Details

Ruff

What is your position within your company?
I am vice president of Ruff Roofers Inc., Baltimore.

What is the most unusual roofing project of which you have been a part?
I worked on Gunston Hall, George Mason's original homestead in Mason Neck, Va. We hand cut and scalloped 36,000 shingles and installed more than 10,000 pounds of 3- and 6-pound lead, including interwoven flashings, valleys, crickets and counterflashings with lead-wool packed joints, while 200 to 1,000 schoolchildren visited the historic building each day.

Why did you become involved in the roofing industry?
I was born into it; I am a fourth-generation roofing contractor.

What was your first roofing experience?
My first roofing experience occurred at the age of 6. I remember passing slate to my father as he built a dollhouse for my sisters.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
My company is a member of The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress, and I serve on the board of the Mid Atlantic Roofing Contractors Association.

What song are you listening to over and over?
I enjoy listening to music by Coldplay, Calvin Harris, Frank Sinatra and Robert Johnson.

People would be surprised to know …
I still leave the house every morning at 4 a.m.

What was your first job?
When I was 12 years old, I started working for my father on weekends, picking up shingle wrappers and clearing off debris from roof system tear-offs.

What is your favorite stress reliever?
Spending time with my kids and spear fishing in the Florida Keys

What's the most exciting/adventurous thing you've done?
My brother Rob, brother-in-law Dustin and I took a last-minute flight to China where we climbed the Great Wall, toured the Summer Palace, had bespoke suits made and ate fried lizards.

What do you consider a waste of time?
I think it is a waste of time to explain a task or goal to someone only to hear an excuse from him or her later about why the task was not completed. These are the same people who use their energy to make excuses as to why it couldn't be done rather than figuring out a way to make it happen.

What is the most high-tech item in your house?
My Insteon^® Home Automation System

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
I would travel to Patagonia, Argentina, to fly fish, drink good wine and eat authentic asado.

What do you consider your most rewarding experiences?
My most rewarding experiences are being a dad to my daughter, Charlotte, and son, Tim, and having the ability to provide for my family.

What's your favorite roofing material to work with? Why?
Copper. I enjoy soldering because I am a sheet metal worker by trade, but I like working with any material that is priced right for the job because that maximizes the owner's investment.

My favorite part about working in the roofing industry is …
There are so many great people in the industry who are always willing to give insight. I also enjoy the rewarding feeling I get after completing a difficult project using three generations of knowledge gained from my family and talented co-workers. Lastly, knowing roofs are a necessity is an assurance our work always will be needed.