Details

Gillen

What is your position within your company?
I am lead estimator for Frost Roofing Inc., Wapakoneta, Ohio.

What is the most unusual roofing project of which you have been a part?
My company completed a project at the Columbus Museum of Art in Columbus, Ohio. We installed multiple roof systems with numerous tie-ins while priceless art was on display inside the building. The most unique roof area had a 70- by 40-foot skylight above a courtyard.

Why did you become involved in the roofing industry?
I first worked in the landscaping industry, but I decided I needed a change. I had friends in the roofing industry who talked me into joining Frost Roofing.

What was your first roofing experience?
The first roofing experience I can recall was a coal-tar pitch tear-off project.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
I've been involved with the roofing industry for 17 years, and I've attended numerous NRCA conventions, trade shows and events. I also am a graduate of NRCA University's Future Executives Institute—Class 6.

What song are you listening to over and over?
I enjoy listening to "Throwbacks" by Corey Smith and "Bar Mirror" by Benjy Davis.

People would be surprised to know …
I like to cook.

What quality do you most admire in a person?
To me, the most admirable quality in a person is integrity.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
I would go to Fiji. I've always thought it would be the perfect place to just disappear and forget about everyday life for a while.

What was your first job?
I was a lifeguard at Winona Lake in Lima, Ohio.

What's the most exciting/adventurous thing you've done?
Hunting wild hogs in Tennessee with a muzzleloader

What is your favorite stress reliever?
Fishing

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
An engineer

What is your favorite food?
A good, blackened steak covered in mushrooms

My favorite part about working in the roofing industry is …
I like that each day always is different—whether it's a different place or a different project, I'm never doing the same thing.

What's your favorite roofing material to work with? Why?
My favorite roofing material is asphalt. There's nothing like a four-ply and gravel built-up roof system or a torch-applied polymer-modified roof system. When I use asphalt, I know I'm using a material that is going to last and perform well for the customer.

What is the most high-tech item in your house?
A flux capacitor, of course! Just kidding! It's probably the depth finder for my boat.

If you could meet any historical figure, whom would you meet? Why?
I would meet Theodore Roosevelt and accompany him on all his adventures. He always seems larger than life in the books I've read about him.

What do you consider your most rewarding experience?
My most rewarding experience has been watching my daughter grow up.