Putney Mechanical’s Farmville history follows changing homes and familiar faces

Putney Mechanical’s early work centered on oil-fired boilers and hot-water heat. Its current projects include heat pumps, ductless mini-splits and whole-home generators—a change in equipment that spans much of the company’s Farmville history.

The business began under Waverly Putney in the 1940s. When he retired in 1981, Parker Terry and Putney’s son-in-law, Joe Zehner, purchased the company. Terry took the helm after Zehner’s retirement in 2019.

Continuity also runs through the staff. Ed Aubin joined in 1991, became a principal service technician and went on to serve as vice president of operations. His son David joined the business in 2004. The company credits long-serving installers and service technicians with maintaining its customer relationships.

Putney works with homeowners and a range of community buildings, including churches, schools, restaurants and government properties. Its services cover installation and repair, with equipment choices that include ductless systems, standby generators and tankless water heaters. An ongoing maintenance program provides another way for customers to organize care for their systems.

Farmville native Terry has also been involved with the YMCA, Farmville Baptist Church and other local organizations. Those relationships sit alongside the company’s role as a community contractor.

The business’s story is not simply one of longevity. Its equipment and services have changed as buildings and customer needs changed, while familiar people continued doing the work. The North Virginia Street office remains the point of contact for service questions and installation estimates.