As the son of a roofer and the founder of two roofing companies, Ken Hendricks had always found dealing with roofing distributors frustrating. He couldn’t find one business that could meet all of his needs, and the level of service he and his father received was often poor. Seeing a chance to succeed in a highly fragmented industry, he decided to go into the distribution business himself. In 1982, he formed American Builders and Contractors Supply with the ultimate goal of creating a nationwide chain of one-stop shops for roofing professionals that would thrive by delivering the type of customer service he and his father never received.