Barely one in seven family-owned companies make it into the third generation. Yet here is McElroys Inc., going strong after 75 years and looking confidently toward generation number four. “My father-in-law’s father, Homer McElroy, founded McElroy’s in 1951 because he wanted to build a heating, cooling and plumbing company northeast Kansans could trust,” said Dan Beal, chairman of McElroy’s Inc. “Homer’s son Jerry passed that legacy on to me, and I work to make the company a little better each day for our customers and those who are coming up.” Dan celebrates his 35^th anniversary with McElroy’s on July 8, 2026. His goal is that McElroy’s will remain a vibrant family company for its 100^th anniversary in 2051, and into the future beyond!

Wanting to Make an Impact

A Topeka native, Dan attended Washburn Rural High School where math and science were his favorite studies. His senior year, Dan began dating Paula McElroy, daughter of second-generation McElroy’s President Jerry McElroy. After graduation, Dan went to The University of Kansas to study mechanical engineering. His first two years of college, Dan worked as a summer helper for McElroy’s. As a junior and senior, he completed internships working at a Texaco refinery. “My experience with a huge multi-national corporation convinced me I’d rather work for a company where I could make a personal impact,” Dan said. “I wanted to do that with McElroy’s.”

Learning the Ropes

In June 1991, after earning his engineering degree and an MBA, Dan went to McElroy’s full time. That August, he and Paula were married. “I started out working in the field as a helper,” Dan said. “McElroy’s had a two-year project for the Santa Fe railroad where I learned the ropes. It was great experience.” Dan became a project manager and started keeping track of job time sheets and change orders on a Macintosh computer. Project estimating and management had previously been done by hand. Dan led the way to making things faster and more accurate using computers and new technology.

Licensed Engineer to President

Early on, Dan began using AutoCAD for ductwork design and fabrication – another McElroy’s step forward. He passed the professional engineering exam in 1995, became the company’s licensed engineer, and was named vice president. Dan was the design-build engineer for many major projects, such as the Reser’s Fine Foods plant, Tallgrass Surgery Center, the St. Francis Cardiology building, a Sabetha Hospital addition and many more. In 2005, Jerry promoted Dan to president of McElroy’s.

Talented, Empowered Team

Homer and Jerry built McElroy’s by surrounding themselves with talented craftsmen and strong managers. Dan carries that tradition forward. “Dan hires leaders he knows will thrive in their positions and he empowers them with support and freedom to be their best,” said Wade Jueneman, McElroy’s president. “Dan has a solid team running the daily operations of every department, and he ensures they have up-to-date tools and technology for success. That gives Dan the time and space to focus on what’s best for the future of the company, its people and our customers.”

Family Values

“A family business has freedom to operate with different values than a private equity company,” Dan said. “Private equity companies are managed to increase shareholder value, so corporate culture is driven by the short-term bottom line. We’ve seen money-driven changes in competitors after they were acquired. We’re a family business, so we build long-lasting success by giving our people and our customers top priority. When we treat them fairly and focus on their satisfaction, great employees and loyal customers will stick with McElroy’s for a lifetime!”

Employees Appreciated

Although frequent employee turnover is common in mechanical contracting, a notably high number of employees make multi-decade careers with McElroy’s. Keith Watkins, McElroy’s vice president, is celebrating 30 years with the company. “Dan is a people person who wants employees and their families to thrive both in and outside of work,” Keith said. “He encourages us to hire people of good character and teach them our commitment to top-quality craftsmanship and trustworthy behavior. We show employees our appreciation for their skills and service, so they know their contributions are seen and valued. Recognition increases the rewarding feeling for building things that look great, work properly and will last.”

Ongoing Family Ties

Succeeding generations of family-owned companies often lose interest in the business. Although Jerry was the last to carry the McElroy surname at the company, many McElroy descendants are employees now. Jerry’s daughter, Paula, grew up with the company and works there full time. Greg Hunsicker, a grandson of Homer’s, now in his 43^rd year with McElroy’s, leads the residential HVAC team. And three of Homer’s great-grandsons work for McElroy’s. Parker Beal is an engineer and commercial construction project manager, Chad Hunsicker is also a commercial construction project manager, and Brit Hunsicker works in commercial HVAC service sales.

Shaping the Continuing Legacy

“Homer and Jerry did a terrific job of founding and growing our business,” Dan said. “Now, 75 years along, I enjoy the satisfaction of helping shape what the family legacy will become. We plan to continue growing regionally, becoming stronger and more efficient, while staying true to the trusted family values that brought us to this day. It’s the people – our customers, employees, leaders and partners – who will always matter most.” Dan’s passion for excellence on the human level is what positions this family-owned company for success for generations to come.