Details

Teal ice climbing in Agawa Canyon, Northeastern Ontario, Canada

What is your position within your company?
I am manager for Flynn Canada Ltd., Calgary, Alberta.

What is the most unusual roofing project you have performed?
The Calgary West LRT extension in Canada certainly was challenging. The project involved six new train stations, and we supplied the total building envelopes. The roof systems consisted of elliptical-shaped 24-ounce Kalzip® standing-seam copper. At one station, the track is elevated so the roof system completely wraps the track.

How did you become involved in the roofing industry?
It was purely by accident. In 1978, I was on a three-month sabbatical when a friend working with a placement office called me to say he knew of a roofing company looking for an estimator/manager. I told him I knew little about roofing, but he asked whether I could meet with the client anyway. The rest is history.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
When I lived in Ontario, I sat on the board of the Ontario Construction Safety Association and represented the roofing industry. After I moved to Calgary, I served as president of the Alberta Roofing Contractors Association for two terms, and I served as president of the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association for one term. I also was a member of the Alberta Roofing Apprenticeship Board for three years and was involved with the development of the courses and exam for the Green Roof Professional accreditation through Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.

What song do you find yourself listening to over and over?
I have been listening to an entire album: "In Search of the Lost Chord" by The Moody Blues.

What was your first job?
I worked as an engineering assistant at a refractories plant.

What is your favorite vacation?
I spent three weeks mountaineering in Peru.

What do you consider a waste of time?
The use of an excessive number of emails when one telephone call can solve the problem

What's the most adventurous thing you've done?
Solo ice climbing

Big city or small town?
My location in Calgary is a great compromise because it is a major city with a population of more than 1 million people, but it still has a small-town atmosphere.

What's your favorite roofing material to work with? Why?
Architectural metal—we can do many creative things with new technologies.

My favorite part about working in the roofing industry is …
There never is a dull moment; every project is different.