Meet Joe and Melissa Bates—a husband-and-wife duo whose shared life weaves together family, faith, and a hands-on commitment to their Aitkin, Minnesota community. As owners of Northern Air Plumbing & Heating, they bring a grounded, practical touch to keeping homes warm and water flowing, reflecting the same resilience that defines their story.
Joe, once a sports-driven kid turned lay pastor, merged his Legacy Plumbing into Northern Air in 2017, taking full ownership with a vision for steady growth. Melissa, a free-spirited thinker with a knack for nurturing curiosity, complements his structure, having guided their four kids through a homeschool journey rooted in integrity and real-world grit.
Together, they’ve built more than a business—they’ve crafted a legacy of conviction, adaptability, and quiet strength that echoes from their plumbing work to the lives they’ve shaped.