Palos Heights Man Makes LBM Journal's '40 Under 40' List

LAKEVILLE, MN, June 3, 2025—A 26-year-old Palos Heights man has made the lumber and building materials industry’s 2026 “40 Under 40” class by LBM Journal. Jacob Kalabich is among an elite group of inductees from across the country spotlighting the next generation of leaders in the industry.

Kalabich is the vice president of Acme Lumber and Building Materials, 7855 S. Greenwood Ave., in Chicago’s South Side Chatham neighborhood. Kalabich’s family purchased the historic lumberyard in 2003. The business first opened in 1906 and has run as a continuous lumberyard.

“It’s unique and not something everyone does,” Kalabich said. “It has become a more niche thing to be an independent supply company. Many independent suppliers are being bought up by private equity companies.”

Kalabich and his father, John, who is president of Acme, both take care of the day-to-day operations.

“Our main customer base consists of property managers and contractors of all kinds,” Kalabich said. “We’re more business-to-business. We sell directly to commercial contractors from $1 transactions to truckloads.”

He says Acme can beat big box stores and corporate building suppliers on pricing of specialty materials.

A lifelong Palos Heights resident, Kalabich attended Chippewa and Navajo Elementary, Independence Junior High, and is a graduate of Shepard High School. His girlfriend nominated him.

The organization’s fourth class was chosen from more than 100 nominations from across the United States, ranging from large companies to smaller, family-owned dealers. Nominees were reviewed and narrowed to a list of finalists by members of LBM Journal’s sales and editorial teams. See the full list of the 2026 “40 Under 40” class below.

Inductees are all pictured on the cover of the June issue of LBM Journal, with more details on each one in the current cover story, which can be read at LBM 40 Under 40.

“This year was especially difficult to narrow down as we received nearly 150 nominations, each detailing the stories of exceptional young professionals,” Rick Schumacher said in a news release, executive editor and publisher of LBM Journal. “We’re proud to feature this year’s class and to spotlight the impact they’re having in their communities. Year after year, we’re so impressed and filled with excitement for the future of the LBM industry as these leaders light the way for their peers and future generations.”