Key City values

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Nestled between Taylor and Jones counties in west Texas is the city of Abilene. With a population of 121,000 people, the city has a small-town feel and is blanketed with vast green pastures. Nicknamed "the Key City" by the local Chamber of Commerce to reflect its place as a gateway to the west, Abilene's core values include "respect, integrity, service above self and excellence in everything we do."

With such high standards for its community and residents, it's fitting NRCA recently elected Jim Barr, president of Barr Roofing Co., Abilene, to lead the association as chairman of the board. Rob Therrien, a former NRCA chairman of the board and president of The Melanson Co. Inc., Keene, N.H., says Barr innately possesses leadership traits.

"Some are destined to lead, and some leaders are compassionate and fair," he says. "We're blessed Jim is all that. He is passionate and engaged in all he does whether it be work or play, and he does it all extremely well and with ease. He is someone I am proud and thankful to have as a friend."

On June 1, Barr began his chairman of the board term and is poised to lead NRCA through many initiatives during the coming year.

"There's a good amount of work ahead, but I enjoy association work and NRCA is the top of the heap," he says. "It's an honor to do it."

A key beginning

Like many roofing contractors, Barr wasn't planning on roofing being a lifetime career. In 1964, his father established Barr Roofing. A few years later, in 1967, Barr began working with his father during the summers while he was in school.

"Initially, I didn't plan to go into the roofing business, but the longer I was around it, the more I got involved in it," he says. "And ultimately, I decided it might be something I'd like to do."

Barr attended the University of Texas at Austin from 1971-75 but left school without a degree.

"I was a marketing major and wanted to change my major to history, but my dad didn't think that was a good idea," he continues. "So, ultimately, I lost interest and eventually came back home and went to work at my dad's company."

Barr began working full time at Barr Roofing in 1976, primarily in sales and management.

"I had worked in other aspects of the business during the summers when I was a student—I worked on roofs some, but primarily I worked in the sheet metal department," Barr says. "So when I started full time, I went into sales, learned estimating and grew from there."

In 1993, Barr become a minority shareholder in the business. When his father retired in 2007, he bought the remaining stock and now owns the 53-year-old company. In 2016, the company sold its residential division to three employees and now focuses solely on the commercial side of a largely rural market.

The key to success

According to Barr, building long-term relationships and friendships in a rural market is the "heart and soul" of his company's success. Its largest client in Abilene, Hendrick Medical Center, a 522-bed facility with multiple buildings, has been a Barr Roofing client for more than 20 years. Barr is so dedicated to his customers, when Hendrick Medical Center wanted to purchase Barr Roofing's building to expand the medical facility, Barr said OK.

"I told them if they could find us a similar building in a good location, we'd be open to moving," Barr explains. "And so they did, and we moved in 2014. We helped our longtime client, and our company got a better location. It has worked great for everyone."

Barr has a hands-on approach in daily company operations and manages all roofing material purchases while routinely sharing his more than 40 years of roofing experience with employees.

"He still actively works jobs," says Christi White, controller for Barr Roofing. "He's not just sitting there looking at numbers. He has jobs he oversees, and he's always there to provide guidance when the guys run into something they've never done before."

Griffin Hess, who works in sales for Barr Roofing, appreciates the mentoring Barr provides employees.

"Jim is really knowledgeable about stuff most of us are still learning," he says. "It's good to know I can go to him with any question I have about a roof situation or how to bid a project."

Barr Roofing employs about 50 people, many of whom grew up together, creating a "mom and pop" atmosphere employees enjoy.

"Some of us grew up together, and so we're friends first," says Bryson Galloway, vice president and general manager for Barr Roofing. "But we know to separate that and put business first when we're at work."

Galloway met Barr through Galloway's father and has known Barr for 20 years.

"Jim and my dad are great friends, so I met him when I was a kid," Galloway says. "We have our friendship, and we have our business relationship."

According to Galloway, one of Barr's best qualities that has remained consistent during their long friendship is Barr's integrity.

"He's as genuine as genuine gets," Galloway says. "He's willing to help and do whatever it takes. He's extremely intelligent, and I'm glad his talents are being used at NRCA."

Although Barr's workload with NRCA has increased during recent years, his employees recognize and appreciate the value of his NRCA obligations.

"Any time there's a question about what we need to do where, Jim's got connections to a lot of roofing contractors for help," says Chris Churchill, Barr Roofing's superintendent. "NRCA is a great resource for us in many ways."

Hess says it also elevates the company's respectability.

"It definitely gives our company credibility within the industry," Hess says. "It shows Barr Roofing is serious about our work and Jim really cares about the way we roof and the care our guys put into it. It shows we are professionals."

The key to professionalism

In 1994, Barr began his association work with the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) and served as MRCA's president from 2001-02. After his term as president, he chaired MRCA's Technical and Research Committee for eight years, acting as MRCA's representative to NRCA's Technical Operations Committee.

"It was rewarding," he says. "I became friends with many committee members, and I think those relationships were instrumental for me getting to where I am. I never saw myself getting here."

One of the valuable relationships Barr formed through his association work is a friendship with Therrien. The two first met through mutual committee work on NRCA and MRCA committees.

"I first met Jim when I was NRCA's Technical Operations Committee chair and liaison to MRCA's Technical and Research Committee," Therrien says. "Jim was chair of the Technical and Research Committee, so we had a commonality of duties with our respective organizations. It intrigued me how comfortable he was running his meetings and his depth of technical knowledge. It's been fun learning about him and seeing him apply his talents in all he does."

Although Barr enjoys the work and friendships his volunteer service fosters, it took some persuading for him to fully come on board with NRCA.

"Dane Bradford [NRCA's chairman of the board at the time] asked me to become involved on NRCA's board of directors and NRCA committees, but at the time I still was chairing the MRCA technical committee, so I declined because I didn't think I could do both," he says. "But then a couple of years later, Dane asked me again, and I wasn't going to say no twice."

Soon thereafter, in 2009, Barr was elected to NRCA's board of directors and served on the board for three years while juggling his MRCA responsibilities.

"I still was MRCA's Technical and Research Committee chair while I sat on NRCA's Technical Operations and Manual Update committees," he says. "I didn't go home much, but I loved it."

In 2011, MRCA recognized Barr's hard work and bestowed its highest honor, the James Q. McCawley Award, on Barr. The James Q. McCawley award is presented annually to an individual in recognition for outstanding service to the roofing industry.

In 2012, Barr was elected to NRCA's Executive Committee and served as a vice chairman from 2012-14 and as chairman of the board-elect from 2015-16 before his election to chairman of the board.

"I really thought I would do a stint or two on the board, sit on the technical committees and then I'd be done. I never saw myself getting into leadership," he says. "But they put me on the Executive Committee, and I enjoyed it and made some great friendships, and here I am."

A key agenda

As NRCA's chairman of the board for the coming year, one of Barr's focal points will be to continue the work Dennis Conway, NRCA's immediate former chairman of the board and president of Commercial Roofers Inc., Las Vegas, began regarding the transition of NRCA CEOs from Bill Good to Reid Ribble.

"Dennis was involved with the search for Bill Good's replacement, and I think he did a great job managing the transition," Barr says. "He's a fluid guy who can step into a situation and make everyone laugh. I have enjoyed working with him, and I hope the transition continues to be relatively seamless; I expect it will."

In addition to the CEO transition, Barr says another challenge for Conway was helping NRCA's workforce initiative get underway.

"There's no question about it," Barr says. "The workforce is the biggest issue in our industry, and I think it's going to get worse before it gets better. The demographics are going in a different direction."

To help alleviate the workforce issue, in 2016, NRCA began work on a training program where field roofing workers can receive certificates of completion upon successful training in topic-specific areas.

"In my experience, these kinds of institutional changes take a while to implement," Barr says. "We're currently working on the first two modules—TPO and asphalt shingles. We are going to launch these first because they represent two large markets. The program will meet all accredited training program requirements so it has a real foundation. I am on the task force overseeing the work, and I am committed to it."

Another recent NRCA initiative Barr will oversee is helping to make the industry and association more inclusive. During the February NRCA board of directors meeting, the board approved a change to the association's bylaws that allows NRCA to include other stakeholders, such as manufacturer and distributor members, to be voting members and eligible for leadership positions. Having served as secretary/treasurer for The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress during 2014-16, Barr believes this is an exciting change for NRCA.

"I think it's going to be interesting to see how the dynamic works to make the manufacturing and distribution communities full NRCA partners," he says. "The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress gives us a good model. One of the things I enjoy most about the Alliance is the interaction between the supplier and contracting communities. I think it's going to be an important undertaking for the association and the industry."

According to Barr, the work NRCA does for the industry has rippling positive effects.

"One thing I've seen during my experience is among good contractors, there is more of a quality consciousness now," he says. "It's not that there wasn't a consciousness before, but there is a real drive toward it now, and that's a great thing."

As far as launching additional programs for the coming year, Barr says it's important to remain focused on current initiatives before undertaking new ones.

"We have an influx of big initiatives right now, so managing what's on our plate is more important than creating new things," he says. "Having a professionally trained workforce is so critical to everything we're doing. There aren't glaring technological deficiencies in our industry right now, so the improvements are going to be made in the workforce to the extent NRCA can facilitate that. We need to stay focused and ensure these initiatives become successful."

Finding balance is key

To lead a successful life, according to Barr, it's important to balance work with pleasure. When he's not working on NRCA initiatives or tending to the details of his company's daily operations, Barr most likely is having fun with his wife, Sue.

"My philosophy is to work hard, play hard," he says. "I have a great relationship with my wife, and we really enjoy being around each other. I like to work a lot, but I like to play almost as much as I like to work."

Barr met Sue in 1999 when she was managing the restaurant next to the one Barr frequented daily for coffee. He had seen her working many times, and one day he saw her in the window and "just decided to go in and introduce myself, and we've known each other since."

Although Barr and his wife have known each other since 1999, the two didn't immediately date. They both were technically single—Barr previously was married for 20 years and Sue previously was married for 11 years—but both were dating other people when they met. They first became good friends, and when their other relationships dissolved about a year later, Barr and Sue went on their first dinner date at Perini Ranch Steakhouse in October 2000.

"I remember where we went, but that's about it," Barr says. "She's the one with the memory. She'll probably remember what I was wearing and what we ate."

"He had on a black sweater that I still have in my mind," Sue fondly remembers. "I had the grilled catfish, and he had a steak."

It may have taken a year before the two dined together, but six weeks after their first date, Barr proposed to Sue.

"It's funny because as a girl, I always told my parents I was going to get married in New Orleans at the cathedral in Jefferson Square," Sue says. "Although I didn't get married there, I got engaged there. It was there Jim told me: 'I want to spend the rest of my life with you.'"

And six months after the proposal, the couple married June 29, 2001, "on the hottest day of the year" at The Grace Museum in Abilene. Their union formed a bit of a "Brady Bunch" family with three children from Barr's first marriage, Alana (35), Amy (33) and Alan (30), and three children from Sue's first marriage, Austin (30), Chelsea (27) and Sydney (25). All six of their children live in Abilene. In addition to six children, the family has grown to include five grandchildren.

Large family gatherings can be difficult undertakings, but for Barr, creating kitchen masterpieces is second nature.

"Dad is an amazing cook," Amy Barr says. "As a kid, I used to hang out in the kitchen while he made dinner, and he always had something interesting to teach me about what he was making. It was a little history, language and culinary lesson every night."

Alana Young, Barr's oldest daughter, shares similar memories.

"When I was growing up, one of my favorite evening activities was helping my dad in the kitchen," she recalls. "He's an incredibly good cook, and I always loved watching him create culinary masterpieces. When I was old enough, he let me help and started to teach me how to make our favorite family meals that I now prepare with the help of my own kids."

Many of the fresh herbs Barr uses in his dishes come from his organic garden, where he grows tomatoes, parsley, Sicilian oregano, sweet basil, thyme and sage. For his 53rd birthday, Sue arranged for Barr to cook in a commercial kitchen.

"One of our friends owns a restaurant in town, so Sue arranged for him to give me his kitchen for an evening," he explains. "I got to prepare a dinner in a commercial restaurant for about 16 friends, and it was about as much fun as I've had in my life."

The key to the blues

But perhaps the most fun Sue and Barr have together is when they are listening to live music. According to Sue, "it's the No. 1 thing" the couple enjoys together.

"My wife and I are live music fans," Barr says. "We literally go all over the country. We've been to every Crossroads Guitar Festival."

The Crossroads Guitar Festival is a traveling music festival frequently held in New York City. Benefiting the Crossroads Rehab Center, a drug treatment center founded by musician Eric Clapton, the primary goal of the festival is to showcase guitarists. The Crossroads Guitar Festival provided the inspiration for Barr to form a similar festival near Abilene.

"I'm a big-time blues fan, and I had been wanting to put on a blues festival here in Abilene because this is country music territory," Barr says. "I was looking for a nonprofit organization partner. I didn't care about making money; I just wanted to do it. And so, Cathy Ashby, who runs the United Way here in Abilene, somehow got wind of my idea. One day I was on the roof of their building and she said, 'Let me walk you to your car,' and we cooked up the idea to put on a Key City Rhythm and Blues Festival."

The idea formed into a three-day event: four live music acts on a Friday, five acts on a Saturday and a Sunday morning gospel breakfast. Barr books all the acts, and most of them he's heard live firsthand.

"There is nothing like hearing live music; it is irreplaceable," he says. "Not only do I book the acts myself, but we have to bring everything in and build the stage. We have about 185 volunteers who come and help us work the event, and that was the intent all along—to be a community event."

The premier Key City Rhythm and Blues Festival was held in 2015 and attended by about 1,100 people who raised $25,000 for United Way of Abilene.

"That is unheard of," Barr says. "Usually festivals lose money the first year. These types of things usually take time to grow organically and by word of mouth."

In 2016, word of the community's second annual blues fest spread far enough to attract about 1,500 people, doubling its proceeds to provide $50,000 to United Way of Abilene. The third annual festival was held April 28-30. Unfortunately, because of inclement weather, the festival's attendance was down from the previous year to about 1,200 people, but the festival still raised an impressive $45,000.

In addition to organizing an annual multiday festival for United Way, Barr routinely helps all local communities. In 2014, he participated in Dancing with the Abilene Stars, a local event where Barr and 11 dancers helped fundraise $300,000 for Hendrick Home for Children.

"He's supportive of our community and gives a lot of donations to local organizations to help promote our community," White says. "He's given to just about every charity in Abilene."

Barr's son admires his father's passion to help the community and excel in everything his dad attempts. He expects Barr's success only will continue in his role as NRCA's chairman of the board.

"That's my dad—whatever he decides to get into, he gets really into," Alan Barr says. "He's a terrific cook; he's an extremely accomplished businessman; he's practically a sommelier; he's a blues aficionado who organizes festivals; and now he's leading a national association. He is naturally successful."

The key to a successful term

As the leader from the Key City begins his term as NRCA's chairman of the board, Sue says her husband's diligence and dedication to the industry will continue to propel him to success.

"We're from a small city in Texas, and Jim was just elected to be the chairman of the board of an international association," she says. "That's because he has worked hard to get to where he is, and he has earned the respect of many in his field. I'm so proud of him, and I know he'll continue to do good work."

Therrien echoes Sue's sentiments and says his friend's talents always will serve the industry well.

"Jim possesses all the best qualities of a leader—strength, knowledge, command, thoughtfulness, generosity, compassion and class," he says. "He has a belief in his soul to serve and to always do it well."

As for Barr, he is humbled at the opportunity and prepared for his role.

"It's a big responsibility to lead one of the oldest trade associations in the construction industry," he says. "I have a responsibility to the rest of the leadership team to set a good example, work hard and be collaborative. It is an honor to serve, and I am honored to do it."

Chrystine Elle Hanus is Professional Roofing's associate editor.

The Lighter Side

What is your favorite word?
Yes

What sound do you love?
A blue note (a minor interval where a major would be expected—used in jazz and blues music)

What sound do you hate?
An argumentative voice

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
The law or a historian

What is your favorite quality in a person?
Honesty

What is your fear?
Being idle for too long

Which season of the year do you prefer?
Fall

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Come on in!

Do you have a favorite food?
Chicken-fried steak

What is your pet peeve?
Being late

Next in line

After joining NRCA in 1987 and becoming a founding member of The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress, Kent Schwickert, senior vice president—national business unit for Tecta America Corp., Mankato, Minn., decided to get more involved in association work.

"Initially, I joined NRCA to increase my knowledge of the roofing industry," he says. "In 1982, I started at our company and was working in mechanical estimating and project management. I then was promoted to operations manager and needed more exposure to the roofing industry. After attending an NRCA convention and participating in the Alliance in its infancy, I appreciated the efforts of associations and the work they do for the industry."

Since then, Schwickert has served on the Alliance's Finance and Financial Development Committee, NRCA's Insurance Board of Governors and multiple NRCA committees, including the Contractor Management, Education Operating, Membership and PAC Advisory committees. He's also served as a director on the National Roofing Legal Resource Center's board of directors from 2000-03 and 2008-09 and has served three terms as an NRCA director during the years 1999-02, 2003-04 and 2010-13. During 2004-06, he served as a vice chairman. And during 2016-17, Schwickert will serve as NRCA's chairman of the board-elect, next in line for chairman of the board.

"It is an honor to be elected to serve the association," Schwickert says. "I'm especially excited to be involved at a critical period where the association is going through changes and enhancing its offerings to members."

Earlier this year, NRCA amended its bylaws to allow NRCA to seek and include other stakeholders, such as manufacturers and distributors, to be voting members and be eligible for leadership positions. In addition, the association launched a certification training initiative for field roofing workers while also managing the transition in CEOs from Bill Good to Reid Ribble. With so many changes, Schwickert says Ribble and Jim Barr, NRCA's chairman of the board, will need all the help they can get.

"We are going through many changes at NRCA this year," Schwickert says. "The association has many initiatives in play, and Reid and Jim will need support to be successful. I am here to help them in any way I can."

As chairman of the board-elect, Schwickert would like to see the association fine-tune its strategic goals while improving its bottom line.

"I'd like to sharpen the lens and get the association to focus on the initiatives that can most positively affect members," he says. "At the same time, these initiatives need to be capable of improving the financial viability of NRCA for many years ahead."

When he's not working at his company or volunteering for NRCA, Schwickert enjoys spending his free time with his wife, Jane; son, Ian, 22, a senior at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn., and captain of the school's baseball team; daughter, Greta, 20, who currently is training to compete in equestrian events and planning to attend the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, this fall; and his dogs, Mya and Bentley.

Schwickert and Jane have been married for 28 years, and in addition to raising a family together, the couple owns, oversees and directs a winery and distillery in Kasota, Minn.

"Jane is the general manager of the winery," he says. "And she's really good at it."

According to Schwickert, his NRCA membership and volunteer service has provided him with many benefits beyond staying informed with industry news.

"Building long-lasting friendships has to be the No. 1 thing NRCA has given to me," he says. "But it's also provided me with an appreciation for the enormity of the industry and the effects the association is having around the world."

Schwickert says he is grateful for the opportunity to continue his volunteer work and looks forward to his new leadership role as NRCA's chairman of the board-elect.

"It is an honor to serve," he says. "And it's an honor to give back to an association that has given so much to me and the industry."