I recently attended the funeral services of a longtime NRCA member. He had volunteered with the association for decades, serving on committees and leadership roles for many years.
When I arrived at the visitation, there was a digital slideshow of photos highlighting moments from his life. I sat and watched it for some time. I was struck by how many scenes were from roofing industry events, association gatherings or activities with fellow roofing contractors.
A photo of a wedding or birthday celebration was followed by images of contractors working together, roofing families traveling together, or those same roofing friends at wedding or birthday celebrations.
I was surprised even more when I ran into a sizeable group of roofing contractors from all over the U.S. One contractor from three states away had been friends with the deceased since the 1990s; they had watched each other’s kids grow and journeyed through life’s various eras together. There were friends and colleagues from the industry that I didn’t even realize were his friends and colleagues. All were there to pay respect to a life well-lived and a leader who made a difference.
The next day at the service, the number of roofing industry attendees was roughly equal to the family section in the church pews.
I then realized: Roofing is family. Roofing is a lifestyle.
The life and journey of a contractor is one marred with struggle, resilience, gusto and an entrepreneurial spirit that I’m in awe of daily. That road is often not traveled solo but with peers, competitors, colleagues and friends … brothers and sisters in arms joining along the way. They share fun times and hard times and big wins or ruinous losses. They are, in fact, a family.
Before NRCA, I worked in government and electoral politics. I would say it wasn’t a job; it was a lifestyle. There wasn’t a punch-in, punch-out structure; I was always on call. My birthday is in October, and I’d joke that I only celebrate every odd-numbered year because even-numbered years were busy with work. Fourth of July or Saturdays were critical workdays. If a crisis, whether real or potential, erupted during a nice dinner out, I ended up on a cellphone in a restaurant bathroom.
Most of you reading this are no doubt saying: “That’s roofing, too. Nothing special there.”
Two weeks of storms can put you behind, but you push through during the weekend when it’s sunny and clear. Holidays or other items on a calendar get punted or ignored to get jobs done.
I have seen firsthand how contractors need to step out of a meeting, arrive late or entirely miss an event because duty called. And yes, I’ve been at a fancy steak dinner with a group of contractors where one was in the bathroom on a cell-phone for the entire meal because that’s where he needed to be.
However, for most individuals, such challenging, interrupted times are offset by a distinguished career and an honorable, purpose-driven life where you build something for your community, your employees and your family. Crafting that legacy is what sets apart the professionals from the pretenders.
Your extended roofing family notices those million little moments when you think nobody is watching. Those moments build over years and decades, and the accumulation is what is left in your obituary and in the memories and hearts of those you leave behind.
The relationships built through your engagement in this industry last a lifetime—and the memories even longer than that. The family that is this industry cares for one another deeply, and the legacy you leave behind is of your choosing. Make it count.
Because one day your peers, friends and colleagues—your toughest, most honest critics will say: “He or she did it right. And they were part of my family.”
MCKAY DANIELS
CEO
NRCA
