This Publisher’s Note is difficult to put together. I usually come up with a message or two that I’d like to share with roofing contractors, develop an outline on important points I’d like to make, and follow that up with related research, anecdotes and ideas that will help drive my messages home. This one,  I’m not even sure where to start – other than to say Thank You to Rick Damato for all his incredible time with Roofing Contractor over the last 40 years, and congrats on his retirement!

As I try and put these words together I’m overwhelmed, and overcome with emotion, so I realize I’m going to have to share from the heart. 

From the day I started back in August 1999, Rick has been a calming voice of reason for me, both personally and professionally. I knew there was something very special about him the day I met him. He’s one of nine brothers and sisters and I’ve had the honor to meet many of them. And you can tell they are all Damatos! His mom was someone very special too. It was such a joy to have them attend Best of Success many years ago in Nashville.

Rick has been my sounding board through the past 25 years of my life, not just work. I lost my dad at 18 and there’s very few people that have been able to offer that kind of advice and guidance and care.

I’ll always remember a moment with Kay, Rick’s first late wife, when we were in Las Vegas for a trade show and I was struggling. Rick took one look at me and knew something was wrong. I tried to deny it, but when he looked at me and hugged me, I fell apart and knew I was in a safe place to share. That’s just one of the many moments when I knew he was there for me as a person, putting that first before any business we worked on together.

As a colleague and coworker, Rick’s presence has been invaluable. For starters, Rick’s belief that a marketplace of ideas, followed by sponsors invested in the roofing industry, existed is why we’re still here as a publication. He piloted the ship during calm and stormy economic times, proving that an audience of roofing professionals eager to learn and improve not only existed, but thrived with the tools that RC provided them with via content. Let’s be clear: though it may not have originally been his idea, a publication dedicated to serving the roofing contractor would not exist without Rick. His commitment to consistently cover news and issues contractors cared about set a standard for Roofing Contractor as a print publication, and only intensified as we added our digital platforms. 

I was recently reminded by RC Editor-in-Chief Art Aisner that it was Rick who first fully embraced our move to a primarily-digital publication, and inspired the entire staff to pivot. In our first Zoom meeting after the three-year plan to transition from print to digital was shrunk to three months (during COVID-19), Rick was the most visibly excited about the change and vocalized the new opportunities it would provide for us in terms of improving our reach and content. 

“It was just fitting that he – the oldest member on our team – was leading the charge toward this digital transformation and saw all the possibilities in front of us,” Art recalled. “It got us all thinking about our roles differently and we haven’t looked back.”

Rick has also been a role model in terms of how he’s given back to the industry. He rolls up his sleeves every year to participate in Community Service Day at the International Roofing Expo; and he and second wife Micki made it a point of pride to join the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity International. He gives back to the industry directly as a longtime member of the Roofing Alliance, and was instrumental in bridging the gap between leading roofing associations and SkillsUSA — a national membership association serving high school, college and middle school students who are preparing for careers in the skilled trades.

On the work front, Rick has worn many hats for Roofing Contractor. The most important is the depth of knowledge and insight into this special industry many of us call family. This will never be replaced.

As I’ve come to understand the meaning of authenticity, Rick is authentic to the core for all his life values. I’ve never heard Rick angry, I don’t think anyone else has either! He always a calm voice of understanding. There’s been many times he’s talked me off the ledge and I’m so very grateful for this.

From the bottom of my heart, Rick, thank you for all you’ve done.