The Kostiuk Family: Making an Impact

John Wooden said, “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” You could even say a man’s character is judged by his work-life balance, and when you look at who Gabe Kostiuk is, you realize his character is truly remarkable.

Then, you look at the personality of his family and realize there are not a lot of families out there who are quite like the Kostiuks.

“Honestly, a lot of things make Gabe and his family special,” longtime Kostiuk employee River Boyd said. “They are caring; they give back so much; they have good hearts; they are hard workers, loyal, and just all-around great people.”

Everyone has different viewpoints on their bosses. Some love their bosses while others have nothing but horror stories. But when it comes to Gabe, you can tell this is a man of great character. He is unapologetically himself.

What is most important to him is his family and his faith. He has five children: Justin, Brenden, Deven, Michael and Jonathan. He was one grandchild (for now) from his eldest Justin. Three of his sons work for his gutter company in various positions while two of his younger ones are coming into their own.

Meanwhile, his wife Jessica runs the tavern they bought and turned it from a dive bar into a nice family restaurant. They will tell you the best part of being business owners is the fact that they get to work alongside great people. Whether it is the gutter company or the tavern, or whether it was the farm or the rental properties, they have all played their part and have put their best foot forward.

“Everyone at the companies admires how much they care about their employees,” an employee said.

A big part of the family’s success is not the types of businesses or even the business plans, but their employees and the way they treat them. They treat them like family, and they keep them around for the long haul. The Kostiuks look for people who are as devoted as they are to work, and they also mix work with personal life… in moderation.

There are plenty of great memories too, from the work parties to just being able to show up to work every day and it not feel like work. When you work for the Kostiuks, you are expected to work hard, but there is such a great balance that you do not dread showing up.

The Kostiuks are also a family who know what it is like to be honest people.

“He and Jess have instilled good moral character, work ethic, and intelligence in all their children,” River said.

You can see that in the way they show up to work too. The kids do not take it easy or treat it as something that they are just there to do because it is expected, but because they genuinely care about the success of their parents’ business.

When you look at the Kostiuk clan, you also see something different in their demeanor. River alluded to their Catholic faith multiple times when talking about this family, and that is because that is a big part of who they are. They are not afraid to make their religious morals part of their business values, and they are not ashamed of their faith.

That faith carries them far, as do their hearts. The Kostiuks love to give back and be there for everyone around them.

“In every way possible,” River said when asked how they elevate him and his coworkers. “The Kosituk family has done so much for the people around them, including their communities and churches, and for family and friends.”

The thing about this family is that they are very genuine too. You know where you stand with them, and you know that they are not going to beat around the bush or put on a fake face.

At his core, Gabe Kostiuk is a smalltown Michigan man with a love of business and family. He is a great businessman and he is more than proud to have brought his family along for the ride. He loves the fact that, especially with the long hours of running multiple businesses, he gets to see his family more than most business owners, as they are ultimately what keeps him going and they are why he does what he does.

“I want him to know how much everyone who is going to be at this party appreciates him and his family for everything they do.”