Our story begins when John Berzanskis Sr. founded AMS back in 1963, under the name of Antarctic Refrigeration, Inc. John is a hard-working man with humble beginnings who began his refrigeration company as a sole proprietor. When he started the company, he was working out of a former gas station facility in Chicago, Illinois. His simple premise was to work hard and to provide honest, reliable service to the refrigeration industry.
Our History
John F. Berzanskis Sr.
Founder | Vision Come to Fruition
AMS Industries history begins with John Berzanskis Sr., a hard-working man with humble beginnings, originally founded AMS back in 1963 under the name of Antarctic Refrigeration, Inc. John began his refrigeration company as a sole proprietor working out of a former gas station facility in Chicago, Illinois. His simple premise was to work hard and to provide honest, reliable service to the refrigeration industry.
John's Retirement
After assuming his father's duties in 1978 and becoming president and owner in 1982, John F. Berzanskis, Jr. advanced AMS Mechanical Systems, Inc. by upholding a philosophy of exceptional service, quality, and integrity, fueling significant growth across Chicagoland and Indiana. Under his leadership, AMS expanded from industrial ammonia refrigeration retrofits into broader plan/spec and design/build construction, laying the groundwork for future capabilities in HVAC, industrial piping, and refrigeration. A pivotal partnership formed in 1985 with industry veteran Dennis J. Kiley strengthened AMS's field operations and commercial HVAC leadership until Kiley's unexpected passing in 1989. In the early 1990s, AMS further broadened its reach into the industrial sector, ultimately evolving into one of the Midwest's leading mechanical contractors serving power, petrochemical, and steel industries.
John F. Berzanskis Jr.
Director | Erasing Parameters
With his father’s retirement four years prior, it was in 1982 that John F. Berzanskis Jr. would take the reins of what was AMS Mechanical Systems Inc., and become president and owner while always holding fast to his father’s philosophy to provide excellent service with a strengthened foundation for quality and integrity.
Moving Forward Into Employee Ownership
In 2012, AMS expanded its commercial diversification by adding a plumbing service and construction group, which has since become an essential contributor to the company’s overall success. In 2017, John Berzanskis transitioned the company to a 100% employee-owned model and appointed Ben Campbell as president to continue strengthening the AMS brand, fulfilling client commitments, developing its workforce, and supporting communities. Today, AMS employs more than 500 people across office and field roles, including engineers, designers, estimators, project managers, administrative staff, and a wide range of skilled field personnel such as superintendents, foremen, safety staff, journeymen, and apprentices.
Benjamin J. Campbell
President | Forging the Future
In 2017, John Berzanskis handed over the reigns to the employees and we are now a 100% Employee Owned Company. As John takes a step back and eases into retirement, he has appointed Ben Campbell as the new president assuming all of John’s duties. Ben is continuing on our course of action of building a better, stronger and more durable company for future generations, protecting the AMS brand, meeting our commitments to clients, developing our people, and helping improve communities.