ABC Member Named to ’40 Under Forty’ List
By Joseph Bednar | Originally posted on businesswest.com
President, Morduct LLC: Age 39
Jason Moran started working in his family’s heating and air-conditioning business at age 15, but eventually decided he wanted to step out on his own. So, in 2017, he found a retiring contractor looking to sell his operation and hit the ground running.
It turned out to be a good decision; today, as president of Morduct LLC, Moran has scaled up his company dramatically, now employing more than 10 associates.
As an HVAC and sheet-metal contractor, most of his clients are heating and AC contractors or mechanical contractors.
“It’s a fulfilling career,” he said. “You’re always at a different location, not just sitting on your hands. Maybe you’re in a commercial space or an office space one day, and in a hospital the next day, and maybe working at an aerospace facility the next day.
“I enjoy working with my hands, even though, as the boss, I shouldn’t be working as much as I do in the field,” he added. “And I like resolving clients’ problems. Maybe they’ve had four other companies there, and then we figure it out and take care of it for them.”
As a member of Associated Builders & Contractors, Moran collaborates with industry leaders to promote best practices, support vocational programs, and advocate for policies that strengthen the trades.
He’s also deeply involved in local workforce-development efforts, partnering with technical high schools and apprenticeship programs to give aspiring tradespeople hands-on experience, mentorship, and professional guidance.
“I strongly encourage young people to get into the trades, especially this trade,” he said. “I like meeting different people and feeling a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. We’re the only trade that takes a raw material and turns it into something. Plumbing is a manufactured product; you can only use it how it’s manufactured. In our trade, the sky’s the limit; you can make anything.”
In one burst of creativity, he crafted a metal ductwork heart and put it in front of his house during the COVID pandemic, a tribute to local doctors and nurses. It has since been donated to a church in Westfield.
Moran said he’s inspired by his wife, Jess, and son, Archie, calling them “big motivators in my life.”
For Jess, who nominated him for 40 Under Forty, the feeling is mutual. “His entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to workforce development, and contributions to the trades exemplify the qualities of a true leader.”
—Joseph Bednar
