Some people get into the construction industry because they didn’t enjoy school. But those who work for Sunstate Equipment will still find themselves in the classroom. This time, though, they’ll likely thrive in the new state-of-the-art training facility because they’ll be learning cutting-edge construction knowledge, directly relevant to their jobs.
Sunstate Equipment recently opened the Timothy J. Meenk Training Center as part of their expanded "Service Center" campus in Phoenix. The custom-designed two-story facility features 28,000 square feet of office space, high-tech meeting space, and training classrooms, plus a fully functional teaching shop bay.
Designed by Mendil + Meyer Design Studio, the Timothy J. Meenk Training Center is now the primary workspace for nearly half of Sunstate’s 200 Service Center support and administrative team members, with the added capacity to host up to 150 visitors for Sunstate’s in-depth employee training programs. Sunstate currently employs more than 2,000 people nationwide.
“When we broke ground in November 2019, we had no idea of the challenges that were coming in 2020,” Chris Watts, Sunstate’s president and CEO, says. “Thanks to Sundt Construction, our general contractor on the project, and our many team members who worked tirelessly to bring this building to completion as planned, we were able to complete construction and move in ahead of schedule.”
The building opened on December 14, 2020, but due to enhanced social distancing protocols, Sunstate postponed the grand opening celebration. Training classes are virtual until in-person gatherings can safely resume.
Sunstate is renowned for its award-winning training programs that bring newly hired or newly promoted sales, dispatch, and management team members to Phoenix for a series of week-long group training modules. The comprehensive education ensures consistency of service by empowering attendees to carry Sunstate’s standards for excellence to the markets they serve.
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This article originally appeared in the bimonthly Arizona Contractor & Community magazine, Jul/Aug 2021 issue, Vol. 10, No. 4.