In
James Hurley
Profile
Jim Hurley came to WVU after getting an Associates Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State. As one of six children, Jim needed to pay for his entire college education. His sister lived in Wheeling so Jim moved there to get a job. Through a friend of his sister, he landed a job at Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal (KRSM). Jim worked at KRSM on every break the University had to make the money he needed for college.
When Jim graduated, he decided to continue working at KRSM, but a sudden turn of events changed the trajectory of his career. KRSM declared bankruptcy shortly after Jim joined the company full time. The local bank that held most of the debt felt that KRSM needed new leadership. Jim and John Kalkreuth (the son of the founder of KRSM) took over KRSM as equal partners.
The business struggled for a while, but KRSM is now the 4th largest roofing and sheet metal company in the United States.
Jim credits the success of KRSM to doing the right things from an ethical and moral point of view. “Contractors have to rely upon us to get the job done when we say it will be done,” Jim says.
Most of the management team at KRSM has come from the WVU IE program. KRSM actively hires co-op students and gives them a lot of responsibility. Many of these co-ops have subsequently joined KRSM as part of the management team.
A special moment for Jim is seeing 2 of his sons joining the KRSM team. The fact that KRSM has risen to the fourth largest in its industry with WV talent is an example of how the economy of West Virginia can be developed.
Bio
Jim Hurley serves as the Executive Vice President of KRSM. He earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from West Virginia University, an MBA from Wheeling Jesuit University and an associate’s degree from Pennsylvania State University. With Kalkreuth since 1984, Hurley is a full partner in the company and has worked in sales, estimating, and project management before assuming his current role. In addition, he has served the industry for 23 years as a management trustee of the Sheet Metal Workers Pension Fund and his community as president of the Saint Michaels Parish finance council.
