Like the children of many small business owners, John Kalkreuth grew up sleeping, eating and living the family roofing business — working it through junior high, high school and college. But being shaped with a blue-collar work ethic early in life enabled Kalkreuth and his future business partner and co-principle, Jim Hurley, to impart to their employees that same sense of pride in a job well done when it was their turn to lead Kalkreuth Roofing & Sheet Metal.
The roots of the business date back to 1920 when John Kalkreuth’s grandfather and his grandfather’s brother started their roofing company in Wheeling, W.V. The business changed hands but stayed in the family throughout the years until Kalkreuth and Hurley were given the opportunity to take over in 1984. Both graduate engineers, the two men had a vision for the company that led it to become one of the premier roofing contractors in the nation.