08/23/2026
Heartfelt thanks to Al Puhalla and the Puhalla family for their generous support of our fundraising efforts at the David House Heritage Museum.
Local roots run deep here on the Mountaintop, and the Puhalla family story is a true testament to the hard work and dedication that built our community. Descendants of the Slovak and Italian families who settled in Clarence in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Al founded Mountain Top Welding, LLC in 1988 alongside his son, A.J.
What began as welding and fabrication for local exploration and coal mining companies quickly expanded into major operations. In 2003, the business name was changed to A&A Construction because welding was only a fraction of the work being done, including building locations for drilling rigs, pipelines, stream crossings, demolition, and trucking with 77 straight trucks and trailers with over 100 employees.
In 2016, A.J. returned the company to its original name, Mountain Top Welding. Today, it stands as a shining example of Mountaintop entrepreneurship.
As A.J.puts it:
"Like most small business entrepreneurs, it has been a labor of love. I truly enjoyed what I did and am still doing. And like all the other business owners, it was just long hours, short nights, and due diligence to the jobs."
We are incredibly grateful to community champions like the Puhalla family who remember their roots and give back to help preserve our shared history.
PHOTO: New water truck - Albert J., Albert D., & Albert L. Puhalla
