PAUL J. KREZ was born in Neundstadt, Germany. He left Germany at the age of 17 for America, passed through Ellis Island and settled in Chicago, Illinois. He found employment with the Mundet Cork Company building freezer rooms for the packing companies, and insulating ammonia piping and brine low temperature lines. He became a salesman, learned the business and after two years he decided to build a business of his own. He borrowed $500.00 and formed the Paul J. Krez Company in 1909.

Paul J. Krez married Julia Loeffel and they had five children, Paul J., Jr., John Julius, Leonard Otto, Helen and Lillian.

Times were difficult but slowly his reputation for good service, quality of work and his strong German desire to improve himself and his small company were recognized in the mechanical construction industry. The value of insulating a surface to contain the cold and preserve the heat made sense to the engineers and the owners who were spending money to build small and large buildings. During the Chicago World's Fair, a dependable source of work was the insulating of cold water lines to the drinking fountains throughout the Fair.

The first office of the Company was at 444 N. LaSalle Street in Chicago, using the first floor for his office and storage. Little jobs begot larger ones and we insulated all the heating piping and boiler stack in the Merchandise Mart being built by Marshall Fields and Company. The Field Building at 135 South LaSalle Street was the last high rise building of the Depression and we insulated all of the piping, hot and cold, in the building. The first building of the "New Chicago" was The Prudential Building (1950) on Randolph Street and Paul J. Krez Company insulated all of the piping and ductwork.

Paul J. Krez died in 1925 and John Julius ran the business until 1955, at which point Leonard Otto succeeded him. Paul J. Helmer, John Julius's son-in-law, became President in 1963. Paul Krez Helmer became CEO and President in 1985, with his father, Paul J. Helmer, staying on as Chairman.

Throughout most of the company's history pipe covering and insulation continued to be its main source of income. However, the company started its expansion by incorporating other construction industry companies including Spray Insulation Inc. in 1965, Radian Corporation in 1980, Barrier Corp. in 1981 and purchasing John Caretti & Co. in 2000.

The reason for the continued success and longevity of The Krez Group is QUALITY WORK AT A FAIR PRICE.