News + Views

Students receive Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship

The Roofing Alliance has announced the recipients of its Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship for the 2022-23 academic year.

This year’s new scholarship recipients are:

• Caylin Angel, daughter of Adam Angel, project manager for Kalkreuth Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Wheeling, W.Va.
• Theodore Barton, son of Simon Barton, branch manager for Crowther Roofing & Sheet Metal of Florida Inc., Fort Myers
• Cole Beyer, son of Steve Beyer, inspection/roof management for Allweather Roof, Minneapolis
• Cade Edwards, son of Van Edwards, COO of Mid-South Roof Systems, Forest Park, Ga.
• Davis Edwards, son of Van Edwards, COO of Mid-South Roof Systems, Forest Park, Ga.
• Erich Langstine, son of Erich Langstine, engineering co-op for GAF, Parsippany, N.J.
• Julia Shanahan, daughter of Christopher Shanahan, business development and bid manager for Ruff Roofers Inc., Baltimore
• Grace Wear, daughter of Ryan Wear, service manager for Kalkreuth Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Wheeling, W.Va.

The Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship Program, which replaced the Roofing Alliance’s previous scholarship program in 2008, provides recipients with $5,000 per year based on eligibility for up to four years of enrollment at an accredited college, university or vocational-technical school. Employees of NRCA contractor and supplier members, their spouses and their dependent children are eligible to participate in this program provided they intend to pursue a career in the roofing or construction industries.

In addition, the Roofing Alliance renewed two Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarships for the 2022-23 academic year. The recipients are:

• Zackary Cekalla, who is attending University of Minnesota-Duluth
• Morgan Patterson, who is attending DePaul University, Chicago

The Roofing Alliance awarded $10,000 for scholarship renewals and $40,000 for new scholarships for a total of $50,000 for the 2022-23 school year. To date, 149 students have received more than $1 million in scholarship awards.

Former executive director of NERCA passes away

Gunning

Thomas J. Gunning, former executive director of NRCA affiliate North East Roofing Contractors Association, passed away July 16. He was 68.

Gunning dedicated his life to advancing the construction industry. He began his career as a member of the Laborers Local 223 and joined the Building Trades Employers’ Association in 1986. In 1992, Gunning became executive director of the Building Trades Employers’ Association and NERCA, serving more than 500 contractors for more than 30 years.

Gunning was a recipient of NERCA’s Clarence J. Carr Roofing Industry Award and the Labor Guild’s Cushing Gavin Award. The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association also awarded him Executive Legislative Advocate of the Year in 2015 and Chapter Executive of the Year in 2001.

Beloved husband of Rosemary, Gunning is survived by his children, Thomas, Kristen, Colin, Brian and Gracemarie; grandchildren, Thomas and Mia; sister, Patricia; and many nieces and nephews.

Donations in Gunning’s memory can be made to Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Mass General Development Office, 125 Nashua St., Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114-1101 or giving.massgeneral.org/where-to-give/cancer-center.

Roofing Corp of America acquires Deer Park Roofing

Roofing Corp of America has announced it has acquired NRCA member Deer Park Roofing, Cincinnati.

Deer Park Roofing was founded by former NRCA Chairman of the Board Nick Sabino in 1996 and now is one of the largest commercial and residential roofing contracting companies in the Midwest. The company has offices in Cincinnati; Florence, Ky.; and Louisville, Ky.

Deer Park Roofing will operate as a standalone entity within Roofing Corp of America and will continue to be led by Sabino and the Deer Park Roofing team.

“Nick Sabino is a towering figure in the roofing industry,” says Randy Korach, CEO of Roofing Corp of America. “His extensive involvement with NRCA demonstrates leadership and a commitment to our industry that I deeply admire and appreciate. And the company he has built demonstrates market leadership and best practices in all it does. We intend to invest in Deer Park Roofing, and the talented team assembled there, for continued growth and success.”

“Our team at Deer Park Roofing is excited to partner with Roofing Corp of America representing its first Midwest investment,” Sabino says. “I am certain the Deer Park Roofing team members and our clients will quickly see the benefits of our affiliation with RCA.”

TAMKO® Building Products welcomes new COO and CFO

Beyer                Gandhi

TAMKO Building Products LLC, Galena, Kan., has promoted longtime executive Jeff Beyer to COO and welcomed Prithvi Gandhi as CFO.

Beyer will oversee TAMKO Building Products’ manufacturing, sales, finance and accounting departments; Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain Rob Keeling and Vice President of Sales and Marketing Alex Hines and Gandhi will report to Beyer. Beyer will work closely with this leadership team to continue advancing TAMKO Building Products’ strategic growth initiatives while continuing to build upon strong relationships with customers, suppliers and employees. Beyer joined TAMKO Building Products in 2013 as CFO and vice president of finance.

Gandhi will lead all aspects of TAMKO Building Products’ finance and accounting functions while providing insights and ideas and working closely with TAMKO Building Products’ leadership team to drive revenue growth. Gandhi brings more than 25 years of experience to the position. He most recently served as CFO of Fast Radius, a publicly traded cloud manufacturing and digital supply chain company based in Chicago.

CentiMark founder and chairman passes away

Dunlap

Edward B. Dunlap, founder and chairman of NRCA member CentiMark Corp., Canonsburg, Pa., passed away July 23. He was 83.

Dunlap served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1956-60. In 1968, he started a janitorial supply business in the basement of his home. With $1,000 and one associate, he then started a business that would become CentiMark, a billion-dollar corporation and the largest commercial roofing and flooring company in North America with 95 offices and 3,500 associates.

The Dunlaps own more than 75 businesses, including LeMont Restaurant in Mount Washington, Pa., and National Polymers Inc., a leading manufacturer of private label epoxy floor coatings, concrete repair, epoxy mortars and roof coatings.

Dunlap is survived by his wife, Anna; children, Timothy, Maureen, Kathleen and Stephen; grandchildren, Jeffrey, Erica, Kimberly, Emily, Timothy, Philip, Ashlee, Stevie and Rachel; great-grandchildren, Cody, Savannah, Jackson, Cameron, Lily, Liam, Mason and Harlan; siblings, Patrick, Virginia and Eileen; sister-in-law, Josephine; brother-in-law, Tom; Marianne Billante; uncle, Tom; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and companions, Princess and Princi.

Donations in Dunlap’s memory can be made to the Coast Guard Foundation, Attn: Edward B. Dunlap Memorial Fund, 394 Taugwonk Road, Stonington, CT 06378; Make-A-Wish® Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia, Attn: Edward B. Dunlap Memorial Fund, The Gulf Tower, 707 Grant St., 37th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219; and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Attn: Edward B. Dunlap Memorial Fund, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.