Elevators are an innovation dating back thousands of years and were significant components in iconic Roman architecture, like the Colosseum. In the modern world, these electric lifts remain profoundly important. They enable vertical transportation in towering buildings while significantly increasing accessibility, security, and productivity.
However, alongside each upright conveyor, there is a consistent need for elevator maintenance. As the lift industry prevails, one seasoned soul remains a critical conductor: James F. Comley. With more than seven decades in elevator services, Comley has deservedly established a reputation and garnered respect as an undeniable authority.
Meet James F. Comley: An Expert in Elevator Maintenance
Comley is the CEO of his own lift company and an elevator industry veteran, having dedicated over 70 years to the sector. What began as a position working alongside a mechanic after serving in the Navy, the stalwart elevator service provider eventually founded and spearheaded Embree Elevator.
Comley’s extensive experience encompasses practically every part of the trade. From research and development to regulatory supervision, he continues to share his industry expertise and insights through mentorship and elevator history preservation work.
Seventy Years of Standout Elevator Services
In his earliest working days, Comley was immediately captivated by the mechanical precision and crucial position of the infrastructure that modern elevators possess. In 1973, his entrepreneurial excellence and devotion to public safety enabled him and his late wife, Virginia, to purchase Embree Elevator. The duo ultimately transformed the company into one with unparalleled regional respect.
Comley leaves behind a distinguished legacy of expertise, advisership, and civic engagement in elevator services. Today, the veteran lift specialist continues his contributions to preserving elevator history through the Elevator Museum, an initiative he helped found.
The Elevator Museum further mirrors Comley’s comprehensive commitment to the past, present, and future. Carrying the motto “preserving the past, elevating the future,” the museum additionally highlights Comley’s personal and professional principles surrounding the sector.
Rising Above Elevator Industry Challenges
Over the years, Comley has maneuvered the elevator industry’s evolution, regulatory shifts, and economic decline. By retaining his dedication to quality, investing in those he believed in, and making strategic, ambitious decisions, he transcended tribulations within the trade. Transitioning from millwright work to all-inclusive elevator solutions was one of the most pivotal yet progressive changes in his company and career.
Since then, Comley has spent over two decades on the Massachusetts Board of Elevator Regulations, acting as Chairman in 2006.
He additionally became the 2011 Ellis Island Medal of Honor Recipient.
While he successfully expanded Embree Elevator, Inc., Comley also received recognition in civic forums and industry publications for leadership and safety. The passionate lift services professional endowed a substantial scholarship at the University of Massachusetts Lowell to supplement his entrepreneurial spirit.
Comley’s commitment to conservation surpasses his deep understanding of elevators. Alongside his late wife, he fondly restored the historic Elijah Stearns Mansion in Bedford, Massachusetts — a renowned home featured in Architectural Digest. The revival and reconstruction of this iconic dwelling reflect Comley’s devotion to preserving elevator history. His efforts showcase an admiration for craftsmanship, expanding a noble narrative, and “honoring the past while elevating the future.”
James Comley: A Foundational Voice in Vertical Transportation
Beloved by many in the elevator industry, Comley continues to revisit job sites, offering guidance to emerging technicians while sharing the knowledge he’s cultivated over the decades.
Comley envisions Embree Elevator growing and upholding its dependability, security, and personal service reputation.
He additionally hopes to mentor more young and aspiring professionals in the field as he persists in his preservation work at the Elevator Museum.
Strengthening his lifelong allegiance to lifting others in the evolving trade, Comley’s story encapsulates leadership, resilience, and passion for protecting both elevator-driven and architectural history.