Air Purchases was two months into its 51st year of business before it finally had a chance to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, but what a celebration it was! Company president Rob Engel treated his employees to an all-expense paid Leap Year-weekend getaway on Cape Cod.

“Planning for the celebration had been in the works for quite a while,” laughed Engel. “But we’ve been busy!”

The festivities kicked off with an open house at the company’s Hyannis location, hosted by Branch Manager John Lumsden and his team. Employees enjoyed drinks, light hors d’oeuvres, and a chance to socialize before heading over to the Aiden in West Yarmouth to check in for the night.

At 6 p.m. a shuttle bus arrived to take employees over to the Yarmouth House, where they were treated to a sumptuous meal of prime rib, baked haddock, shrimp cocktail, scallops wrapped in bacon, and more.

After dinner, Engel, whose father founded Air Purchases in 1969, shared a brief history of the company, thanking his employees and recognizing their long-term loyalty and contributions to the company’s ongoing success. “Whether you’ve just joined us, or like so many of our employees – Sharon Mangano, Donna Russo, Tony Ruzzano to name just a few – you can count your employment here in decades, you’re family,” said Engel. “We’ve weathered some storms, but we’ve worked together to build a strong team. I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart.”

The employees reciprocated their appreciation by presenting Engel with a crystal clock engraved with the inscription, “Perseverance is a virtue that cannot be understated. Thank you for staying the course to keep us all employed.”

Mike Kelly, president of Seal-Tite, flew in to make a surprise guest appearance, and presented Engel with a plaque commemorating the company’s 50th anniversary. “We can attribute a great deal of our success over the years to our choice in vendor partners,” said Engel. “Today, with Seal-Tite, Allied Air Enterprises, Fujitsu, Aprilaire and others, we’ve aligned ourselves and our customers with some of the best our industry has to offer.”

Employees also recognized the significant contributions of Vice President Jim Travers, whose gift brought a smile to his face. A cigar aficionado, Travers received a traveling humidor engraved with his name and a quip from Mark Twain: “I only smoke in moderation. One cigar at a time.”

Drawing applause from the crowd, Marketing Manager Diane MacPherson said, “When Jim assumed the position of vice president, he had some big shoes to fill and he’s surely faced his share of bumps in the road along the way. But he has held his own and has been vital to our success. Thank you, Jim. Just look where we are today.”

Employees ended the evening with entertainment from stand-up comics John Russo and Paul Gilligan, and dancing to music provided by DJ Annmarie Frattaroli. “I’m thrilled we were finally able to celebrate with our employees,” said Engel, “and to do so before the COVID-19 crisis struck. We now face new challenges, but I’m confident our team will come together to pull us through.”

Additional photos of this event are available here.

Headquartered in Burlington, MA, Air Purchases has branches in Dedham, Brockton, and Hyannis, MA, and in Manchester, NH, where it is known as Engel HVAC Supply.