President, A.V. Lauttamus Communications, Inc.; Lauttamus Security, LLC; and Lauttamus Holding, Inc.
By Maggie Hatfield
Growing up in Philippi, WV, Paul Lauttamus came from very humble beginnings. He realized at a young age that if he worked hard and never quit, he could achieve anything, and he believes he learned his exceptional work ethic from his father, Alvar.
“He was my hero,” says Lauttamus. “He worked as a janitor, overcame a stuttering problem and rose up to start his own company, becoming the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for West Virginia in 2000.”
Lauttamus’ first job as an adolescent was as a hawker selling concessions at West Virginia University football games for American Vending. It was through that first job he realized that winning was important to him.
“After the first game, I earned the orange hat as the top salesman,” he says. “I set myself up for success by carrying three trays of soda so I could sell more, and I learned it was all about location, so I positioned myself by the concourse area outside the student section right before halftime.”
After graduating from Fairmont State University, Lauttamus’ first professional job was in banking, and, by a twist of fate, his next move would set the trajectory for the rest of his career.
“They knocked on my office door and said I was being transferred to Kentucky as they were closing my branch, but I refused the transfer and went to work for my father,” he says. “It was the best decision I ever made.”
Today, as president of A.V. Lauttamus Communications, Lauttamus Security and Lauttamus Holding, he oversees an inbound call center for clients in 38 states. His companies also own and lease Federal Communications Commission radio spectrum up and down the entire East Coast, own and operate communications towers and build 911 centers, air-to-ground communications systems and remote-control trains and cranes. They have also expanded into the residential and commercial security and artificial intelligence.
“When my father brought me into the business, I took the time to learn all facets of the paging, answering service and mobile radio business from him,” he says. “I am honored to have built on my father’s paging and radio sales and service business.”
Lauttamus also has a passion for acquiring companies that are struggling and making them successful.
“We turn them around by keeping everyone employed, consolidating the company in 90 days or less, providing a no layoff policy, carrying seniority and improving customer service by answering the phone 24 hours a day,” he says. “So far, we have acquired 12 companies and created and saved many jobs.”
Through all the success Lauttamus has seen over the years, he has faced tragedy as well in the passing of his father.
“I will never forget the first day back to work after his death,” he says. “I wanted to get to work before anyone made it, and I was dressed up in a suit and tie and greeted everyone at the door. I told them I appreciated their commitment to my father and that he loved them, and I asked them to believe in me. I promised to continue his legacy, keep the company and take it to the next level.”
Lauttamus has made it a point to honor his father’s legacy by giving his time and talent generously to his community.
Over the course of his career, he has served as president of the Weirton Area Ambulance and Rescue Service, member of the Regional Economic Development Partnership and Young Presidents Organization Pittsburgh chapter and board member of the Enterprise Wireless Alliance. He supports Weirton Medical’s Breast Cancer Center, the Follansbee Baseball Association, Brooke County Athletic Complex and Weirton Fire Department. He served as a youth soccer, basketball and baseball coach from 2012-2020 and is a past president and Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club of Weirton Heights.
Lauttamus is proud to be from the Mountain State and believes that owning his business here has helped it thrive.
“Living and working in West Virginia, you can achieve great things,” he says. “I am able to have a quadruple level of redundancy for my telecommunications with triple the level of energy supply. Nowhere else in the world can anyone do this. It is truly a special place.”
1996 Graduated from Fairmont State University
1996 Started work as mortgage banker
1999 Joined A.V. Lauttamus Communications
2000 Married wife, Andrea
2005 Son, Carson, was born
2008 Joined Northern Panhandle Workforce Investment Board
2010 Earned Governor’s Service Award
2011 Became member of Enterprise Wireless Alliance
2013 Named president of A.V. Lauttamus Communications
2013 Joined Young Presidents Organization
2014 Became member of RED Partnership
2016 Named Paul Harris Fellow
2017 Elected president of Rotary Club of Weirton Heights
2020 Earned Dept. of Defense Pro Patria Award
