Bob Kulp grew up on a farm in Wisconsin, and he credits his early experience with shaping his views on recycling and sustainability. He is the founder and owner of Kulp’s of Stratford, LLC, a roof-contracting firm located in Stratford, Wis. The company has carved out a niche for solar projects and converted all of the eligible vehicles in its fleet to run on compressed natural gas (CNG).
Kulp, who grew up with a Mennonite and Amish background, said he became a workaholic at age 13. He always found great satisfaction in building and creating things, and thought the construction industry would be a good fit for him. In the mid 1980s, Kulp decided to make his own reality when no one was hiring in his area. “With my dad encouraging me, I started out with Conklin Coatings and branched out from there. I brought people on the team that had expertise in areas that I didn’t,” said Kulp.