Scott Howard (left) and Dennis Conway own Commercial Roofers Inc.
Mission Statement
The mission of Commercial Roofers, Inc., is to furnish and install on-time quality roofing and waterproofing products for commercial projects which fulfill customer expectations and manufacturer’s requirements; to always conduct business in a fair and professional manner; to provide exceptional customer service to all of our clients; and to be good corporate and community citizens.
Commercial Roofers Inc. is not only the largest, most experienced roofing contractor in the Las Vegas Valley, it is the Roofing Contractor 2009 Commercial Contractor of the Year.
Scott Howard and Dennis Conway have owned the business for 12 years and currently work out of its Las Vegas office with a staff of more than 200 employees. The company, however, is licensed in three other states, California, Arizona and Utah.
After a recent Safety Fair, the crew and staff of Commercial Roofers Inc. gather for a group photo.
Howard, meanwhile, is a third-generation roofing contractor whose family business, Howard Roofing, started in the Las Vegas Valley in 1959. Until 1986 when his family sold the business, he held the role of project manager at Howard’s Roofing. After the sale he became manager of the Las Vegas office. And by November 1996, both Howard and Conway purchased and renamed the company Commercial Roofers Inc., returning the business to local ownership.
Now, with 100 percent of its work in the commercial market, the company racked up sales of $48 million in 2008, which is up from the $5.1 million they did in revenue in 1997. The expected revenue in 2009 is $40 million.
“From the apprentice roofer to the administrative staff - great personnel is the backbone of our organization,” Scott Howard and Dennis Conway told Roofing Contractor. “That’s what makes us a success.”
Scott Howard (left) and Dennis Conway (right) share time during the holidays last year.
Commercial Roofers acknowledged the many groups and associations that have helped the company become successful along the way, including: NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction), Roofers Union No. 162, Roof Connect, IFMA (International Facility Management Association), NAIOP (National Association Industrial Office Properties), BOMA (Building Owner Management Association), NRCA (National Roofing Contractors Association), WSRCA (Western States Roofing Contractors Association), AGC (Associated General Contractors), NPFMA (Nevada Professional Facility Management Association) and the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.
Commercial Roofers also thanked the many manufactures and local distributors who have helped provide a support network for the company through the years. With more than 50 years of combined experience in the industry, and the only full-time, fully staffed 24-hour service department in the area, Howard and Conway make sure customers are satisfied.
“Our customer base is comprised of quality-conscious people that want an excellent job completed on budget,” Howard said. “Repeat clientele accounts for 95 percent of our business with a 99 percent certified approval rating.”
Helping customers goes hand in hand with keeping employees safe. According to Howard, safety is a culture for Commercial Roofers. “Commercial Roofers has monthly safety meetings, biannual safety fairs where we provide a barbecue for all staff, office and field, as well as monthly, yearly, and quarterly safety incentives for employees,” he said. “We have a safety record that is among the best in the industry. We have an extremely low mod factor of 0.57, and our full-time safety director aggressively enforces our safety programs.”
Bruce Greenspun (from left), Scott Howard and Lt. Governor Brian K. Krolicki were on hand when Commercial Roofers Inc. received the Specialty Contractor of the Year award in 2008.
Howard and Conway describe Commercial Roofers Inc. as “an extended family in which the company strives to work together as a team, with the result being a project completed on time, within budget, and with little to no problems.”
Commercial Roofers has many events throughout the year for the staff. Every year the company has a Christmas party for all employees; with a total of 400-500 people, this party includes dinner, raffle prizes, and entertainment. The company also takes the administrative staff to the Foundation Room on Professional Administrative Day for a luncheon. They also have a game night with the local minor league team where employees and their families can enjoy a game.
“We believe our people are our greatest resource,” Conway said. “We hire the best people and allow them to do their job. Scott and I are hands-off type of owners. We limit the amount of meetings we have to one a week. Our people know what they need to do.”
Commercial Roofers Inc. is putting a roof on the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas.
Commercial Roofers specializes in complex projects. Howard said project managers and superintendents are “exceptional in experience and confident in the abilities of the company.”
“We are a licensed, bonded and insured full-time professional roofing contractor,” he said. “Our services include new construction, re-roof, waterproofing, and maintenance/repair for commercial projects. We are experts in the installing of single-ply, BUR, modified bitumen, roof coating, below-grade waterproofing, deck coating, foam roofing and tile. We’ve done jobs from 2,000 square feet up to and beyond 700,000 square feet.”
Howard recalled one particular job, installing the roof at the Excalibur in Las Vegas, where the work was seen but the workers were not heard from. “No one even knew we were on site re-roofing the facility,” Howard noted, calling it one of the best compliments the company has ever received.
Other clients include MGM/Mirage Corporation, Stations Casino, Clark County School District, American Nevada, McCarren Airport, and Harsch Property Management Company.
The company is coping with the recent economic downturn that has affected Las Vegas, but they have stayed on top of trends and changes in the industry, including an emphasis on more environmentally friendly roofing systems, LEED projects, and teaming up with manufacturers involved with green projects. “Solar roofing interest will definitely be a dominant future in our market,” said Howard, who offered a sure-fire tip: “Use licensed insured contractors and check references.”
During tough economic times, Howard concluded that contractors must “watch bidding, increase marketing, identify key accounts, and have a good backlog.”
The key to referrals, according to Howard, is simple: “Staying close to customers, maintaining a close and workable relationship with your customers.”
For more information about Commercial Roofers Inc., visit www.comm roof.com.
