Joe Howe

President

Joe has been with K&J since 2009. He started out as a contractor and then in 2012 became an employee heading up the financial, accounting, and technology areas.  He quickly took on many leadership functions to help Brett and Leslie run the company.  Prior to K&J, he worked with many small businesses as well as UT Austin for almost 10 years.  Joe holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from UT Dallas.  In 2023, Joe became President of K&J Woodworks and is thankful for the ongoing mentorship from Brett and Leslie.  Joe enjoys seeing the K&J team take a millwork project from an idea on paper into a useful creation.  Outside of work, Joe enjoys building, fixing, ranching, volunteering within the community, and enjoying the outdoors with his wonderful wife and children.

Angel Muñoz

Operations Director

Angel has been around construction since he was a young boy helping his dad build cabinets.  He says he didn’t like the sanding and staining, but enjoyed the construction side and this led to building wood projects himself.  His experience and opportunity led him to K&J in 2004.  Angel worked in the Assembly Department for several years.  He quickly proved his desire to learn more and spent the next few years working in different departments of K&J.  He began to develop a broader understanding of how the manufacturing side of K&J functioned while he picked up other skills in shipping, machining and installation.  Angel even worked in the Engineering Department and became proficient in AutoCAD.  In 2011, Angel led the installation team and worked in the field alongside them for six years.  In 2017, he was officially made the Installation Manager with a more permanent desk in the office where he has been invaluable to not only his install team, but also to those in the office and the manufacturing departments.  This move proved to be another step in the right direction because in 2018 Angel was named K&J’s Operations Director.  Angel has a big future with K&J due to his drive to learn more, ambition to grow, and ability to develop others alongside him.  In his personal time, Angel enjoys time with family at the river, park, hiking, movies, camping, and he loves to dove hunt.

Brett Burich

Vice President of Sales

Brett has been a “fixture” at K&J Woodworks, having started with the company right out of high school over thirty years ago when K&J had only four employees.  Despite not knowing the difference between sheetrock and plywood, Brett’s perseverance and dedication to learning taught him leadership and how to work through the struggles of any given project.  Brett became President in 2014 leading the company together with his wife, Leslie.  He watched K&J flourish into the company it is today, and deeply appreciates all the lessons he learned and all the people he met that he considered family.  With the baton passed to Joe, Brett now focuses on keeping close relationships with key customers.  Even with the demands of his career, Brett makes time for his family every day whether attending his children’s events, enjoying the blessings of his grandchildren, hunting, or trying to never miss a UT football game. Hook’em Horns!

 

Garrett Smith

Chief Estimator

Garrett embarked on his journey with K&J as an intern during his senior year at Sam Houston State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design and Development with a minor in Business. His passion for design and construction traces back to high school when he actively contributed to building two custom homes here in Central Texas, alongside his family. Since graduating, Garrett has accumulated over a decade of experience in Estimating and excels in sales, customer care, and management. Additionally, he has experience working for General Contractors too. He values the family-like atmosphere fostered by K&J's workforce, and he cherishes spending quality time with his own family, local communities, and the great outdoors.

CJ Hall

Account manager

Born in south Texas, C.J graduated from Sam Houston State University, majoring in Music Education. He accumulated nineteen years of experience in the millwork industry and spent five years being dedicated to estimating, engineering and project managing at K&J. In addition, C.J had spent twenty-one years as a Construction Contract Administrator at Texas State University, specializing in interiors, river and water management, and building support infrastructure. After retiring from Texas State, C.J came back to K&J to assist with account management. Outside of work, he involves himself in any water-related activities he can get his hands on, most notably, canoeing!

Chris Brimer

Project Manager

Chris Brimer was born and raised in Dallas, TX. After studying Art and Design at the University of North Texas he worked with a residential architect in Dallas generating construction drawings for the firm. Chris moved to Austin in 1999 and worked with a residential General Contractor through which he learned rough and fine carpentry. His next woodworking stop was in the assembly department for a residential cabinet shop. With hands-on and technical experience now under his belt he then moved into the engineering department at K&J in 2013.  During his first year he transitioned into an assistant Project Management role coordinating bank remodels in Texas and Louisiana. Chris now has a broad client base which includes restaurants, grocery stores, office spaces, airport venues, medical facilities, warehouse spaces, and administration buildings. Outside of work, some of his hobbies include playing the drums and guitar, swimming, and working on personal home improvement projects.

Hector Sanchez

Shop Management


Hector became part of the K&J team in the year 2000, starting in laminate but went on to use his experience in the assembly and installation departments.  He eventually worked his way up to Assembly Manager and learned how to effectively use and master AutoCAD. As Shop Manager, Hector has made a name for himself as both a dedicated foreman and a seasoned designer at K&J. Beyond the workplace, he enjoys working around the house, spending time with his family, and making delicious BBQ.   


Ramiro Rodriguez

Install Manager

Raised In Kyle, Texas, as the second youngest to a family of seven, Ramiro Rodriguez has worked with K&J for over 10 years, developing his skills in many different positions during that time frame.  Ramiro started in the punch-out department, then shipping and became the Shipping Manager.  Ramiro later moved on to installation and grew into his current position as the Install Manager! He had previously been enlisted in the US Army and had also earned his CDL.  Ramiro is not only a strong member of K&J, but a strong member of his own family of four kids.

Robert Cordero

Shipping Manager

Born in San Marcos Texas, Robert Cordero has always been an ambitious person who strives for the best for him and his family. He started out in the K&J shop but quickly  joined the receiving team.  After, but through his eight years of collaboration with K&J, he worked his way towards becoming our Shipping Manager. In his personal time: He enjoys spending time with his young daughter, watching movies, and working on his own personal projects at home. 

Craig

Engler

Purchasing

Manager

Craig Engler has thirty years of experience in the millwork business, with over twenty-five dedicated to working at K&J as our Purchasing Manager. Craig has also been married to his wife, Tracy, for 30 years. He is active in Texas 4-H shooting sports and even became a certified shotgun coach. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family in the wilderness and sporting clays with his sons and grandson.