When I spoke with Rob McNamara, president of Milwaukee-based F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing Co. Inc., a Tecta America company, in March about his work, his family and, notably, his upcoming term as NRCA president, one phrase came up quite a bit: Expect the unexpected.
To be sure, McNamara's life has taken many unanticipated turns—personally and professionally. One of his biggest surprises was getting involved with the roofing industry in the first place.
Growing up, McNamara was connected with the industry through his father, Don, who served as president/treasurer and co-owner of F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing for almost 30 years. Don also was actively involved with NRCA and served as NRCA's president from 1986-87.
However, despite McNamara's ties to the roofing industry, his primary interests were law and accounting, and after graduating from Milwaukee-based Marquette University Law School in 1986, he went on to become a partner in a Milwaukee-area law firm.
"I enjoyed the legal world and what I was doing—helping clients get from point A to point B," McNamara says. "So I never looked specifically at getting involved with our roofing business—at least not then."
But as McNamara says: "Expect the unexpected."
In 1993, he joined F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing as executive vice president and took over his father's position as president when his father retired in 1995 (though Don was pulled out of retirement to help lead the formation of Tecta America Corp., Skokie, Ill., and serve as its first chief executive officer). Since then, McNamara has become highly involved with the roofing industry and NRCA, serving on its board of directors and Executive Committee.
And this month, he furthers his involvement by assuming the role of NRCA president.
In the beginning
McNamara grew up in the Milwaukee area. His father worked as a tax attorney until he decided to join F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing as a co-owner and its president/treasurer and director in 1967.
Don's involvement with the company came about through negotiations initiated by Bob Christiansen, then vice president/secretary of F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing, when Christiansen's father, Fred, F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing's president from 1928-67, passed away. Don had known Bob as a client from his time as a tax attorney.
"Bob needed someone to run the administrative end of the business," McNamara says. "So my father left his firm and joined F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing. He acquired 52 percent ownership of the company."
During this time, McNamara attended Marquette University and graduated in 1983 with a business education degree in accounting. He went on to Marquette University's law school, graduating from a three-year program in 1986. He met his wife, Kate, while he was an undergraduate.
"Kate and I met at The Gym, a Marquette University sports bar, through my roommate and good friend to this day," McNamara says. "He knew Kate from one of his classes and wanted to meet her friend. So he struck up a conversation with Kate and then turned his attention to her friend. This left Kate and me to talk, and the rest, as they say, is history."
After graduating from law school, McNamara married Kate in 1986 and began his work at Niebler, Pyzyk, Klaver & Wagner, where he eventually became a partner.
"My first real connection with the roofing industry other than running around the office and yard area as a kid was in 1986 when I went to NRCA's convention in San Francisco for NRCA's 100th anniversary, the year my dad began his term as NRCA president," McNamara says. "Kate and I went with my brothers and their wives, and it was just an incredible convention to attend because Bob Hope was there for the entertainment part of it, which was fascinating. That was kind of my first introduction to the industry. To see the scale of it, the size of the convention and everything that went on—it was impressive."
McNamara continued work with the law firm, occasionally helping with legal matters at F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing. One day, about six years into his legal career, Don broached an unexpected subject.
"While we were on the golf course, my dad brought up the idea of me joining the company, which I had never really thought of before," McNamara says. "I was enjoying what I was doing and not looking for anything different. I tell people I went on to shoot the worst game of my life thinking about a possible career change."
However, McNamara was intrigued by his father's suggestion.
"I'd always been interested in the business side of things," he says. "I was an accounting major as an undergrad, and I knew some people here in the office and the company's history, so it was attractive to me. I basically thought: If I don't give this a try and see what it's all about, I'll never know what I missed out on, so why not?
"Probably the most difficult thing I had to do in the process was tell my partners I was leaving them and going on to another career," McNamara continues. "I really enjoyed my time with them—they were just great people to work with on all levels. And I learned a lot from them. But I made the transition and tried to learn everything about the company as quickly as I could. It's obviously an ongoing process—every day is something new."
Getting involved
Since joining F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing, McNamara has carried on his father's tradition of industry involvement.
"After I was with F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing for a couple of years in the mid-'90s, my dad suggested I get more involved with NRCA and throw in a nomination for director," McNamara says. "My first term was from 1996-99. And that, of course, was a further eye-opener to getting involved and getting to know other contractors, which is a great thing."
McNamara served an additional term as an NRCA director from 2002-06 and was a vice president from 2006-08 and senior vice president from 2008-09. Additionally, he has been involved with various NRCA committees. He was a member of the Insurance Board of Governors for six years and eventually served as its chairman and is actively involved with the National Roofing Legal Resource Center and served as its president from 2005-06.
"I've been fortunate to be involved with many different areas of the association," McNamara says. "I've been involved with business aspects, contractor management, safety and—more recently—technical areas, as well. I hope that breadth of involvement will be beneficial going forth.
"One thing that fascinates me about the roofing industry that I also really enjoyed about the legal world is you never really 'max out' as an expert in anything," McNamara continues. "In the legal world, there's never a plateau you can reach in your practice because there is always something more out there. I was amazed when I got involved in the roofing industry—you assume it's just simple and straight-forward as an outsider. But when you get involved and realize the complexity of construction in general and the science and technology behind our industry, it's actually pretty fascinating."
And McNamara values his NRCA involvement and the assistance it provides him and his company in addressing those complexities.
"When you get involved with running a company, especially a roofing company, you realize how many facets there are," McNamara says. "You've got to wear so many hats. You've got to know, obviously, what your company is selling and installing in terms of systems; the equipment, materials and products you use; safety issues; and the estimating process, negotiating work, providing a service and communicating the value you can deliver. You also have to be able to manage the people aspects of it—the people outside your business and those inside it. NRCA provides a lot of knowledge in all those different areas that a roofing contractor touches on and ultimately has to wind up being well-versed in.
"To do all these things—and if you are going to at least try to do them well—you need help and resources," he continues. "To do all that on your own would be a learning curve I think none of us would be able to meet, so trying to flatten that curve as much as possible is certainly to your advantage as a businessperson. During the years, I have gained a lot from NRCA as far as knowledge, and I feel my company has gained a lot since my dad's initial involvement."
Andrew Sherifi, F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing's controller, also thinks McNamara's NRCA involvement has benefited the company and looks forward to his term as president.
"We use NRCA's training services extensively," Sherifi says. "From an industry perspective, NRCA has helped our image and lobbying efforts."
Todd Orvedahl, F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing's vice president, agrees.
"I definitely think NRCA has helped our company," Orvedahl says. "I think it polishes the industry's image."
McNamara is looking forward to continuing his NRCA involvement in his new role as president.
"From a personal standpoint, I take a lot of pleasure from the people part of the association," McNamara says. "Working with Bill Good, NRCA's executive vice president, the staff and former presidents has been a great experience. The people in the industry have been really fantastic on many different levels, so this certainly gives me the opportunity to meet even more people and continue the process. I definitely enjoy and am involved tremendously in the people aspect.
"I've always felt that if the opportunity came up to be involved at this level, it would not be something I would turn away and I would be up for the challenge and the time involved with it," McNamara continues. "If there's an opportunity to try to help the industry move forward, I definitely would like to do that."
Then and now
McNamara has several goals for the upcoming year, one of which is building on the work of outgoing NRCA President Rob Therrien, president of The Melanson Co., Keene, N.H.
"One of the things you definitely find out in this industry, in life in general and certainly in business is to expect the unexpected," McNamara says. "Take this year, for example. It certainly was not what we were expecting in terms of the direction of the economy. Rob joked about drawing the short straw in terms of having to deal with difficult times. But there have been a lot of things that have moved forward during the past year. We've continued with rebranding the association, and we've had a lot of technical and educational products come out. If you look at 2008 as a challenging year and you see what NRCA has accomplished during that time, it's really impressive and I think a testament to Rob's leadership.
"I told Kate that in terms of being able to work with Rob, I feel I've drawn the long straw because it has been nothing short of fantastic," McNamara continues. "He brought the passion he has for the industry, the knowledge he has of all facets of the industry and his ability to work with people. The energy that he does everything with … he's just a great and fun individual, up and down. He's also well-connected in the industry and the association, and it's been great to witness and be part of his team."
One of the things McNamara wants to continue to focus on is NRCA's strategic plan.
"I don't want to lose sight of the plan we put in place and the areas that were identified as strategic issues," McNamara says. "We had a collaborative process getting input from contractors and other industry constituents, and I want to continue to examine that and make sure we stay up front of the issues we identified there.
"There also are always challenges on the technical front," he continues. "I'll continue to deal with the issues we've been addressing this past year, such as FM Global and Underwriters Laboratories standards and contractor certification issues. There also will be legislative and regulatory issues we'll be addressing. It's pretty clear Washington, D.C., will give our industry plenty to chew on with the direction of the new administration and Congress. Also, we will continue to find ways to provide value to members in areas of education, safety and risk management."
Providing value to members, according to McNamara, was one of the greatest challenges Therrien faced during his term and one McNamara will continue to encounter this year.
"Delivering value to members is the whole key for our association, and it's more important than ever during these trying times," McNamara says. "We've got to have a value proposition for our members so they see and understand the benefits of being part of NRCA and what it can mean for them personally, their companies and the industry.
"We've decreased the staff size this year, and that's a process we've had to work through," McNamara continues. "At the same time, while we deal with these economic realities—and this may be a catch-22—it's critical we continue to deliver value to members. And that's a challenge for sure. I guess that's why I think it's amazing to look at what Rob delivered this past year in terms of what has come out of the association—the safety manual's second edition, the steep-slope manual, the new coatings guide edition—and what we were able to accomplish on a lot of different fronts."
Long-term goals
Although McNamara identifies several areas he would like to focus on during his presidency, he acknowledges some are long-term goals that will require ongoing attention.
"Some of the most significant immediate concerns affecting our industry are legislative and regulatory issues with the new administration," McNamara says. "It appears to be a larger, certainly more involved government going forward than it's been the past eight years on a number of fronts."
A less pressing but still important issue McNamara would like to focus on is the development of solar roof systems.
"A longer-term transformational issue I certainly see continuing for the industry is solar rooftops," McNamara says. "I think that's an area that will continue as long as the government continues to provide support, certainly at a federal level and in certain states, as well. To the extent that our government provides support and as the development of solar systems continues, efficiencies improve, and costs decrease and become economically feasible, at some point, the government can fall by the wayside and solar can stand on its own.
"I would like to see a continued and advanced dialogue between the solar industry and roofing industry," McNamara continues. "I think there's a large opportunity going forward to make sure we don't lose our real estate in this area and continue to 'own the rooftop' as we like to say. The abilities we have as roofing contractors should keep us in the forefront so we will be looked at to provide roofing solutions that involve solar installations. The solar industry is certainly looking at doing things on rooftops but is not familiar with rooftop issues—that's where we can fit in."
McNamara also stresses the importance of continued improvements in safety and the industry's image with regard to safety issues.
"This certainly is not an overnight improvement," McNamara says. "I think roofing is looked at as being a difficult, dirty and risky profession. So in the meantime, it's all a matter of training our workers. Things we've done within NRCA as far as trading resources have been good. I think overall safety awareness has improved over time, and certainly no one can argue the benefits of that.
"I also want to continue to move forward in the area of risk management," McNamara continues. "One of the things we've been working on is the development of safe rooftops during the construction of buildings whether that has to do with having electrical hookups available on the rooftop, fall-protection opportunities or rooftop space design."
In his absence
The role of NRCA president entails a lot of travel, and McNamara knows he will be away from F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing more often than usual. However, McNamara is certain the business will function well in his absence.
"When the invitation first came up for me to be involved as president, we discussed it at all levels within our organization," he says. "Fortunately, we have a strong team in place, and I think we'll be just fine."
Orvedahl also thinks F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing will be unaffected by McNamara's increased absence.
"I don't think it will affect us at all," Orvedahl says. "We've been planning for a year and a half. We all have critical roles and are accountable. And Rob allows us to do our jobs. It's nice to have good people around with different strengths."
Greg Johnson, F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing's operations manager, agrees.
"I think it will be harder for him than for us," Johnson says. "We are here and will be able to see what's going on. He has always allowed us to spread our wings and do our jobs. He doesn't micromanage, which I appreciate."
McNamara also knows that if any emergencies arise, he will always be accessible.
"I don't know how people did it in the past as far as communication goes," McNamara says. "Just this past year I did the one thing I said I wasn't going to do—I got a BlackBerry.® I don't know how I ever lived without it."
Orvedahl agrees: "He loves his BlackBerry. And he's more of a steering person. He's not involved in every single thing. If we need to get hold of him, we can. But we aren't dependent on one person."
F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing's employees share a strong sense of teamwork, camaraderie and respect. These characteristics will be integral in allowing the company to function as usual when McNamara is away.
"It's a team atmosphere," Sherifi says. "We work hard, but there is a feeling of appreciation. There hasn't been much turnover since I started seven years ago, which is a testament to Rob's style."
Johnson agrees: "We're pretty tight, pretty open. We have a lot of trust. There are people here who have been here a long time."
It's important to McNamara that his employees feel happy and motivated and enjoy coming to work.
"I've always looked at this as a place that I look forward to coming to every day, and I definitely want it to be that way for people who work here, whether they're working on a roof or in the office," McNamara says. "We spend more time together here than we do with our families, so I definitely want it to be a place where people feel they are part of a family. I want people to feel they have some degree of autonomy, to feel they can reach whatever level they want to reach.
"We have a strong reputation in the area," McNamara continues. "I want my employees to get a lot of energy from that and realize they play an important role in delivering that, every day, no matter what they do within the company. They are an important cog in the wheel just as I'm a cog in the wheel. A lot of that energy comes with what we deliver in the field and the projects we're involved in. We want to be proud of the work we deliver—customer satisfaction is very much a source of energy."
His greatest passion
Another family that undoubtedly will need to adjust to McNamara's hectic schedule includes Kate; their two sons, Christopher and Connor, who are 19 and 17, respectively; and their 15-year-old daughter, Clare.
"Having three kids, his family—those are Rob's greatest accomplishments," Kate says. "We do a lot of family stuff. He enjoys family vacations and road trips with the kids. If the kids have a tennis match or our daughter is playing lacrosse, he likes to attend those events."
When McNamara isn't spending his free time with his kids, he plays golf, follows NCAA basketball (Marquette University, in particular) and reads as often as he can.
He also is an officer with the Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce and just finished a three-year board of directors term with the Rotary Club of Milwaukee.
And he enjoys spending time with Kate doing outdoor activities.
"Kate and I do some biking in the summer," McNamara says. "We also enjoy snow skiing and hiking—particularly in the Rockies with our neighbors. I like the mountains a lot—for hiking in early fall and snow skiing or snowshoeing in winter. Our goal is to climb Long's Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park."
McNamara hopes his family will be able to travel with him to some NRCA and industry events during the next year.
"Kate does some traveling with me," he says. "When our kids were younger, it was tougher. It's been great to finally be at a point where she can enjoy the travel and not have to stay with the kids. But unfortunately, with the kids' schedules, we haven't had them travel a lot or come to NRCA's Midyear Meetings yet."
And when McNamara's schedule is especially busy, Kate knows they will be able to find a balance that works.
"Basically, I handle the home and he handles the work, and that's fine," Kate says. "It balances out. And I'll travel with him when I can. It depends on the kids' schedules. You do what you can do."
Kate also knows McNamara will bring many qualities to the role of NRCA president.
"The fact that he has an accounting background and a law background—I think those are good strengths, especially with the economy the way it is," Kate says. "He's also organized and kind of a number-cruncher. We put an addition on our house, and he double-checked all the numbers—he always makes sure everything matches. He's quiet, but he's also funny and has a sense of humor that comes out when you least expect it."
As far as McNamara's future is concerned, he has no definitive plans.
"I enjoy the business and the people so much right now," McNamara says. "But at some point in time, I would like to take more time to enjoy my family. I would like to be able to watch my kids grow and help them along the way. I would love to take more cruises—maybe some long-term ones—and spend more time in the Rockies. And I would like to have more time to fish at our home on Lower Nashotah Lake."
In the meantime, NRCA and the industry will undoubtedly keep McNamara busy. And when he's not traveling, he will be happy to return home to his family.
"My family, first, without question, is my greatest passion," McNamara says. "Kate and our kids are No. 1."
Results, no excuses
A sign reading: "Results, no excuses" is prominently displayed in the main conference room at F.J.A. Christiansen Roofing and is a motto McNamara abides by. With a potentially tough economic year ahead, McNamara's determined attitude will undoubtedly serve NRCA and the industry well.
"Obviously, one person doesn't do it all—not by a long shot," McNamara says. "It takes a team. And I think my strength lies in being able to work as a member of a team and being able to see the talents that exist in different people. We have a great team in the association and in the industry in general. It must be something about roofing—it attracts good people."
When I asked how he wanted his term to be remembered, McNamara paused to think for a moment before saying: "I hope to have made a difference and keep the association healthy in some way. I don't know what that way will be exactly. As I said, you learn to expect the unexpected. Who knows what the year ahead holds for us? But the main thing I want is to help the industry move forward, and, in the end, what that means is to help people in whatever aspect they are involved with the industry. The year will go by quickly. I'm looking forward to it in a lot of different ways."
Ashley St. John is Professional Roofing's associate editor.
The lighter side
What is your favorite word?
Done
What sound or noise do you love?
My kids' voices
What sound or noise do you hate?
Crows
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Professional golf, but that's not going to happen!
What is your favorite quality in a person?
Honesty
What is your fear?
Failure
Which season of the year do you prefer?
Summer, to enjoy time on our lake and the golf course
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Welcome!
Do you have a favorite food?
A great steak cooked on the grill
What are your pet peeves?
Not following through on commitments and a down market
Second in command
Another person stepping into a new role is Allen Lancaster, president of Metalcrafts Inc., Savannah, Ga. Lancaster, who begins his term as NRCA senior vice president this month, became extensively involved with NRCA in the early 1990s, serving as director from 1995-98, 1999-2002, 2003-05 and 2007-09 and as vice president from 2005-07.
"After serving as president of the Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association of Georgia, I wanted to stay involved with the industry and learn more," Lancaster says. "I felt that could best be accomplished by becoming involved with NRCA."
Lancaster is looking forward to his new role and has several goals for the upcoming year.
"My primary goal is to assist Rob McNamara to the best of my ability with his ambitions for NRCA," Lancaster says. "The most pressing issue at the onset is the stabilization of NRCA's financial position so it will continue to be the leading voice for the roofing industry."
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