About us

Welcome! We’re Tom,
Jeff, and sam stortz

The three brothers running John Stortz and Son, Inc. We are the fifth generation of Stortz’s to bring quality  hand tools to craftsmen around the world.

our pledge

Whether it carries the John Stortz brand or not, if a hand tool is sold by Stortz, it offers notable value for its class and purpose. As we have for a century and a half, John Stortz & Son will continue to put reliable and productive hand tools in the hands of the public. Then as now, the John Stortz brand is your assurance of excellence, innovation and traditional value. As always, we solicit suggestions from the trades for improvements or additions to our lines.

Pictured left to right: Nick, Steve, Jeff (crouched), Sam, Laura, and Tom Stortz

Meet the team

tom Stortz

Employee Since: 2005
Email: [email protected]
Generation: Fifth

About:
Tom joined Stortz Tools immediately following his college graduation. For most of the 2000s Tom led the tech end of the business, building the e-commerce side of the website while expanding the business further into metal roofing. Currently the president of the National Slate Association, Tom is dedicated to growing and serving the roofing industry in the US.

jeff Stortz

Employee Since: 2012
Email: [email protected]
Generation: Fifth

About:
Jeff Stortz is currently VP of Marketing at Stortz Tools. Jeff joined the company full time in 2012 albeit having worked in the family business for summers since he was a child. His focus is on bringing new and useful products from around the world to the North American specialty roofers. If a tool can help a roofer work smarter, faster, and/or safer, we want to procure that item and broadcast it to our customer base to better serve the industry.

sam Stortz

Employee Since: 2018
Email: [email protected]
Generation: Fifth

About:
The youngest Stortz sibling, Sam joined the business in 2018 bringing a data analysis background with him. That skill has turned hundreds of years of data into action items to improve the business. Outside of the office Sam enjoys running, rooting for Philly sports teams, and spending time with his wife and son.

Laura Stortz

Employee Since: 2025
Email: [email protected]

About:
Although late to join the family business, Laura is playing a pivotal role as a lead marketing associate. Laura's prior experience with account management at a construction marketing firm gave her the experience needed to determine how to get our best products in front of the optimal consumers. She is married with 2 children, who provide much needed entertainment when visiting their uncles at work.

Steve Wiseman

Employee Since: 2021
Email: [email protected]

About:
Steve joined Stortz Tools in the heart of Covid when help was needed, but hard to find. A graduate from Temple University, Steve manages our order fulfillment processes and inventory management. If you see a Black Lab around the shop, it must be Friday (Steve's dog).

Nicholas Jones

Employee Since: 2025
Email: [email protected]

About:
Nick has a background in roofing and construction project management. He understands the importance of having the right tools and materials for a job in a timely manner which is why he's excellent at solving customers' problems.

Nick is also an avid rec-league basketball all-star and spends time outside of work with his wife and young child.

our company history

John Stortz resided in Tuttlingen, Germany in 1847 when he decided to leave his homeland. Feeling threatened by civil revolution in his native land, John decided to voyage to the promiseland of America. Although John’s original plans involved making his way west toward California to participate in the gold rush, John needed to find employment where he docked in Philadelphia to begin.

Born into a family who for generations followed the trade of surgical instruments, cutlery and tools, John earned a job as a skilled mechanic in Philadelphia.

John’s skill and experience as a tool maker was recognized and gave him the opportunity to establish a business.