Lori K Bath welcomes Jim McCall as the company’s first ever CEO

Pictured from left to right: Danny O’Callaghan (Owner), Dr. Jim McCall (CEO), and Ron Knoche (Owner). Photo courtesy of Lori K Bath

Lori K Bath is a home bathroom remodeling company housed in Valparaiso, with family values at its heart. Aiming to continue serving each customer with its mission in mind, Lori K Bath has made an important change that the co-owners and co-founders Ron Knoche and Dan O’Callaghan feel will allow it to continue its high quality of service.

In June, the remodeling and renovation company welcomed Jim McCall as its first ever chief executive officer (CEO). When the pair of co-owners felt ready to make the change, McCall was their choice to take on the challenge.

Knoche and O’Callaghan had known McCall for several years prior to introducing him as CEO, and they knew his strong work ethic and dedication to the community would serve the remodeling company well. Employed in public education for 27 years, the last six of those years were spent as the superintendent to Valparaiso Community Schools, and Knoche and O’Callaghan had witnessed firsthand what McCall had done for schools. The three leaders discussed what that might look like in the private sector.

While the two positions may seem unrelated, critical skills such as managing large budgets, building strong teams, solving complex issues, and working with families have translated directly into the new CEO position at Lori K Bath.

Initially, McCall wasn’t looking to leave his superintendent position, but after further discussions, he saw the potential to further serve the community and a growing company.

“I felt this was the right opportunity to lead a growing company with tremendous potential,” McCall said. “Truly helping families improve their homes isn’t all that different from helping communities improve their schools. In both cases, you’re building trust and looking to help make people’s lives better.”

The transition has gone smoothly for McCall. The wonderful team has taught him anything he’s unfamiliar with on the sales side, and the rest of his skills have easily transferred with him. For McCall, success comes from building a strong team, communicating openly, and making intentional decisions. Anything else is simply a growth curve.

As CEO, McCall’s job is to make sure every part of the company is moving in the same direction. This includes supporting the different teams — sales, marketing, operations, installation crews, and customer service — as well as planning for future growth. Another area of focus is seeking to remove obstacles so employees can focus on serving home owners and keeping the process easy for everyone involved.

“We understand that inviting someone into your home is a big decision. Our goal is to make the entire experience simple, professional, and enjoyable,” he said. “We focus on doing the job right, and I admire that we stand behind our work.”

Everything is done in house. When you work with the team at Lori K Bath, every service member that gives you a call or steps through your door is an employee. There is no subcontracting work.

“We stand behind our work, because we stand behind our people,” McCall said.

Much of Lori K Bath’s work during McCall’s month as CEO has been walk-in showers and beautifying areas of a home. He feels the investment is worth it — many people begin and end their day in the bathroom, and even small changes can greatly improve daily life.

A bathroom remodel isn’t just about replacing a tub and cabinets for McCall; it’s about improving the way people live every single day, whether a customer is seeking to get the most out of their space, or even choosing safer bathing options for an older clientele. Regardless of what Lori K Bath is hired to do, McCall and the team uphold that they are guests in someone’s home, and it is a responsibility they do not take lightly.

Caring for the community and treating each customer with respect is the foundation of the company that was named after co-founder Knoche’s late wife, Lori, who McCall himself was friends with.

Knoche and O’Callaghan launched Lori K Cares in her honor, a program that brings the company’s services and products to those undergoing a similar journey with cancer that Lori herself experienced, gifting a bath remodel to two recipients a year to further support for challenges that those diagnosed with cancer may be experiencing.

It’s a program that has McCall’s full support as he begins further integrating himself into the company. Serving homeowners throughout Northwest Indiana and continuing to support the team is at the top of his priority list.

“I’m excited about where Lori K Bath is headed, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead such a talented team,” McCall said.

For more information on Lori K Bath, you can visit lorikbath.com.