Flashings

• Photo courtesy of Embassy Roofing Inc., Northfield, Ill.

ABC Supply CEO named in Forbes

Ken Hendricks, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of NRCA member ABC Supply Co. Inc., Beloit, Wis., was named one of the 400 wealthiest Americans by Forbes magazine with a net worth of $850 million.

Forbes ranked Hendricks No. 352 on the list, which contains 313 billionaires. ABC Supply has grown to have more than 250 locations in the United States and is the largest supplier of roofing and siding materials for contractors. ABC Supply reportedly has $1.8 billion annually in sales.

Hendricks believes his spot on the Forbes list simply reflects his commitment to the growth of ABC Supply.

"It's not like I'm stockpiling it in the closet," Hendricks said. "What's most significant is that we've grown the business and have been able to create about 5,500 jobs around the country. That's what this company is all about."

This was Hendricks' first time on the Forbes list.

Dow Chemical prices increase

The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., increased its prices for pure and polymeric MDI products by 10 cents per pound and its VORANOL,™ VORALUX™ and SPECFLEX™ polyether and co-polymer polyols by 6 cents per pound Oct. 1. The company also increased the price of VORANATE™ toluene diisocyanate by 10 cents per pound.

These increases apply to all coatings, adhesives, flexibles, sealants, elastomers and rigid market segments in the United States and Canada.

It is anticipated MDI and polyol products will be in tight supply because of continuous growing demand.

Just say "no"

Are you the kind of person who commits to things even though you don't have time? Do you agree to do a task when your own inbox holds a mountain of work? If so, you most likely are one of those people who have a hard time saying "no."

People often feel pressured to say "yes" when something is asked of them. Following are some reasons why:

• Some people just want to be liked. If they think saying "no" would cause a person to dislike them, they often will jump through hoops for that person. Don't worry about other people's perceptions—if you tell them "no," they will get over it.
  
  
• Some people feel obligated to say "yes" to everything asked of them; otherwise, they feel they are shirking duties. This quickly can cause burnout.
  
  
• Others say "yes" because they are flattered to be asked and believe they are being rewarded with responsibility. Flattery can be found elsewhere—in a work environment, it simply can mean more work for you.
  
  
• Some people believe saying "no" could make them miss an opportunity. Use your discretion—if saying "yes" could help you achieve your career goals, you may want to consider it. If not, other opportunities will present themselves in the future.
  
  
• Some people don't want to deal with confrontation, fearing a screaming match would follow if they say "no." This most likely will not happen, and if it does, it will blow over.
  
  

Now that you know it's okay to say "no," here are some tips to help you do it:

• Be polite but firm. Give a simple explanation, and don't ramble. Explaining too much about a situation can cause a person to revise his request and try to fit it into your schedule.
  
  
• Say "no" as soon as possible so you don't drag out the situation or mislead the person making the request.
  
  
• Know your priorities, and stick to them when faced with a request. If the request will not work for you, say "no."
  
  

Source: Adapted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Overcoming Procrastination as cited by First Draft, November issue.

Rohm and Haas announces increases

Rohm and Haas Co., Philadelphia, has increased prices for all solution polymers, acrylic emulsions, vinyl acrylic emulsions, solid-grade resins and additives sold to industries in North America, such as architectural coatings, industrial coatings, and construction and building products. Ranging from 4 percent to 7 percent per wet pound for emulsions and 4 percent to 7 percent per dry pound for solid-grade resins, the price increases began Oct. 15.

The increases reportedly have been implemented to offset escalation in crude oil and petrochemical feedstock.

generalRoofing's reorganization plan is confirmed

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Northern District of Texas confirmed Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based generalRoofing's First Amended Plan of Reorganization on Oct. 1. At press time, the roofing contracting company was set to exit bankruptcy by late October after Judge Harlin Hale ruled it had met the statutory requirements needed to confirm the plan. generalRoofing reportedly will exit bankruptcy with a significantly improved balance sheet and operating model.

"Although we are emerging from Chapter 11 reorganization, the action we are taking to restructure the company will continue at a rapid pace," says Bartley E. Roggensack Jr., president and chief executive officer of generalRoofing. "This includes a disciplined effort to strengthen generalRoofing's operational and financial performance. We have developed and are in the process of implementing the business model to operate in a leaner and more efficient manner."

NRCA member catches jet trouble on film

Greg Dobbs, president and owner of Embassy Roofing Inc., Northfield, Ill., was working on a tear-off in a shopping plaza in Niles, Ill., when he heard a loud roar and looked up to see a flaming jet engine in the sky.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Dobbs witnessed the Sept. 16 engine trouble of an American Airlines jet. The jet had taken off from O'Hare International Airport and experienced complications when a bird flew into its engine, causing the jet to return to the airport with one working engine. The jet landed safely, and no passengers were injured.

Dobbs had been taking pictures of his roofing project for warranty documentation and was able to get a photo of the jet as it was experiencing engine trouble.

The picture was published in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Daily Herald and shown on a Chicago television newscast.