina, Gordon first came to New Mexico while serving in the United
States Air Force. After his time in the military, Gordon attended Berk
Trade School and worked at Caiazzo Plumbing Company in New York,
earning his New York Master Plumber's Certificate. After rising to the
top at Caiazzo, Gordon decided he wanted to move to Albuquerque. He
worked at Sun State under the ownership of Velma Wood, quickly working
his way up to shop superintendent. He bought Sun State from Velma in
1985 and ran the shop with the help of his wife Ann for fifteen years.
Cliff and Velma Wood
Sun State's Founders, 1953-1985
Entrepreneurs Cliff and Velma Wood founded Sun State in 1953. Building the company up to manning over 30 work trucks, and working on contracts as far as California, Cliff Wood monitored the progress of the current projects by flying his private small airplane to the job sites directly. With reliable service and good ethics, he and his wife Velma built the company’s reputation which still exists today.
