search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube instagram Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • TOPICS
    • Cool Roofing
    • Event News
    • Latinos in Roofing
    • Low Slope
    • Legal
    • Metal
    • Project Profiles
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Roofing Safety
    • Steep Slope
    • Sustainable Roofing
    • Technology
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Best of Success
    • Contractor Profile
    • IRE Show
    • Roofing Contractor of the Year
      • Enter Roofing Contractor of the Year
    • Top 100
      • Enter the Top 100
    • Young Guns
    • State of the Industry
  • MULTIMEDIA
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Roofing Quizzes
    • IRE Videos
    • Webinars
    • Photo Galleries
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Featured Products
  • COLUMNS
    • Editor's Note
    • Exit Planning
    • Guest Column
  • EVENTS
    • International Roofing Expo
    • Webinars
    • Best of Success Conference
    • Industry Events
  • DIRECTORY
    • Associations
    • Distributors
    • Manufacturer/Supplier
    • Business Services
    • Get Listed
  • MORE
    • Roofing Contractor Newsletters
    • Techos y Más Advisory Board
    • RC Store
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Company Spotlights
    • Classifieds
      • Auctions
      • Business For Sale
      • Business Opportunities
      • Equipment For Sale
      • Positions Available
      • Products
      • Safety
      • Software
      • Services
      • Training
    • Contact Us
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Advertise
      • Editorial Calendar
      • Contact
    • Archive Issues
  • SIGN UP!

Roofing Contractor Book Club: February 2010

February 9, 2010
This Month:
John Massarelli
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Beacon Roofing Supply



This Month:
John Massarelli
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Beacon Roofing Supply

The Book:
Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson

How did the book inspire you?
Shadow Divers is the true story of how two Americans risked everything to solve one of the last mysteries of WWII. The determination and effort demonstrated by the main characters was incredible. They risked their lives for something they truly believed in. The principles that one of the two main characters lived by are:

• If an undertaking was easy, someone else would have already done it.

• If you follow in another’s footsteps, you miss the problems really worth solving.

• Excellence is born of preparation, dedication, focus and tenacity; compromise on any of these and you become average.

• Examine everything; not all is as it seems or as people tell you.

• It is easiest to live with a decision if is it based on an earnest sense of right and wrong.

• The worst possible decision is to give up.



How did it make a difference at your company?

In business, things don’t always go your way. Adversity is sometimes a common issue, especially when you look at our economy right now. The adversity faced in this book was life threatening and quite daunting. By having extraordinary focus, passion for what they were doing and a disciplined work ethic they were able to overcome huge obstacles and achieve what they set out for.

The same is true for what we are facing right now as an industry. While it may not be life threatening in the literal sense, it is daunting in many respects. By focusing on the right things, having passion for what we are doing and working harder than we ever have before, we will keep improving and become a better company.

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • A discussion panel of roofing contractors

    5 Growth Strategies for Roofing Contractors in 2026

    Three high-performing Owens Corning Roofing Platinum...
    Guest Column
  • A home with a roof

    2026 State of the Roofing Industry Report

    Despite economic turbulence, shifting regulations,...
    State of the Industry
    By: Art Aisner and Chris Gray
  • two-roofers-in-harnesses-on-tile-roof

    How AI Is (and Isn’t) Impacting Roofing Jobs

    A new study from Microsoft shows artificial intelligence...
    Roofing Technology
    By: Chris Gray
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Sign Up for the Newsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Roofing Contractor audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Roofing Contractor or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Female standing in home kitchen doing accounting work from home calculates company financial statement, use calculator fill data results on laptop application, housewife manage family budget
    Sponsored byWatercress Financial

    Paying for a New Roof: What Homeowners Consider and What Contractors Should Know

  • A construction worker surrounded by so much data
    Sponsored byEpicor Software

    Supply Chain Optimization: Overcoming Challenges in the Building Supply Industry

  • Cover-Board-Spray Application
    Sponsored byH.B. Fuller

    Unlock the Power of Spray-Applied Canister Adhesives: Proven Tips for Safer, Faster, Smarter Application

Popular Stories

QXO logo and New York Stock Exchange

QXO to Acquire Kodiak for $2.25 Billion

hands holding prison bars

St. Louis Roofing Contractor Sentenced for $1.7 Million PPP Fraud During Pandemic

logos

Three Questions Emerging from the QXO-Kodiak Acquisition

Events

March 31, 2026

The Number One Reason Roofers Lose Money on Insurance Jobs and How to Fix It

Insurance supplementing is one of the biggest profit leaks on insurance jobs, costing contractors time, money, and control. In this session, we’ll discuss how proper training and process alignment can help teams manage supplementing more effectively keeping key decisions in-house and profits where they belong.

April 23, 2026

Homeowners Survey: A Roofing Customer’s Journey in 2026

Join the experts as they break down the data on another set of questions aimed at gaining insights into the rapidly changing home roofing and restoration market. Roofing contractors can use this data and insight to better understand what factors influence a homeowner's contractor selection process. 

View All Submit An Event

Related Articles

  • Roofing Contractor Book Club: August 2010

    See More
  • Roofing Contractor Book Club

    See More
  • Roofing Contractor Book Club

    See More
×

Be in the forefront of the roofing industry!

Join thousands of professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • Newsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing