As part of a new series, Roofing Contractor will be taking an in-depth look at the next generation of roofing contractors. We tapped key players at roof-contracting firms in their 20s and 30s and asked them to share their stories and their unique perspective on the roofing industry.

Family businesses make up a large chunk of roof-contracting firms, but whether a business is family-owned or not, it needs an influx of new employees to keep it running decade after decade. The industry has acknowledged that roofing has suffered from an image problem that has led prospective employees to pursue careers in other fields. Industry associations have formed organizations to help fill the void. The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) initiated the Future Executives Institute to educate future company leaders. The Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) formed the Young Contractors Council to assist younger contractors with sharing best practices — and at the same time help business owners find out how to make the industry more appealing to the next generation of employees.