Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning

The 36th Health and Humanitarian Award of Genesee County was presented today to Bill Hayes, owner of Turnbull Heating & Air Conditioning in Batavia. 

The award presented by The Jerome Foundation recognizes volunteer men and women of Genesee County who have helped promote the emotional, physical and spiritual well-being of the area’s residents.  

In naming Bill Hayes for this year’s award, The Jerome Foundation recognized more than 30 years of volunteer service and community involvement by Hayes. He has been a supporter of multiple charitable causes in our community including Habitat for Humanity, BEA, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Notre Dame High School, St. Joseph School, YMCA, YWCA, All Babies Cherished, Batavia Lions Club, Northgate Free Methodist Church, among others.   

Press release:

The 36th Health and Humanitarian Award of Genesee County will be presented to Bill Hayes of Batavia at noon on Friday, December 3, at a luncheon at Terry Hills Restaurant.  The award presented by The Jerome Foundation recognizes volunteer men and women of Genesee County who have helped promote the emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being of the area’s residents.  Nominations reflected “ordinary people who reach far beyond themselves to the lives of those in need, bringing hope, care, and friendship, and helping build a stronger, healthier community.”

In naming Bill Hayes for this year’s award, The Jerome Foundation will recognize more than thirty years of volunteer service and community involvement by Bill. He has been a supporter of multiple charitable causes in our community including Habitat for Humanity, BEA, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Notre Dame High School, St. Joseph School, YMCA, YWCA, All Babies Cherished, Batavia Lions Club, Northgate Free Methodist Church, among others.   

In nominating Bill Hayes, Ricky Palermo a past recipient of the Health and Humanitarian Award notes that “Bill Hayes checks all the boxes as a devoted family man and strong business and community leader.  Upon purchasing Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning in 1991, Bill moved into the community and immediately made an impact.  He is a leader in his field and takes pride in employing veterans and active servicemen and women, as he himself served six years and is a Navy Veteran.   His significant donations are done with the spirit of bettering our community and the lives of its citizens, not for personal notoriety.  Bill is honest, dedicated, and compassionate, and all-around positive man? Bill has always said, ‘if I take care of Batavia, Batavia will take care of me.’  He has certainly done an excellent job of taking care of our community and is well-deserving of this award.”  Jim and Nancy Palermo add “Bill is a humanitarian simply by the way he leads his life and conducts his business.”

Jaylene Smith-Kilner, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Genesee County wrote “Bill is always on deck as a community partner of Habitat.  When our families lay their heads on their pillows in their new home for their night’s rest, it is through Bill Hayes’s generous heart that they keep warm physically and in their hearts.” Construction Manager PJ Riner notes “when Bill has his crew on our build site, he always says ‘let’s do some Habitat’ with a smile on his face, ready to go.” 

Bill Hayes will be honored at a luncheon at noon on December 3 at Terry Hills Restaurant. The Health and Humanitarian Award luncheon is open to the public.  The event is $25 and reservations can be made by mailing a check to The Jerome Foundation, PO Box 249, Batavia 14021 by November 26th.  Seating will be limited. For further information contact Chris Fix – 585-356-3419.

Thirty years ago Bill Hayes couldn’t have imagined where he is today, even though he figured out what field he would pursue early on.

As owner of Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning, Hayes is celebrating his 30^th year in business and the 55^th anniversary of the founding of his company.

Hayes grew up in Rochester and joined the Navy, serving for six years. He pretty much knew where his career path would take him when he enrolled at Alfred State College to study heating and air conditioning. He also met his wife Jo Ann there.

They married, settled in Lackawanna and had two children, who were 5 and 7 when Hayes got the opportunity to take over Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning. 

Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning had been started in 1966 by Batavia native Roy Turnbull, who was working in Buffalo for a mechanical contractor when he decided to go in business for himself, working at his home at 7 Roosevelt St. In 1970 he relocated to the Harvester Building and incorporated in 1972.

“It was a four-or five-man operation until I took over in 1991,” Hayes said. “Roy had a part-time bookkeeper, himself and four mechanics.”

It was a twist of fate in which Hayes and Turnbull met.

“I was working as vice president of a heating and air conditioning company in Buffalo, which was a York dealer,” Hayes said. “Roy was also a York dealer. When my boss died at a young age in 1989, his wife was grieving and gave a trip they had planned to a York convention in the Grand Cayman Islands to Jo Ann and I. That’s where I met Roy.”

Years later when Turnbull was in the process of selling his company to two of his employees and retiring, Hayes wasn’t even in the picture, he said, until Turnbull’s negotiations with his employees fell through.

“We had kept in touch since the trip, and one day Roy called and asked what I was doing,” Hayes said. “I told him I was getting ready to make a lateral move somewhere, and he said, ‘Wait a minute. How would you like to live in Batavia?' I had kids 5 and 7 and lived only three streets from my mother-in-law, but I went home and asked my wife how she’d like to live in Batavia.”

Her answer was “No way,” Hayes said.

“But the next morning over coffee, she said, ‘You know, I never want to be the one to blame for our saying ‘What if we had moved to Batavia?’ ”

Hayes took a week’s vacation, during which time he rode on calls with Turnbull.

“It was scary to jump ship to another company,” Hayes said. “Nobody in Batavia knew me. But Roy and I agreed on some terms and he gave me a note and I paid off the business in 10 years. I signed the papers on Feb. 1, 1991, and the next day Roy went on vacation to Myrtle Beach (S.C.) and stayed three months. He said if I had any questions to call him.”

Hayes commuted from Lackawanna for a year and a half, always on call for emergency calls. In October, 1992, Hayes moved his family to Batavia.

Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning has seen gradual growth under Hayes’ ownership. In 1997 he started A-1 Sheet Metal to make plenums and duct work and to accommodate the do-it-yourselfers. Hayes said their motto was “Do it yourself with our help.”

When Hayes bought the business, it occupied 400 square feet of office space and 2,000 square feet of shop. They had expanded to 20,000 square feet when landlord Tom Mancuso came to Hayes one day and said, “I have a building opportunity for you at 50 Franklin St.”

Hayes moved the business there in August 2007.

“It was the best thing I ever did,” he said. 

As a full-service heating, air conditioning and commercial refrigeration dealer, today Hayes’ company has 18 trucks on the road, with 26 full- and part-time employees.

With business growing throughout Western New York, especially in Rochester and Livingston County, in 2002, Hayes opened a satellite office in Avon to serve as a sales office and parts depot.

Photo by Howard Owens.

Press release:

There are many families within the greater Genesee region that, during normal circumstances, don’t know where their next meal may come from. During this time of uncertainty, it becomes clearer that as a community, it is our call to help those around us.

Have you felt that urge to help, but just can’t figure out where to plug yourself in?  

Northgate Free Methodist Church will be assisting The Salvation Army with food collection and distribution.

They are setting up a drop-off point on Monday, March 23, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at their North Campus, located at 8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia.

The Salvation Army is in need of the following items:

• Canned meats
• Peanut butter
• Jelly, soups or chili in cans
• Pastas, rice, beans
• Breakfast items
• Snack items for kids
• Shelf-stable milk

There will be volunteers available to unload items from your vehicle, and safety precautions will be made to maintain social distancing.

Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning has offered their fleet of vehicles to transfer the goods to The Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army in Batavia is looking for some (relatively) younger people who are willing to volunteer to help shop and hand out food as people come in. This would be on a daily basis for as long as they are able to have food available. They currently are in the office from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day but as the need grows it will become likely that those hours will grow as well.

*If you can help out, call Todd at 343-6284.

In a time where we are being asked to remain apart, let’s do what we can to help those who are in need right now.

*Editor's Note: We were initially provided an incorrect contact number for Todd, the person to call if you want to volunteer for The Salvation Army. The phone number has been corrected.

From left, Bill Hayes, Jon Bigsby, Rich Monroe and in back, Nathan Blowers, Turnbull Operations manager, all gather as Jon accepts Hayes’ offer to enter into Turnbull’s apprentice program.

Submitted photo and press release:

In the school world, June is a time for graduations, celebrations and awards ceremonies. This holds true for Jon Bigsby as June holds special meaning for him; he was offered full-time employment with Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning.

Jon is a recent graduate of the Building Trades Program at the Batavia Career and Technical (CTE) Education Center. He is set to graduate from Alexander High School on June 27.

His decision to seek employment after high school graduation was easy.

“I like working with my hands and I feel that this is a good choice for me to enter the workforce. I’m honored to be working with Turnbull,” Jon said.

Bill Hayes is the owner of Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning. In the past, Hayes has hired almost 10 students from the Batavia CTE Center’s Building Trades Program.

“I know that these students have the foundational skills necessary to enter into our training program," Haynes said. "I need skilled workers. The instructors in the Building Trades Program teach the students the importance of quality workmanship and that’s important to me."

Last summer, Jon worked for Turnbull and his work ethic was noticed.

“He listens, is disciplined, he works hard,” Hayes said.

After graduation, Jon will be enrolled in the Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning 12-month certified apprentice program.

“He’ll learn how to thread pipe to actually doing installations and service calls. He’ll be working in the shop and in the field,” Hayes said.

Rich Monroe is one of the Building Trades Instructors at the Batavia CTE Center. He echoed Hayes thoughts about Jon.

“Jon meets the standards that Turnbull expects," Monroe said. "He is a hands-on learner and he will be embraced here at Turnbull. Jon fits the mold and I know the people here at Turnbull will give him every opportunity to be the best mechanic."

About Turnbull Heating and Air Conditioning

It is a Batavia-based HVAC contractor that offers residential and commercial heating, air-conditioning and commercial refrigeration service, installations, and scheduled maintenance programs.

About the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center

It is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (The Partnership). The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services offering shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York State.