New Mexicans to Know: Meet Mark Chavez of Chavez Concrete Pumping

Mark Chavez didn't set out to pump and pour concrete. But without a sense of direction, Chavez's father dropped him off one morning at a Chavez Concrete Contractors job near the corner of San Antonio Drive NE & San Pedro Drive NE in Albuquerque with a hard hat, rubber boots and a shovel.

"The foreman rode me into the ground for about 15 years," said Chavez, who eventually got his own crew and continued to move up the ranks of the family-owned business established in 1952 by his grandfather Ed Z. Chavez.

Now operating as a third-generation company along with his cousin Dan, Chavez added concrete pumping as a separate business line in 2017 because finding reliable subcontractors remained challenging.

It turned out to be a masterful decision.

If you can think of a high-profile development project around the Albuquerque metro area, Chavez Concrete Pumping probably has hand a hand in it: Facebook's data centers, the expansion at ABQ Studios at Mesa Del Sol and Amazon's Charlie, Nico and Chico facilities.

Chavez's company has pumped concrete at six Amazon projects across the country, including what he called "the single largest Amazon facility on the Western seaboard. The e-commerce company requires a lot of concrete for its massive fulfillment and distribution facilities, and it's mixed very specifically. The mix contains metal fibers needed to provide reinforcement. But those fibers can also make pumping very challenging, Chavez said.

Soon, Chavez Concrete will have a whole new area to build in. The company has firmed up plans that will allow it to open a second base of operations in Dallas, Texas.

Albuquerque Business First spoke with Chavez to learn more about his journey and pumping concrete on everything from high-profile Amazon projects to retaining walls for multifamily developments.

The following interview was edited for brevity and clarity.

Albuquerque Business First: Can you share how it felt when you got Amazon's mixture and your equipment all working together and knowing that you accomplished something that others hadn't been able to?

Mark Chavez: That's one of the — probably the — proudest things. … In the beginning, it was a bear. We fought it and people maybe weren't so keen on listening or taking advice. Everybody's a little bit bullish in the beginning but then when it didn't go so good, we kind of rounded back up, made some adjustments and everybody listened. … It was what I think led to [pumping for] other Amazons throughout the country.

Your company — literally — has built the foundation for New Mexico with some of your projects. As you drive around the area, that's gotta feel pretty amazing to look out and know that your work is literally supporting companies and businesses and livelihoods? Absolutely. My grandpa started the business, and then my uncle and my dad. And Dan, my cousin, we're third [generation]. The pumping company is something that I started, but the concrete and excavation side is something that I was brought into. You drive around town … and you're able to show your kids. I still don't think they really care at this point, but one day, one day they will.

That's got to be something pretty special to be able to show them what you've learned but also give a little bit of room for them to see things differently? And that's the tough part because I wanted to do it my way. But I also want them to have their own style and their own views because I remember I came in at 17, 18 years old. I had every fix for every problem in the company and, it turns out 10 years later, none of them actually would have worked. But at the time you learn to develop and understand more. So, you're able to implement your ideas with your passion as you grow and you're able to understand the business a little bit more. That's the exciting part.

What impresses you about New Mexico? Definitely the hard-working mentality of the city, the tough, never lose type of attitude. We go to these big states across the country and they look at you and they kind of judge that you're from New Mexico. And you end up doing [things] that they can and then kind of see them sit back and not really talk so much anymore. We just bring a certain level of tough mentally and combine that with physically, working hard, doing it the right way. Not many people can match what I've seen across the country when it comes to New Mexicans work and grit. … We're just built a little bit different for whatever reason, but it's pretty cool to see.

Do you have a dream project you'd like to [take on] … or a specific project challenge you'd like to tackle? I still think probably a high-rise, a true high-rise if and when we ever build one Downtown. That would be something I think I'd like to definitely dive into head first. … We have the talent, but I think that would be a kind of a feather in your cap for sure. It's a totally different type of concrete pumping. It's much more challenging.

What do you like to do during your free time? What are some of your hobbies or pastimes? Definitely traveling. I've traveled to Columbia. I'll be going to the Dominican. But I really found a strong desire to see different cultures, experience different food and living, just seeing how people live.

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