Built onFair Play& Integrity

SFMS was founded in 2019 by Ben Abernathy, a builder with 40 years in the construction industry, and Peter “Jamie” Cumming, a former U.S. Marine and career HVAC engineer, to bring honest, hard-working service to the local industry.

Ben AbernathyCo-founder
Jamie CummingCo-founder
Our story

Two careers, one company

Ben Abernathy Construction
  1. 1975

    Starts as a carpenter apprentice while studying construction management and engineering at FIU.

  2. Rising through the trade

    Foreman, superintendent and project manager, then president of SAC Construction, a leading South Florida commercial contractor for over 30 years.

  3. 1996

    Relocates to Carbondale, Colorado and expands the business into residential development.

  4. 2002

    Returns to Florida to re-establish his business in the South Florida market.

Jamie Cumming HVAC engineering
  1. U.S. Marine Corps

    Sea duty aboard the USS Constellation, then Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in Central America and the Near and Far East.

  2. Seneca College & UCF

    Associate degree in mechanical engineering technology in Toronto, then engineering at Addison Weatherking in Orlando while studying at UCF.

  3. Commercial HVAC service

    Carrier, Trane and a small family-run shop, where he learned the value of hard work and honesty.

2019

South Florida Mechanical Services is founded

Ben and Jamie start SFMS together to bring their values to South Florida's HVAC industry.

Ben Abernathy, co-founder of SFMS
Co-founder

Ben Abernathy

40 years in construction as a business owner
  • Florida native
  • FIU
  • Former president, SAC Construction

A Florida native, Ben was introduced to the construction industry in 1975 as a carpenter apprentice while attending FIU for construction management and engineering.

He progressed from carpenter to foreman, superintendent and project manager, and eventually became president of SAC Construction, a leading commercial contracting company in South Florida for over 30 years.

In 1996 he relocated to Carbondale, Colorado, where he expanded the business into residential development, then returned to Florida in 2002 to re-establish his presence in the South Florida market.

Peter “Jamie” Cumming, co-founder of SFMS
Co-founder

Peter “Jamie” Cumming

U.S. Marine Corps veteran & HVAC engineer
  • USS Constellation
  • 2/5 Marines
  • Carrier
  • Trane

Born in Rapid City, South Dakota to a hard-rock miner father and a jewelry store attendant mother, Jamie joined the Marines to escape the boredom of a small mining town. He served on sea duty aboard the USS Constellation, then with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in Central America and the Near and Far East.

After the Marines he earned an associate degree in mechanical engineering technology at Seneca College in Toronto, then moved to Orlando to work in the engineering department at Addison Weatherking while studying toward his bachelor's at UCF.

He has worked in commercial HVAC service ever since, for Carrier, Trane and a small family-run shop where he learned the value of hard work, honesty and never taking the easy path to reach a customer's goals. He developed a fierce sense of fair play and integrity.

  • Hard work
  • Honesty
  • Fair play
  • Integrity
What we stand for

Our founders stay available to customers, vendors and employees, whether it's a concern about a job or just to chew the fat.

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On call 24/7, every day of the week. Tell us what you need and we'll get a technician to you.

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