Thomas Balkins
Founder, President, and CEO of Westurn Companies
Thomas Balkins built his professional life through consistent effort and long-term involvement in the construction industry. He did not inherit a business or assume leadership without preparation. Over more than 40 years, he gained experience at every level of operations, shaping a management style grounded in practical knowledge. Beginning as a trades apprentice in the 1970s, he developed a firsthand understanding of construction processes that later influenced his approach to risk, workforce development, and operational growth.
Thomas is widely known as the Founder, President, and CEO of Westurn Companies and its numerous subsidiaries. Under his leadership, the company expanded from a local contractor into a national organization with active business in 26 states and offices in over 40 cities. His approach emphasized structured systems, accountability, and measurable performance across multiple markets.
He founded Westurn in 1983 and personally carried out duties that many executives would delegate. He sold projects, hired employees, purchased materials, dispatched crews, trained staff, and inspected work. This direct involvement allowed procedures to be built from real field conditions rather than theory. As the company grew, these systems enabled steady, scalable expansion.
Balkins led national growth by establishing 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 leadership connected revenue generation with operational discipline 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. Cumulative sales across all Westurn companies and subsidiaries surpassed $1.8 billion. Throughout 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 purchasing and logistics systems to improve efficiency and control costs. He managed national purchasing programs and formed direct relationships with nearly all major roofing manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada. Logistics resources included conveyor trucks, boom trucks, tractor-trailers, and forklifts to ensure consistent material access across 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 long-term 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 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.
