CTORS

INSIDE: MORE YOUNG GUNS

N CONTRA by Chris King

uns MORE
NEXT-GENERATIO SHIP ROLES
EXCEL IN LEADER

Young G phone number

seeing success
landing key
in sales and
accounts and
marketing
watching them
ideas,

sales and
Next-Generation Contractors
Excel in Leadership Roles PG 36
one toll-free consistent
accounts from accounts. grow, and
developing
will be in place
that for many national in a cubicle programs that
10 companies on — a must
founded by with one person marketing
tenure at Tecta.”
Tecta was (over 50 years What began state-of-the- long after my
in tradition and into a full-scale, located in
were steeped 100 years) has evolved
of them over Solution Center to a
average, two acquisition.
Sometimes
art Customer do everything
from
Adapting Market
largely by out new Minn. “We
then grew
sales and marketing said. “When and rolling Mankato, customers,
of our national receive Changing 27, is president
president of gaining alignmentvery challenging in a
is senior vice when he was shaping Tecta,”
Schupmann of the call dispatch here and Megan McConville, Construction Inc.
Young Guns Corp., but can be young and
so can call in
Tecta America not even the large acquisition of 2005, the initiatives to local of Offshore

R
roofing was Tecta made is still relatively or anyone and owner father and
oofing Contractor’s to showcase for a career in in June company that service to dispatch roof asset Conn. Her ng
companies in Manchester, started their own roofi
series was designed of roofing in college, attended Aurora former GRS FJAC was
merged into immediate
have our online
screen. He branch of new initiatives locations. We Tecta Tracker, both
the next generation on his radar Ill., where
he studied I moved to diverse.”
some of those program called grandfather took over
by putting
the in Aurora, . Chicago location, and Rolling out comes in.
He’s worked and McConville
professionals and 30s
University and communications our new Anthony time to build up Tecta’s management
all of the data
entry businesses,
in their 20s business managementng industry by chance. at that is where Schupmann marketing and and we run
contractors the roofi Tecta Corp. of sales, have helped analytics of
spotlight on in the industry. program.” on a number and all of the
David Schupmann
jobs,
their mark He entered I worked several National Accountslarge contactor with
a programs that of its
who are making that the industry is pay for college, a
its benefits, customer service and improve each that program
through
Vice President,
using “To and men’s
clothing Working for
Those who
assume
touch owners a golf course One definitely has unify the companythe process. Schupmann which gives a Senior
including Mark Shale. national footprint but it poses challenges here, Marketing
Sales and
by old, out-of in
dominated be surprised
to
store — Chicago-based asked me to the size, operating units the Tecta America really good,
clean,
Corp.
methods might movement afoot at Mark Shale noted Schupmann, is that we have in sync with
antiquated of my customers time at FJA Christiansen “A benefit the noted he is all share the
same
consistent
product Tecta America
there is a youth the as well. truly satisfy because they clients. “I’m Illinois
realize it, but contractors
who
work for him
part so I added expertise to sales force to the customer Chicago,
ng world. The going to school, coverage and customer. the company’s solutions of
in the roofi Roofing Contractor Roofing while roofing most demanding exceeding goal: helping at the end
insights with career in the needs of the and about developing their
shared their in leadership began my to quality can put its most passionate better manage the day. We
run
have all excelled third job. I rooftop surveys, When it comes Tecta truly Offshore three
for this article and they all CAD work, to help our
customers
want our customer all of our disaster here,
she joined
industry doing meetings, pulling permits customer expectations,is,” he said. “We
have
he said. “We a third when never
respective companies,in a rapidly roof assets,” recently, McConvilleShe
roles in their pre-bid its mouth stand behind a trusted business response through ago. Until
to adapt quickly success. attending roof where else, but we us more as a years roofing as
a career.
cited the ability their proposals.” of to think of ng vendor.” so if we get
a hurricane as a
as a key to and preparing the company, Don like anybody to the needs just a roofi effort or really considered eld University
changing economy of Tecta issues always attend partner than Expert Selling a snow-removal collection point for from Fairfi went into
The owner architects of our work and is that because create the Tecta partnership or graduated major and
to Help McNamara, was one of the in January of A challenge He helped in effort, this is the
and we are
able to economics
Solutions was founded our customers. was designed hail finance and accounting,
working
Developing America, which always on the forefront
of Program, which Sales Institute to teach of the information, to all of our nance and Moet
plans all corporate fi Louis Vuitton
Customers Gun who was with the Sandler were great at handling dispatch and
communicate
It’s a support Electric and by the
is a Young 2000. “FJAC who through here. for General herself bored
David Schupmann
38, contractors out of leads operating units as well as our internal She found
veteran. Schupmann, to get the most roof service. Hennessy. and decided
is also an industry and specs and for our customers corporate world, realized I
involve immediate for our day-to-day “I
that did not guide operating units.” America has more her style. I
a step-by-step believes Tecta to be a roofing was so that’s why
“We created from how Schupmann of a challenge, I was
covering everything certain and he is excited wanted more said. “I thought it
salespeople and attack a bright future, has afforded me many here,” she but
business plan came over as I could,
to set up a different marketing part of it. “Tecta forever be away as far on the
how to focus and I will going to run had to carry
markets, to a sales call growth opportunities
that in. Someone
areas, to what and confidence sucked me
efforts in those to walk a customer of the trust ‘figure

The Premier Magazine for Commercial and Residential Roofing & Insulation
appreciative me to just family tradition.”originally incorporated
looks like —
how
close them
and has had in
sales process, the company an 18-year Offshore was in disaster
through the he said. “Over Florida, specializing
the long term.” things out,’” much I am
proud
in 1998 in
onboard for there is so
keep them develop and career at Tecta, young people grow,
to
33
also helped
Schupmann Solution Center, of, from helping :: September
2013
Tecta’s Customer
expand to service
the company RoofingContractor.com
which allows

Dion
Gaines
Megan e
McConvill
David
Schupmann
2013
:: September
RoofingContractor.com
32

September 2013
RoofingContractor.com

Attic Ventilation:
Airing it Out
PG 28

Guardrail
Systems

GOING THE
for Residential
Roofs
PG 20

EXTRA MILE
ALLIED ROOFING COMPANY

Roofing With
Galvalume
SSR Panels
PG 42
 Going the
Extra
At Allied Roofing Company, Hard Work Pays Off
Photos by Harrison Photographic. Photo courtesy of Polyglass USA, Inc. by Chris King
J
ared Ewart believes Allied Roofing has a value evening. Eventually he added responsibilities on the
proposition that pays off for its commercial commercial side, taking over all of the company’s
clients and the company. His father, Wayne troubleshooting. “When there was a problem, my dad
Ewart, founded the business in 1980, and it has put me on it.” He said. “He knew I’d get it resolved.
always been a family affair. According to Jared Ewart, So I got really good at problem solving, fixing roof
that’s a primary source of its strength. “Being family leaks. And that’s important. The problems are what
owned and operated, we’re devoted to our projects, can sink you, so you’ve got to handle those. You can’t
and we’re devoted to the company,” he said. “We’re let it fester.”
not here to sell you something and disappear the next Business was booming in the ’80s and ’90s, driven
day. We’re in it for the long haul. We’re going to be by population growth in California and the 1994
around. We’ve been around for 30 years, and we plan Northridge earthquake. “It caused massive destruction
to be around for another 30 years.” through north L.A. County, the San Fernando
Based in Santa Ana, Calif., Allied Roofing focuses Valley, even down into LA,” Ewart stated. “Freeway
on commercial roofing and waterproofing. Ewart overpasses collapsed, shopping malls collapsed. It’s
chalks up his company’s successful track record to fortunate it happened in the early morning hours, or
understanding and meeting the needs of his clients the death toll would have been astronomical.”
and running a tight ship. He runs the business The company now handles some national accounts
along with his mother, Karen Ewart, who does the and has worked in Northern California and Montana,
financials. His sister Ashley handles marketing and is as well as Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, Seattle
the project coordinator. and Las Vegas. The company even re-roofed a large
“We offer an extreme value,” Ewart said. “We don’t shopping mall in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
have a lot of overhead that’s wasting dollars. Those When Ewart’s father passed away in 2008, Jared
dollars are being passed on to the client. We have a was ready to take the helm. “I knew the business
business model that saves people money in the end.” well,” he said. “My father groomed me for this
business. He had a head for it. He loved it. You
Up on the Roof couldn’t keep him away from it. If he was still alive,
Ewart has been comfortable on a roof since he was he’d still be sitting here in the office. He enjoyed it,
five or six years old. “My dad would take me out and and he was a hard worker.”
take me up on the roofs on Saturdays,” he said.
His father started roofing in Philadelphia and Satisfying Customers
moved his family to California in the early 1970s. Ewart credits his long-term employees as the key
Allied Roofing was initially located in Santa Clarita. to providing quality workmanship. “There is integrity
Ewart worked for his father’s company during summer there,” he said. “It’s strong. We feel we owe it to our
vacations while still in high school. “I was the boss’s clients to give them the best service for the best value
son, so I got all the dirty jobs,” he said. “I started we can.”

Mile
at the bottom making $35 a day. I’d come home According to Ewart, the first step is determining
filthy dirty. I slowly worked my way up, bought a the client’s needs. “We’ll explain the roof coating
systems, how it works,
what’s involved, what
the benefits are to it, the
longevity, life expectancy,
plans for the future,” he
said. “Do they want to put
a new roof on? Are they
looking for a 20-year roof?
We try to determine what
they want and how much
money they want to spend.
truck when I was 16, and by the time I was 17, I was Once we determine that, we make a recommendation
working full time.” based on what’s existing, and we’ll give them the
He joined the business in 1990 right out of high options.”
school, running residential crews as a foreman during He pointed to a recent re-roofing project for
the day and eventually handling sales calls in the a long-term client as one example. It was an old
› Allied Roofing Company

› Allied Roofing installs fluid-applied elastomeric roof coating from Polyglass on a roof with multiple penetrations. PG 700 elastomeric coating (ASTM D-6083) is
ENERGY STAR® rated, UL Classified and FM Approved.

office building that housed a law firm roof coating, you can spray that stuff Training Never Stops
on the top floor, and multiple leaks in into tight spaces, lay the polyester out, Ewart lauds his experienced crews
the existing built-up roof were causing and spray around lots of penetrations. It and provides ongoing training to keep
constant problems. “The roof had some works around everything,” he said. “It them up to date on safety requirements
deterioration, failures at roof drains, encapsulates everything and seals up the and new technology. Monthly safety
punctures and tears, and damage from existing problems.” training from an outside agency is
foot traffic,” Ewart said. “You had According to Ewart, in this case complemented by weekly tailgate
numerous rooftop mechanical units, installing the new roof was easy; it was meetings and daily safety checklists.
satellite dishes, and people can be very fixing the leaks in the existing roof that Employees also receive training on all
destructive to a roof if they don’t pay was the hardest part. “We went the extra types of installation and systems, and
attention.” mile and made sure the client and the the company and its manufacturer
After some light maintenance and tenants were well taken care of,” he said. partners provide the tools and training
roof repairs, they decided the roof was Coatings are a big segment of the they need to do the job right. “We don’t
in good enough shape to hold up, and market in California, said Ewart, who make them improvise,” Ewart said. “If
they recommended a fluid-applied roof acknowledges that Title 24 requirements they need the right piece of equipment,
system from Polyglass USA, Inc. After pose some challenges for contractors they get it. And they get the training to
installing a basecoat of asphalt emulsion even as they help the environment. use it.”
reinforced with a layer of polyester, the “We’re using roof systems that are more “The most satisfying part is just
roof was covered with two coats of PG friendly to the environment,” he said. knowing the client is happy,” Ewart
700 elastomeric roof coating. “The roof coating systems — that’s a said. “When the rain comes, they aren’t
Ewart noted that the system is an green roof. We’re not tearing off the calling me about a problem. They are
excellent option as long as the existing roof. We’re not putting it in a landfill. calling me because they have another
roof system allows it. The monolithic Being forced to use these types of roof roof project. That’s what I live for with
coating encapsulates the existing roof, systems because of the laws is helping this business.”
and it’s ideal for roofs with numerous the environment — drastically. There
penetrations and hard-to-reach areas. are less pollutants, too. The roof Chris King is editor of Roofing
“Even torch-applied systems have trouble coatings are waterborne products, so Contractor. He can be reached at 248-
getting into tight corners, but with a there are no VOCs.” 244-6497 or [email protected].

Reprinted with permission from Roofing Contractor, September 2013 © 2013, BNP Media.