NEW ORLEANS — The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) has announced T. Allen Lancaster Jr., vice president of Metalcrafts, a Tecta America Company LLC, Savannah, Ga., is the 75th recipient of its annual J.A. Piper Award. 

The award was presented during the NRCA’s Awards Ceremony & Cocktail Reception held Feb. 2 in New Orleans. The J.A. Piper Award is the industry’s most prestigious honor, recognizing roofing professionals who have devoted constant outstanding service to NRCA and the roofing industry.

"I really have enjoyed all the years I've done NRCA, I got involved in NRCA just because I wanted to learn, and I have," said Lancaster upon receiving the award. "In the meantime, I've made a lot of great friends, and a lot of you are here tonight."

Lancaster was elected to NRCA’s board of directors in 1995 and served several terms, including as an NRCA director from 1995-98, 1999-2002, 2003-05 and 2007-09. He served as NRCA vice president from 2005-07, NRCA senior vice president from 2009-10 and NRCA president from 2010-11. Lancaster has been involved with several NRCA committees, including the architectural sheet metal and metal roofing committee, manual update committee, technical education committee and technical operations Committee.

Lancaster has been involved in the roofing industry for decades. After graduating from Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, with a degree in science and building construction, Lancaster started working at Metalcrafts, a metal fabrication company founded by his father and uncles. In 1992, he, along with his father and brothers, negotiated with other family members to officially buy Metalcrafts. Lancaster became president of Metalcrafts in 1997 and has grown the company to more than 50 employees.

In 2020, Joseph Lancaster took over as president of the company, and Allen Lancaster continues to work for Metalcrafts as vice president. Employees describe him as one of the most knowledgeable men in roofing who also is hardworking, focused and driven.

“He has worked tirelessly for his business, his family and the roofing industry — serving in a myriad of roles at NRCA and regional associations,” said Nelson Braddy, 2021 J.A. Piper Award winner and founder of King of Texas Roofing Co. LP, Grand Prairie, when presenting the award. “He epitomizes what great people are — reliable, intelligent, trustworthy, and always ready and willing to help. And the roofing industry has been lucky enough to benefit from his leadership and volunteerism.”

First presented in 1948, the J.A. Piper Award is named for former NRCA President Joseph A. Piper, whose extraordinary efforts kept the association alive during the Great Depression.