Roofing Contractor’s Young Guns series was designed to showcase the next generation of roofing professionals by putting the spotlight on contractors in their 20s and 30s who are making their mark in the industry. Those who assume that the industry is dominated by old, out-of touch owners using antiquated methods might be surprised to realize it, but there is a youth movement afoot in the roofing world. The contractors who shared their insights with Roofing Contractor for this article have all excelled in leadership roles in their respective companies, and they all cited the ability to adapt quickly in a rapidly changing economy as a key to their success.
David Schupmann is a Young Gun who is also an industry veteran. Schupmann, 38, is senior vice president of sales and marketing for Tecta America Corp., but when he was in college, a career in roofing was not even on his radar screen. He attended Aurora University in Aurora, Ill., where he studied business management and communications. He entered the roofing industry by chance. “To pay for college, I worked several jobs, including a golf course and men’s clothing store — Chicago-based Mark Shale. One of my customers at Mark Shale asked me to work for him part time at FJA Christiansen Roofing while going to school, so I added the third job. I began my career in the roofing industry doing CAD work, rooftop surveys, attending pre-bid meetings, pulling permits and preparing proposals.”