James A. "Jim" House, 87, a former union pipefitter and contractor who became president of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, died on Sept. 18 in Carmel, Ind. The cause was mesothelioma, according to a family member.

After work as a pipefitter with Local 440 in Indianapolis, House founded J.A. House Inc. in that city in 1973, providing HVAC, plumbing, sheet metal, controls, electrical, fire protection and excavation services on major projects in Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky until 1996.