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It’s a typical Friday afternoon and Andrés Ramirez is hustling between appointments in northern Ohio, looking for roofing’s next rising stars. The human resources director for Division 7 Roofing handles the full HR workload for the growing commercial roofing contractor and spends a few days a week on the recruiting trail.

Much like the college football scouts and coaches he shares the roads with around this corner of the Midwest, Ramirez is looking for talent. But more importantly, he said he’s looking for the right fit into the organization. Roughly 80 percent of the contractors he meets and hires are Latinos, and he emphasizes clear job expectations right away to help prevent as many washouts as possible.

Being that direct while recruiting people into a new profession can seem harsh, but there’s no glossing over the working conditions and low margin for error when one commits to roofing. It’s also the best approach culturally, Ramirez added.

Born in Columbia, Ramirez emigrated with his parents and sister to the U.S. as a child in 1997 and grew up in central Ohio. He learned English, became a big sports fan, but remembers snow being among his first favorite discoveries in America.

“I’m from Medellin, a city within a valley of two mountain ranges, and it’s called the City of Eternal Spring because it’s spring year-round,” he said. “The most snow I ever got to see was what came out of the freezer, so that was a wonderful thing.”

Ramirez worked in the human resources field for a few years, and though he didn’t have a background in construction, he found his way into roofing when he needed a more flexible schedule to help his ill father, who moved in with them from Florida.

“I had to be available for the appointments he needed, and the job I had was just not very conducive to that. You had to be there and do the grind,” he said. “I was looking, looking, looking, and then Division 7 popped up looking for a bilingual human resources director.”

For years, Division 7 grappled with workforce issues, like most commercial roofing companies looking to grow in active markets. Finding laborers that could envision a career path and commit to roofing for more than a season or two exacerbated the challenge. So, the company changed its approach to recruiting in several aspects, including broadening its reach. The first real test came after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, killing more than 3,000 people and creating a mass exodus of roughly 200,000 others.

Company officials said the turning point was when they decided to recruit from Puerto Rico, where U.S. citizenship is not an issue.

“I quickly recognized we needed someone bilingual, compassionate, and dedicated to helping new hires navigate both a new company and a new environment,” Division 7 President John Kiesel said. “Andrés brought structure, consistency, and heart to our people operations. He not only streamlined recruiting and hiring but also became a trusted resource for employees. The difference was immediate: better fits, stronger retention, and a more supported workforce.”

Tell us more about how the program works for Division 7?

AS: It’s a six-month contract where we house them, pay for food, transportation and tools. And after six months the idea was for them to transition to living here in the Mainland and then we’d grow our talent base.

It sounds like very hands-on, difficult work. What was your approach?

AS: Since they’re predominantly Spanish speakers, I would talk to them and interview them on Zoom. Once they arrived here, I’d go pick them up, get them set up in the apartments we had, and get them going through the onboarding process. Ultimately, I’d be taking care of their needs during the six-month stay, if they had any issues.

I’m willing to go above and beyond for individuals, especially if they’re doing their part for the company. Some are grateful for it, some are not, but it comes with the job as well as my own personality.”

Does it feel like an uphill battle?

AR: The program works and it’s a good program. It’s just not for the faint of heart. When you’re relocating and bringing people you’re bringing all their baggage, and not just belongings. The hard part when you’re recruiting aboroad is it’s really hard to gauge the individual

How do you deal with that aspect of this process?

AR: The majority of individuals that do come want to work, but you also get the individuals that are here just to get a few months of pay, gather as much as they can, and then go back home. At that point, you know you’ve at least got a couple months worth of really good work and say thank you before moving. But really the idea is to come in, learn, and then progress to another level.

Did you ever expect doing this kind of rewarding work in roofing?

AR: When I came here, it was a good opportunity at the time but there’s definitely a culture here that attracts you. That’s the gift and scourge of human resources; You get to know the people and you can see the red flags popping up. My ‘Spidey-senses’ didn’t go off when I interviewed. The leaders here care about their employees and culture is a big initiative, which makes my job very easy. You don’t always get that from senior or executive-level business owners. 

Is it hard recruiting roofers when you don’t have experience doing the job?

AR: It took time for me to learn some of the terms, but one of the biggest things I‘ve had success with is lateral recruiting, where one of the first things you ask is if they know anybody else that’s looking for work. Especially within the Latino community, there’s a big movement to help somebody else or help someone else that they know is in need.

Can anyone be a good roofer?

AR: I’m a firm believer that anyone can do anything. As long as somebody’s willing and wanting to do the work, and is okay being in the elements, I think anybody can be successful in the roofing industry. One of the key things for me is setting the proper expectations of what they’re going to see on a roof, because if you don’t get those expectations right off the bat, they’re going to quit by lunchtime.

There’s a lot of HR issues to keep track of in running a roofing company. What concerns you about the roofing industry today?

AR: I worry about reviving the industry from a talent point. A lot of the great roofing talent out there is getting older and retiring. One of the biggest struggles we have now is finding good talent out there that’s worked with multiple roofing systems and experience doing the job.