Details

Antis

What is your position within your company?
I am founder and CEO of Antis Roofing & Waterproofing Inc., Irvine, Calif.

What is the most unusual roofing project of which you have been a part?
Soon after I founded Antis Roofing & Waterproofing, I responded to a call from a single mother with seven children who was concerned about her leaking roof. Upon entering her house, I was overwhelmed by the smell of mildew. As I stood there, her youngest daughter grabbed my hand to proudly show off her home. When she led me into her bedroom, I saw four mattresses with moldy bedding. The next weekend, six volunteers joined me in providing a new roof for the family free of charge. This unusual experience in my career shaped what Antis Roofing & Waterproofing would become.

Why did you become involved in the roofing industry?
It was a job offer I received after moving to California in 1984!

What quality do you most admire in a person?
Authenticity—when people are transparent and willing to collaborate, they can do anything!

What are your favorite stress relievers?
Yoga and meditation. I believe in the benefits of yoga so much, Antis Roofing & Waterproofing hosts a weekly yoga class as part of our wellness program.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
I am a member of NRCA's Business Development and Community Outreach committees, and my company is a new member of The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress. I also serve on the Community Associations Institute Education Committee, teaching roofing maintenance responsibilities to board members and community managers in Southern California within the homeowners association industry.

What do you consider a waste of time?
Eating lunch by myself instead of interacting with my employees, clients or stakeholders. I also think guilt and shame are complete wastes of time.

People would be surprised to know …
I have five children ranging in ages from two to 31, and I have two grandchildren. I lived in Thailand for a couple of years as a young adult and speak fluent Thai.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Why?
Besides having the ability to control the weather, I would want the power to cause everyone under my ray gun of influence to feel unconditionally loved and to know how awesome they are. Just imagine how connected everyone would be then.

My favorite part about working in the roofing industry is …
How some roofing companies always want to give back to communities! I took part in the Rebuilding Together^® Orlando service project during the 2016 International Roofing Expo.^® Connecting with so many like-minded individuals within the industry inspired me, and I realized we can do so much more to help others across the U.S. My team and I remain committed to doing just that along with an increasing number of other companies, and that's what I love to see.

What's your favorite roofing material to work with? Why?
I like using tile from Eagle Roofing Products, Rialto, Calif. The company has great products, and they are aligned with our values. Eagle Roofing Products has donated the tile for every Habitat for Humanity^® roof system Antis Roofing & Waterproofing has installed since 2009.

What's the most exciting/adventurous thing you've done?
Two of my children accompanied me to Mongolia for a Habitat for Humanity Global Village Build, where I was appointed the camp roofing expert. My biggest challenge was instructing the international volunteers to stop applying underlayment vertically instead of in weatherboard fashion! I eventually won out, and 20 dry and tight houses were built within a week.

What do you consider your most rewarding experiences?
The joy I feel from being a husband and father is the most rewarding. A close second is the experience of being an entrepreneur who gets to employ good people and make a difference—I truly believe the highest professional reward is using your company to help others. My vision is to eventually have every Habitat for Humanity building project in the U.S. receive a donated roof system. Helping to make that happen would be the ultimate reward for me.