Thomas Gregory Balkins Male • United States of America

Thomas Gregory Balkins built his career through steady effort, practical field experience, and long-term commitment to the construction industry. He did not inherit a company or step directly into executive leadership. Over more than 40 years, he developed operational expertise by working at multiple levels of the business. Beginning as a trades apprentice in the 1970s, he gained firsthand knowledge that later shaped his approach to risk management, workforce development, and sustainable company growth.

Thomas is recognized as the Founder, President, and CEO of Westurn Companies and its numerous subsidiaries. Under his leadership, Westurn expanded from a local contractor into a national organization with active business in 26 states and offices in over 40 cities. His management philosophy emphasized structured systems, accountability, and consistent performance across diverse markets.

He founded Westurn in 1983 and personally handled responsibilities that many executives would delegate. He sold projects, hired employees, purchased materials, dispatched crews, trained staff, and inspected completed work. This direct involvement ensured that procedures were grounded in real job-site conditions. As operations expanded geographically, these systems enabled reliable, scalable execution.

Balkins directed national growth by building sales organizations capable of supporting $28 million to $48 million in annual sales per state or region. He often managed more than one high-performing market at a time. His approach connected revenue generation with disciplined operational oversight to maintain long-term stability.

Thomas Balkins guided the company through significant financial milestones. By the early 2000s, annual sales reached $48 million in Minnesota alone, more than $78 million nationally, and later exceeded $94 million. Combined sales across all Westurn companies and subsidiaries surpassed $1.8 billion. Over the course of his career, he negotiated mega contracts and insurance settlements totaling more than $400 million in personal sales while maintaining relationships with more than 900 national builder accounts.

Thomas strengthened national purchasing and logistics systems to improve efficiency and control costs. He managed purchasing programs and established direct relationships with nearly all major roofing manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada. Logistics capabilities included conveyor trucks, boom trucks, tractor-trailer trucks, and forklifts to ensure consistent material flow across all active regions.

He implemented structured quality control standards and personally trained employees and contractors to meet established expectations. These processes contributed to the successful completion of over 243,000 roofing projects across the U.S. By 1999, annual production averaged more than 16,000 roofing installations. The company was consistently ranked among America's largest residential roofing contractors for a decade and received recognition, including a spot on RSI Magazine's Top 10 Roofing Contractors list.

Balkins maintained a clear focus on accountability and reputation. Westurn held an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau for decades, earned the BBB Torch Award twice, and was placed on the BBB Honor Roll for 18 consecutive years, during which it had zero complaints. The company developed trusted relationships with insurance carriers, adjusters, and property owners through fair and thorough claim negotiation.

Thomas Gregory Balkins also valued education and community involvement. He studied building trades and completed coursework in anthropology and biology at the University of Minnesota Duluth, the College of St. Scholastica, and Hamline University. Through company initiatives, he supported the planting of one million cedar trees in Washington State and contributed to Feed My Starving Children and health and wellness causes. His career reflects disciplined execution, operational growth, and respect for skilled trades.