Celebrating the Best in Maintenance: AANM's Maintenance Masters Competition & Tradeshow

Celebrating the Best in Maintenance: AANM's Maintenance Masters Competition & Tradeshow

The Apartment Association of New Mexico recently brought together hundreds of multifamily housing professionals for our Maintenance Masters Competition & Tradeshow, celebrating the talent, dedication, and expertise of the maintenance professionals who keep New Mexico's rental communities running.

With over 500 attendees, 264 competitors, and 33 vendor booths, this year's event was an incredible success, showcasing the strength of our industry and the importance of recognizing the individuals who work behind the scenes to provide quality housing throughout our state.

Putting Skills to the Test

The highlight of the event was undoubtedly the Maintenance Masters Competition, where 264 competitors put their technical skills, speed, and precision to the test across six unique challenges.

Competitors demonstrated their abilities in ice maker installation, fire alarm replacement, P-trap replacement, kitchen faucet replacement, and carpet installation. The competition also featured a crowd favorite: a race car challenge where participants constructed miniature race cars using materials and supplies found in their maintenance shops.

These competitions aren't just about speed. They showcase the technical knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and hands-on experience required of maintenance professionals every day.

Beyond the friendly competition, the event provided an opportunity for maintenance teams from across New Mexico to connect, share experiences, and celebrate their profession.

Education, Innovation, and Industry Connections

The day began with two hours of professional development featuring "Tools, Talent, Talk," presented by Mark Sharp of the Maintenance Academy.

Education remains a cornerstone of AANM's mission, and incorporating professional development into Maintenance Masters reinforces our commitment to helping industry professionals sharpen their skills and advance their careers.

The accompanying tradeshow featured 33 vendor booths, giving attendees the opportunity to explore products, services, equipment, and solutions designed specifically for the multifamily housing industry.

Together, the education, tradeshow, and competition created a day focused on professional growth, industry relationships, and recognition.

Meet the 2026 Maintenance Masters Champions!

While every competitor deserves recognition for stepping up to the challenge, we are especially proud to celebrate this year's top performers.

Overall Maintenance Masters Champions

Our overall champions demonstrated outstanding performance across the competition, earning the top cumulative results.

🥇 1st Place: Daniel Lopez — Alta Tierra Apartments

🥈 2nd Place: Luis Antunez — Mission Senior

🥉 3rd Place: Daniel Hernandez — Mission Senior

Individual Competition Winners

Ice Maker Installation

• 🥇 Luis Antunez — Mission Senior

• 🥈 Rodrigo Morelli — Villa Feliz

• 🥉 Daniel Lopez — Alta Tierra Apartments

Fire Alarm Replacement

• 🥇 Michael Connick — Ottavo

• 🥈 Luis Antunez — Mission Senior

• 🥉 Raul Anaya — Vista del Rey

P-Trap Replacement

• 🥇 Michael Connick — Ottavo

• 🥈 Rigoverto Santivanez — La Paloma Del Sol II

• 🥉 Matt Ortiz — Osuna Apartments Company LLLP

Kitchen Faucet Replacement

• 🥇 Daniel Lopez — Alta Tierra Apartments

• 🥈 Matt Ortiz — Osuna Apartments Company LLLP

• 🥉 Rodrigo Morelli — Villa Feliz

Carpet Installation

• 🥇 Jose Calvillo-Soto — Las Rosas I & II / Villa de Tularosa

• 🥈 Daniel Hernandez — Mission Senior

• 🥉 Michael Connick — Ottavo

Race Car Competition

• 🥇 Bogar Araiza — Cimmaron II Apartments

• 🥈 Robert Smallwood — Pinos Blancos Apartments

• 🥉 Ray Smith — Villa De Gallup II Apartments

Congratulations to all our winners and everyone who participated!

Recognizing the Professionals Who Keep Our Communities Running

Maintenance professionals are among the most essential members of any multifamily housing team. From responding to emergency repairs and maintaining critical building systems to ensuring residents have safe, comfortable, and well-maintained homes, their work directly impacts the quality of life of thousands of New Mexicans.

Yet, too often, their contributions happen behind the scenes.

Events like Maintenance Masters provide an opportunity to change that. They allow us to recognize the knowledge, dedication, and professionalism required in this field while celebrating the people who make our communities better places to live.

At AANM, we believe that investing in maintenance professionals is an investment in the future of our industry.

Thank You for Making Maintenance Masters a Success!

We extend our sincere appreciation to the competitors, participating properties, management companies, vendors, volunteers, and everyone who helped make this year's event possible.

A special thank you goes to our 33 tradeshow exhibitors for supporting the event and connecting with the professionals who rely on their products and services every day.

Most importantly, thank you to the maintenance professionals who participated. Your dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence are what make this event so special.

Congratulations to our 2026 Maintenance Masters champions! We look forward to seeing everyone back next year for another exciting competition!