It is with much sorrow we report the passing of Michael O. Malarkey on Sept. 23, 2012. Michael Malarkey’s charisma and charm were a part of his quiet personality; he cared deeply for family and friends, always offering a helping hand.

Michael grew Malarkey Roofing Products from a small business to a manufacturing operation with more than 400 employees and three factories. From 1975 to 2010, Michael was the president and chairman of the Board for Malarkey Roofing until his passing.

Michael’s involvement in the roofing industry spanned 56 years. In 1976, through his direct efforts, Malarkey began operating its fiberglass mat plant, and then became one of the first manufacturers to offer fiberglass based roofing shingles. In 1978, he introduced metric shingles to the roofing industry. In 1977, he introduced the first SBS modified base sheet produced in the United States. Building on these successes, in 1981 Malarkey introduced the first fire rated SBS commercial system over wood decks. These systems were tailored to meet the needs of roofing contractors in the West, where wood decks are predominant. In 1982, Malarkey closed its paper plant and converted all production to fiberglass. In 1986, Malarkey introduced the first SBS modified shingle, the Alaskan®. Almost all of these innovations are now industry standards.

Michael received many accolades and recognitions during his career. Most notability, and for him one of the most meaningful, was the infrequently awarded “Outstanding Service Award” Malarkey Roofing received in 2006 from the WSRCA for the engineering of a larger nailing Zone® to promote proper installation, another innovation that even now is changing the face of the roofing industry.

Michael’s passion and vision for the roofing industry leaves a legacy of innovation and quality that has impacted almost every roofing contractor active today.