When Jim Kurfurst was just 15 years of age he went to work for a small retail meat market in Portland Oregon as a clean-up boy. From there he entered an apprenticeship program to become a journeyman meat cutter. In 1966 Jim married Barbara and continued working at that little meat shop which he now managed. In 1969 Jim and Barbara opened Butcher Boys. From the start it has been family owned and operated with Jim at the helm and Barbara taking care of office duties along with running a household and raising their two children, Peter and Shari. Not only has Jim been a board member and president of the Northwest Meat Processors Association, but he has also traveled to china to help set up a modern meat processing facility. Jim has always had an open door policy when it comes to teaching the fine art of meat processing and smoking. People from all over the world including China, Mexico, Canada, the Philippines, Hawaii and even Africa have spent time with Jim and his son Peter learning their trade.

Today Jim and Barbara’s son Peter takes care of the day to day operation of Butcher Boys allowing them to start thinking about retirement and enjoy the fruits of their labor.