Korellis is a Region success story – it’s installed millions of square feet of roofing and sheet metal systems over the company’s more than 60 years in business. Korellis is a company that continues to grow, adding carpentry, masonry and wall paneling to its list of services.
That success story was built on the backs of countless employees who have contributed and grown with Korellis – men and women who begin their careers at Korellis as apprentices and grow into foremen or even project managers. It is a company that values its people, and elevates them when it can. Sheet Metal Worker Justin Herzog recently experienced this firsthand.
“At Korellis, it’s kind of like they have a ladder system,” Herzog said. “I came over in 2020 as a sheet metal journeyman, just one of the guys working on a crew. After they saw my work ethic and saw me step up to take charge of situations, they approached me about being a right-hand man in August of last year.”
It did not take long for Herzog to earn another promotion with Korellis elevating him to the role of foreman less than a year later. In that role, he oversees the day-to-day operations at a given job site, or on occasion, multiple job sites. He ensures the work is done right, done safely, and on schedule.
“It’s appreciated that my hard work and efforts were noticed and taken seriously,” Herzog said. “Foreman is a role that comes with benefits, but it also comes with more challenges and responsibility. They trust the people they’ve hired and build them up.”
Another man who moved his way up the ladder at Korellis is Project Manager Dillon Guhrs, who joined Korellis as a union roofer a little less than three years ago.
“I heard about Korellis’ work out at Department of Energy (DoE) locations and I really wanted to be a part of that,” Guhrs said. “Because of that, I spent my first year with Korellis out of town, but they saw and recognized my accomplishments out there. They saw that I knew what I was doing.”
When Guhrs learned there was a position open in project management, he quickly applied and was almost instantly accepted. The move brought him out of the field and into a key leadership role in the office less than a decade into his career in roofing.
“Within the office everybody’s willing to help each other; we’re growing nonstop,” he said. “There was definitely a learning curve to moving into the office, it took some adjustments. With everyone lending a hand, I feel like I’ve settled into a point where I’m comfortable.”
Two key factors play a role in Korellis serving as such a strong place for growth, according to Guhrs.
“The first thing is non-stop growth,” he said. “Korellis keeps getting bigger and adding new trades that gives people a lot of opportunities. The other thing is ESOP, our employee stock ownership plan. When you’re working for Korellis, you know you’re building your future and working towards an end goal.”
The work itself can also serve as motivation all on its own.
“My favorite thing about what I do for work is that I can drive by a job site 10 years later and say, ‘Hey, I did that,’” Herzog said. “I can be in the car with my kids and point to buildings and hear oohs and ahhs, and say, ‘Yeah, I did that.’ You can visually see the work that you do, even 10 years later.”
To learn more about Korellis and how to join the team, visit korellis.com.