L.J. Kruse completely devoted to green cause

Berkeley, Calif. — Louis Joseph Kruse would not recognize the plumbing company that he founded in 1916. And that's a good thing.

L.J. Kruse Co. President Dave Kruse and Executive Vice President Andy Kruse have completely remade their grandfather's firm into a 21st century leader in high-efficiency, water-saving and altenative energy products. L.J. Kruse is the contractor to go to in the San Francisco Bay area for modulating condensing boilers, inverter heat pumps, solar collectors, and high-efficiency water closets and urinals or waterless urinals.

But beyond making over his company, Dave Kruse is remaking the mechanical and plumbing industry. During his tenure as 2007 president of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, Kruse spearheaded the association's foray into green education, training and research, pretty much dragging the entire plumbing, heating and cooling market along with him. Because of Dave Kruse's vision and leadership and because of the outstanding work being done by the rest of the L.J. Kruse team, L.J. Kruse Co. is our Contractor of the Year.