Details

Stephens

What is your position within your company?
That's difficult to answer. I formerly held the commercial service department manager position at Ben Hill Roofing, Douglasville, Ga., before recently turning the position over to my former estimator, so now I manage projects, help with estimates and do whatever else the company needs.

What is the most unusual roofing project of which you have been a part?
My company installed a roof system on a club called The Broomstick, Atlanta. We could only work on the project between 3-10 a.m. The club was in a bad part of town—we saw a lot of crazy stuff happen.

Why did you become involved in the roofing industry?
Roofing work was a much better option than working at a restaurant. I worked in restaurants for two years after high school—it was a grueling experience. Roofing felt like a vacation after that.

What was your first roofing experience?
My high school soccer coach let a few of the players install shingles for him to earn money for soccer camp. I didn't get along with him, so it's ironic he laid the foundation for my career.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
I serve on the Executive Committee of the Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association of Georgia and NRCA's board of directors, including NRCA's Government Relations and ProCertification Series committees. I also am a graduate of NRCA University's Future Executives Institute (FEI)—Class 7 (the best FEI class ever). I'm lucky to have the support of an employer that encourages me to participate as fully as I do.

What song are you listening to over and over?
"Out all night" by The Wolfpack

People would be surprised to know …
I have six daughters and no sons—I have basically lived in an estrogen prison for the past 20 years.

What quality do you most admire in a person?
I'm a big fan of stoicism and admire people who have the clarity to know when things are out of their control and there is no point concerning themselves with it. Conversely, these people will move mountains to influence things that are in their control, and they aren't afraid of failing.

What three condiments always are in your fridge?
Guinness, Stella Artois and Amber Bock—those count as condiments, right?

My favorite part about working in the roofing industry is …
Collaborating with amazing people to make a difference. Sometimes, the difference is small, such as helping a guy earn his first professional certification. Sometimes, it's something big, such as helping create a training program the entire industry can use.

What's the most exciting/adventurous thing you've done?
The most exciting thing I've done is learning to fly airplanes. I got my pilot's license a few years ago, and I own a Cessna. Flying is a huge privilege—I often think about the billions of people who never got to experience it during their lifetimes.

What do you consider your most rewarding experience?
Raising six amazing daughters with my wife always will be the top of that list. Completing FEI-7 and making the friends I have has been extremely rewarding, as well. I'm lucky to know some of the greatest people in the world.

What are your favorite stress relievers?
Cooking barbecue, watching sports and hanging out with my family and friends