“It’s a big deal,” she said, wiping away those tears while clutching a certificate – and an oversized $2,000 check for claiming the 2025 Gold Award for excellence in residential roofing. “I had to read the email a few times to see that it was real. I was so shocked because it was unexpected.”

That may be, but the award-winning work on the historic Settlemier House in her hometown of Portland, Ore., is the kind of special project that she hoped to proudly complete when she started HER Roofing Co., Inc. seven years ago. Zavala launched the residential and commercial company following a career training roofing contractors for different shingle manufacturers.

The exposure to the industry sparked an idea that’s led her on an entrepreneurial journey anchored by the principles her company is named for: Honesty, Equality, and Respect.

“I spent a few years training roofing contractors for some of the bigger shingle manufacturers, and I knew that we could do a better job. Let’s put it that way,” she said.

The historic home put Zavala’s philosophy and skills to the test. Built in 1892, the Settlemier House included a full shake tear-off and reroof of a steep-slope system, highlighted by a technically challenging cone roof. Without manufacturer specifications, she said she relied on ARMA’s technical instructions to roof the cone. Her team needed an 80-foot lift to install vertical plywood around the cone, as well as custom-fabricated curved wooden gutters. They also returned the original copper spire to the top of the cone, which was home to a bat colony. Completed last spring, Zavala proudly said they delivered a roofing solution that balanced preservation, performance, and beauty at the same time.

“It’s a beautiful roof, and an amazing house,” she continued. “It definitely had its challenges and this all really means a lot to me.”