Kakley Home Center
Home Center Springfield
True Value Hardware Store
Kakley True Value and Home Center
Largest Home Center in Springfield
Largest Home Center in Springfield
The HBRA of Western Massachusetts is proud to announce that the HBA of Massachusetts recognized local member Joseph R. Kakley as one of this year’s Legend of the Industry recipients at their Annual Installation of Officers & Director on Tuesday, June 19th. Mr. Kakley is President of J.R. Kakley & Sons/Kakley True Value Home Center. As a local business owner for over 46 years, he has grown his operation into one of the largest drywall suppliers in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Joe has been an active participant in the affairs of the Home Builders Association of Western Massachusetts by serving on almost every committee and in all of the officer chairs. He was elected HBA President in 1988, and was instrumental in guiding the organization into its new role as a leading association in both Western Massachusetts and among the other home builder associations in the state. During his term as president, the search for a new headquarters building was instituted in full force. Mr. Kakley can be thanked for being one of the key players in making the new Pedersen Education Resource Center and Library a reality. He is a true supporter of the association and is one of the top membership recruiters having 222 spike credits to his name.
Joe has been a mentor in the Springfield community for a number of minority contractors. He has been the moving force in the creation and unqualified success of the Community Outreach Program and its Handicap Access Projects, which began in 1992. Since that time, countless area families have received a helping hand from the members of this organization in bringing just a little bit of normalcy to lives interrupted by physical challenges. During his tenure as the Community Outreach Program Chair, he also instituted scholarships for minority contractors to take the Construction Supervisor License program free of charge to encourage them to enter the residential contractor market and to join our association.
In 1998, Joe was awarded the highest honor given by our local association, the Lifetime Achievement Award, which is bestowed upon an individual for their life long contributions to the building industry.
Whenever the association is in need of building materials, Joe is always willing to help out whether it is for displays at the Home Show, trade school projects or community projects. Mr. Kakley has served as the Chairman of the Wilbraham Sewer Commission, past President of the New England Drywall Association, and a Board of Director of the Drake Group Gypsum Association. He is a benefactor of the Brooking School in Springfield and he has donated property to Springfield College whereas a building was named in his honor: The Kakley Graduate Annex. Joe and his wife, Joyce, have been married for 58 years. They have two sons, Joseph and Gary, and five grandsons.
We salute Joseph Kakley for being selected to receive this illustrious honor. He epitomizes the essence of true service to the community and the industry.
