On April 1, 2009, Scott Luck, a foreman at CentiMark Corp., Canonsburg, Pa., was working on a roof in Chippewa, Pa., when one of his crew members, Keith Arnold, seemed to have trouble breathing.
"He's an older man and stubborn, but the more I thought about it, it just didn't seem right," Luck says. "He was able to make it down the ladder, so I took him to the hospital. When we got there, we found out he wasn't in good condition, so he was transferred to another hospital. He lives close to me, and I've known him since I started here, so I sent my wife to his house to get his wife so she could meet us at the hospital."
Arnold had suffered a heart attack, but Luck's quick action helped lead to Arnold's recovery.
"It was a stressful day, but it all turned out OK," Luck says.
On Sept. 11, 2013, Luck experienced another incident while working on the roof of a Union Electric plant. One of his crew members, Ben Nagel, appeared to be having an asthma attack.
"I knew he had asthma and waited 5 to 10 minutes, but he was acting really weird," Luck says. "It couldn't have happened on a worse part of the roof."
Nagel fell to his knees on the roof, suffering from a heart attack and stroke. Luck called 911 and also asked the crew to see whether the plant had a lift they could use to remove Nagel from the roof because he couldn't climb down the ladder. The plant's lift didn't reach the building's height, so Luck had the 911 operator call the nearest fire department for a ladder truck.
"I was really scared at the end of that one," Luck says. "I thought he was going to die on me, but it all turned out all right. And two days later, I stopped shaking."
Nagel recovered, and he and Arnold continue to work at CentiMark.
Luck's focus and quick thinking in both situations helped save the lives of two men. But Luck doesn't view this as extraordinary.
"I didn't do anything special," Luck says. "I did what anybody else would have done, or what I hope they would do."
Nothing special? Some may disagree, including The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress' MVP Task Force, which recently presented Luck with Professional Roofing's annual Best of the Best Award, an extension of The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress' Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards. OMG Roofing Products Inc., Agawam, Mass., and Professional Roofing co-sponsor the award.
"Scott not only is a great leader on the roof, but on two occasions, he moved quickly to save the lives of two of his men," says Tim Rainey, president of Supreme Systems Inc., Dallas, and MVP Task Force chairman. "And when considering his accomplishments, we also were impressed with the amount of time he is able to devote to various charities. It was a pleasure to have Scott join the list of great men and women who have received the Best of the Best Award."
A career change
Luck grew up just outside of Pittsburgh in Whitehall, Pa. After graduating from Baldwin-Whitehall High School, he worked in various jobs before getting a job at Country Meadows Nursing Center in Bridgeville, Pa., in 1990.
"At the nursing home, I was trained to be a Certified Nursing Assistant, so I did that for about two and a half years," Luck says.
Working at the nursing home significantly affected Luck, who was 20 years old at the time.
"I was working in the rehabilitation unit for people coming out of the hospital," Luck says. "There was a 16-year-old boy with a brain tumor who came in. Everything had gone wrong with his surgery, so he was there to die. I wasn't sure about the job anymore."
Around the same time, an older man came in who had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease.
"I saw him, and it's amazing how that disease works," Luck says. "I thought: 'That's enough of this.'"
Luck was living in an apartment across the hall from a man who worked at CentiMark. After being told the company was hiring, Luck decided to apply for a job.
"I said, 'I'll do that until something better comes along,'" Luck says.
About 22 years later, Luck still works at CentiMark and has moved up through the ranks to become a foreman.
Willing to learn
Luck began working at CentiMark in September 1993, starting out as a laborer.
"Learning roofing is hard at first," Luck says. "It was a slap in my face 22 years ago. I'd never had a laborer job, and the sheer physical labor and the heat—there's no way to really tell somebody what to expect. But once you get used to it, it becomes easier."
Dave LaMolinare, operations manager at CentiMark, was foreman of Luck's crew and trained Luck when he started at CentiMark.
"He always asked questions and was willing to do anything," Dave LaMolinare says. "Scott always wanted to learn. He accepted authority well and was respectful—he never talked back and didn't question why. If something needed to be done, he would do it. If he didn't know how, I'd show him."
These qualities helped Luck progress within the company. During his time at CentiMark, Luck has held various positions, working for a while as a service foreman and then alternating between service and production jobs before settling on a position as a production foreman.
"I've had no problems with him in the 23 years I've known him," Dave LaMolinare says. "He is smart at job planning, and he doesn't like to leave anything unturned before he jumps into a job. He's loyal, reliable and compassionate."
These qualities are assets now that Luck is a foreman and manages his own crew.
Showing you care
Dave LaMolinare says since Luck became a foreman, he's seen a change in him.
"He is not as timid as he used to be," he says. "He was a church mouse. He took on a new role and took it seriously. In my opinion, foreman is one of the hardest jobs we have in the company, and it takes a good man to be a good foreman. Scott is well-rounded in everything he does."
Luck's leadership allows for a relaxed atmosphere among his crew members.
"With crews, there tends to be a lot of tension, but with Scott's guys, things go smoothly," says Michael Lee Brown, field supervisor for CentiMark. "They joke around with each other, which can make the day go faster. He gets along with all his guys at work. I never get any complaints about him."
His mild manner contributes to his crew's respect for him.
"He gets his point across without having to yell, and that makes a good foreman," says Nick LaMolinare, service sales associate for CentiMark. "They want to follow him. His management style is subtle, and he's well-respected."
Luck says he tries to respect his crew members.
"I'm patient with them," he says. "Some people yell, scream and throw stuff. I rarely yell—if I yell, it must be really bad. I try to treat my crew members with respect, and they know I keep an eye on them—especially the new ones. I've seen too many people too close to getting hurt."
He also works hard to keep his crew safe. Luck's crews have worked for eight consecutive years without a work-related injury.
"As a company, it can be tough to find a crew that will go a week, let alone eight years, without an injury," Dave LaMolinare says. "To go that long without an injury is a big feather in his hat."
Luck says it can be difficult to convey to crew members all the dangers of working on a roof.
"I try to teach the guys to watch out for each other and stop people from doing silly things that could get them hurt," Luck says. "They just need to follow the basic rules and remember they're up in the air, not on the ground. Sometimes if you're on a big roof, you forget you're on a roof. It's a process to teach that."
Dave LaMolinare says CentiMark takes safety seriously, and the Canonsburg office was completely injury-free in 2013.
"That is a huge feat for us," Dave LaMolinare says. "Everything we do is in-house. We have our own safety department. We have safety managers who drive around and act like Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors, do site inspections and penalize us for any infractions."
Luck says his crew's safety is his responsibility.
"These guys come to work, and I'm the one responsible to make sure they go home at night," he says.
Luck also chooses to train new crew members.
"When he has a new crew member, he'll often train that person himself versus having a crew member help him train," Nick LaMolinare says. "He's got a good, solid crew because of that."
Additionally, Luck isn't afraid to show his gratitude.
"He's an appreciative guy," says Daniel Jefferson, CentiMark's branch safety inspector. "If you do something to help him, he's always saying 'thank you.' And he'll talk to his guys and be friends with them outside of work. If they have a problem, they can go to him, and he helps get them through it."
His kindness toward his crew does not go unnoticed.
"He has compassion toward them," Dave LaMolinare says. "There were times when I was working with him and his wife would bring snacks or lunch to the job site for the crew. That goes a long way with the guys, and they appreciate it."
Exceeding expectations
Customers also appreciate Luck's compassion and tendency to do more than what typically is expected.
"He has excellent customer communication skills," says Nate Thompson, senior project manager for CentiMark. "At the end of each day, he'll let them know where the crew will be working and address any concerns, which is something that is not always common for foremen. They often just want to pack up and get home. He goes the extra mile, and that's huge."
Brown says Luck's communication with customers makes things easier for the company.
"He is proactive instead of reactive," Brown says. "He tries to handle issues he knows will be forthcoming. He communicates with customers daily, which is important in our line of work. You don't have to remind him. He'll check out his job even if we're not working and report back to me and the customer. You don't have to chase him down."
Dave LaMolinare says Luck has a way with customers that is unique for a foreman.
"It can be tough to find a foreman who communicates naturally with customers," he says. "Foremen can have an abrasive manner—not that they are abrasive, but they seem standoffish. It's just their personalities. Scott is fabulous with customers. He's a likable guy and treats them with respect."
Luck says he simply tries to be honest with customers.
"I talk to them every day and tell them what's going on," Luck says. "They know they can call me 24/7. You can handle anybody if you treat them with respect. You're there because they have a reason for you to be there—they have a problem."
The effects of his honesty and respect are apparent.
"I've never met a customer who didn't love Scott," says Brian Altvater, CentiMark's Great Lakes regional manager. "He is one of our most requested foremen."
Everyday things
When he is not at work, Luck likes to spend time with his family. He met his wife, Elizabeth, when they worked at Country Meadows Nursing Center in 1992, and they have been married 17 years. They have two sons—Shane, 14, and Skyler, 8.
Elizabeth says her husband was on the road a lot during his early days at CentiMark.
"When Shane was born, Scott traveled a lot with CentiMark," she says. "During the first five years of Shane's life, Scott was gone for about 80 percent of it. He would come home for four days at a time."
Luck travels less now, and when he is home, family time is important.
"He's learned to appreciate life more in general—the everyday things," Elizabeth says. "And we make sure when dad is home, we make time for dad. We really like being together."
Luck likes to play video games with the boys, and the family often travels to Erie and visits Pymatuning State Park to feed bread to the carp. There are so many fish, the family enjoys seeing the ducks "walk on the fish" to compete for visitors' food.
Luck also is handy around the house.
"He can build anything he puts his mind to," Elizabeth says. "We built our deck a few summers ago. We do all the work on the inside of our house. He would do anything for me, the boys and his mom. He would help my friends if they needed help. He's an all-around good guy."
Luck also finds time to help others, getting involved with various causes.
"I did Habitat for Humanity because I like to build things," he says. "Blessings in a Backpack was fun—the organization makes lunch bags for kids who don't get three meals a day at home over the weekend. I've also given blood over the years."
Luck's generosity, compassion for others and hard work makes him an excellent choice for the Best of the Best Award.
The complete package
As he waited for the Best of the Best Award winner to be announced, Luck believed he was just lucky to be standing there as an MVP Award winner.
"I didn't expect to win," Luck says. "The presenter started reading, and there was a teleprompter above him. I saw my picture and was like, 'Oh, no.' And then the most interesting thing in that room instantly became the tips of my shoes."
But Luck's actions and personality have proved to be something special to the people around him and in the roofing industry.
"He's an all-around good human being and a hard worker," Thompson says. "In the roofing industry, foremen like Scott aren't common—honest to goodness. You have guys who are great workers but customer communication can be lacking—either they're not thinking of it or are tired at the end of the day. Scott's the complete package."
Dave LaMolinare says the way Luck cares for his crew is extraordinary.
"He stands out because of his compassion for the guys," he says. "The fact that he was able to quickly react to two people having heart attacks—one having a heart attack and a stroke at the same time—I'm not sure many would realize what was going on with them."
Elizabeth is pleased her husband's work is appreciated.
"It's easy to be with a company for so long and not be appreciated," Elizabeth says. "He realized they notice his hard work. He's a good man. He deserves all the goodness and glory he gets."
Whether he believes he deserved the award, Luck was honored to receive it.
"It definitely was a surprise," he says. "It's good to see my wife cry sometimes. The award means a lot. It means I haven't wasted 22 years of my life. All the people who laughed at me when I started roofing—they couldn't believe I was doing it. I get a different reaction now."
Krista Berns is Professional Roofing's director of online communications.
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