LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Honest Abe Roofing announced a signed franchise agreement to bring a new location to Louisville, marking its first location to open in Kentucky. Behind the agreement is Don Lanier, who owns an Honest Abe Roofing franchise in Evansville, Ind.

Lanier’s entrepreneurial story took off once he came across Honest Abe Roofing. In 2017, after spending his whole life working in the construction field, Lanier and his wife, Deborah, moved from California to Indiana looking to retire. He soon realized he was bored with retirement and went in for an interview at Honest Abe Roofing for a sales position. Company executives were so impressed with Lanier that not only was he offered the sales job, but he was also given the option to open the first-ever Honest Abe Roofing franchise.

“In an industry dominated by mom-and-pop shops, Honest Abe Roofing has succeeded by completely reinventing the way the roofing service industry operates with a customer service and relationship model,” said James Lloyd, vice president of franchise development for Honest Abe Roofing. “Our franchise owners, like Don Lanier, are filling a void for a trusted brand in a fragmented industry, and we look forward to Don staying true to that mission and providing exceptional customer care in Louisville.”

Lanier and his wife, who own the business together and operate with the help of their son, Jeff, chose the franchising route. Since opening the Evansville location in 2018, they have become the first franchisees to reach $9 million in sales – he is on track to make $12 million by the end of 2022.

“Being able to get into the roofing industry as the first Honest Abe Roofing franchisee without having to reinvent the wheel was a huge plus, as we were able to focus on growing the business knowing all the systems and processes,” said Lanier. “Over time, we’ve been able to create an amazing business with strong client relationships and expert roofing solutions completed, which has led to significant success and the foundation to expand into Louisville – and provide the community with a roofing leader in a fragmented industry.”

Honest Abe Roofing has earned spots on both the Top 100 list of roofing contractors as well as the Inc. 5000 list that highlights the fastest-growing private companies in the nation.