Doug Cooper and Nick Wallace worked together in construction for more than a dozen years before recognizing they could build a successful business and make a bigger impact by focusing on roofing. So in 2012, the Chicago and Wisconsin natives, respectively, ventured out on their own to become roofing contractors and formed Advocate Construction, headquartered just outside Chicago in Glendale Heights, Ill. They quickly found their niche in residential re-roofing, and in just three years expanded to St. Louis and Grand Rapids, Mich. Now they have 30 non-union employees and a team looking forward to what’s ahead.
“We have had a tremendous amount of growth and achieved many things in a very short amount of time,” said Cooper, Advocate’s president. “But we are especially proud of the fact that we have been able to foster a culture where our people can leave behind traditionally comfortable positions and find a greater opportunity for financial, professional and personal growth.”