search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube instagram Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts Spotify Podcasts Apple Podcasts
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • TOPICS
    • Cool Roofing
    • Event News
    • Latinos in Roofing
    • Low Slope
    • Legal
    • Metal
    • Project Profiles
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Roofing Safety
    • Steep Slope
    • Sustainable Roofing
    • Technology
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Best of Success
    • Contractor Profile
    • IRE Show
    • Roofing Contractor of the Year
      • Enter Roofing Contractor of the Year
    • Top 100
      • Enter the Top 100
    • Young Guns
    • State of the Industry
    • Century Club
  • MULTIMEDIA
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Interactive Spotlights
    • Roofing Quizzes
    • IRE Videos
    • Webinars
    • Photo Galleries
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Featured Products
  • COLUMNS
    • Editor's Note
    • Exit Planning
    • Legally Speaking
    • Safety Advice
    • Technical Details
    • Guest Column
  • EVENTS
    • International Roofing Expo
    • Webinars
    • Best of Success Conference
    • Industry Events
  • DIRECTORY
    • Associations
    • Distributors
    • Manufacturer/Supplier
    • Business Services
    • Get Listed
  • MORE
    • Roofing Contractor eNews
    • RC Store
    • Roofing Supply Pro
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Company Spotlights
    • Classifieds
      • Auctions
      • Business For Sale
      • Business Opportunities
      • Equipment For Sale
      • Positions Available
      • Products
      • Safety
      • Software
      • Services
      • Training
    • Contact Us
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Editorial Calendar
      • Contact
    • Archive Issues
  • SIGN UP!

Damato of the Day Is, “Life Begins at 40”

Damato of the day blog feature
April 22, 2014

Does life begin at 40? Guess I am about to find out. I turned 40 earlier this week. Forty years in the roofing industry, that is.

It started for me as a way to arrive at the end of a seven-year career in the retail grocery business. I entered that business in high school and stayed through a short time away for some training with the Air National Guard. One thing led to another, and I was running a supermarket, but not exactly loving it. I wanted to find a Monday-through-Friday kind of job and wanted a sales job.

My friend, Barry, went to high school with me and worked at the same grocery store with me. He left the grocery business right after school and worked a few different sales jobs. I could not help but notice that he was doing pretty well for himself. He went to work where his father worked selling construction specialties and later introduced me to the owner, who hired me to sell equipment to roofing contractors.

So it does not sound too romantic, this “following my dreams” tale, I must explain what was really going on at the time. I was 22 years old, married with a two-month-old daughter. The pay cut I took moving from a management position to an opportunity to be trained in a new field was monumental. My father thought I had lost my mind. How could I walk away from a budding career in management into the abyss of … selling roofing equipment?

It was a tough couple of years, but I did develop as an equipment salesman and stayed with the Julien P. Benjamin Equipment Company for nearly 11 years. Those were good years, and I learned from the best in the business, including the man who hired me, Julien P. Benjamin Jr. I was able to learn because Julien allowed me to focus on my education in the business instead of simply getting the next order. As it turned out, I was able to learn a great deal from the roofing contractors I met with every day.

After those years selling equipment I went to work with JGA, running their branch in my hometown of Jacksonville, Fla. After working 10 years in that location I moved to the JGA office in Atlanta, where I have held a number of positions and still do to this very day.

Before leaving the equipment business I was invited by a customer of mine to help out with some ideas and information for the new magazine he was starting called The Roofer. That customer was Danny Carson, and his belief was there were no trade magazines that focused strictly on roofers. So being an entrepreneur and an “I can do this myself” kind of guy, he launched the magazine. From a comparison chart on belted conveyors in the second issue of the publication, I have been a contributor ever since.

So here I am, 40 years later. I choose to mark this milestone with some random statements and comments. Not a true retrospective … just a few things off the top of my head:

  • I have always thought it was very fortunate for me to have veered into the roofing industry.
  • In 40 years the learning has never ceased.
  • No matter how long I am in this business I know that when I leave I will take away more than I ever gave.
  • As a young man, I was shown a lot of respect by roofing contractors who truly owed me none. My sense, now that I am older, is that they were paying back those who had treated them the same way in their youth.
  • By “respect,” I mean they gave me their time. They talked and taught. And they listened to my questions and sometimes crazy ideas.
  • The 40 years I spent in the roofing industry were unique.
  • My time selling equipment to roofing contractors was really unique and it is, in a word, over.
  • My time in the distribution of roofing and building materials has been rewarding on many levels, especially the relationships I have been able to develop and enjoy.
  • My work with The Roofer, which later became Roofer Magazine and then Roofing Contractor, has been the most incredible opportunity of all.
  • Of all the publishers and editors I have worked with over the years, the team I work with today is the most in tune with the roofing industry. I am blessed to work with such a dedicated team.
  • I have learned that change has been the one constant over the past 40 years in the roofing industry, the past 50 years of gainful employment (thank you, Lord!), and 62 years of life.
  • When I grow up I would like to write a history, from an insider’s perspective, of the modern era of the roofing industry in this country. Jimmy Yundt has promised to fund this adventure (when he wins the lottery).
  • No matter what I have done in my professional life, my family has been the glue that has held me together all these years — the ones who came before me and the ones who follow me into the world.
  • As I approach the twilight years of my career I find myself focused on the work and less concerned about a legacy. When I finally depart (not going anywhere anytime soon) this business I will say, “My work here is done.” And it will be and there will be someone to take my place (I should say, all of my places).

And the one comment that keeps running through my mind is not a comment at all, but a question: Where did 40 years go?

KEYWORDS: roofing industry

Share This Story

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Blog Topics

Damato of the Day

Guest Blog

Recent Comments

It's fascinating to see how virtual trade shows...

This update is a game-changer for flat...

This is a timely conversation for residential...

Safety is No1

high quality materials

Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Sign Up for the eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Roofing Contractor audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Roofing Contractor or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Snow Guard Solutions for Metal Roofs by S-5!
    Sponsored byS-5!

    Safeguard Your Building: How Snow Guards Prevent Costly Roof & Property Damage

  • A hand holding a wooden block that reads 'EVOLVE'
    Sponsored byWatercress Financial

    Embracing Change: A New Era for the Roofing Industry

Popular Stories

QXO closed its acquisition of Beacon Building Supply on April 29, 2025.

QXO Closes Beacon Acquisition, Rebrands Immediately; Jacobs to Ring NYSE Bell

New executive orders signed by President Trump will likely further constrict an already tight labor market for the construction industry.

New Executive Orders Will Further Squeeze Labor Force

President Trump’s trade war is causing real harm to the construction sector, including roofing contractors.

Trade War Fallout: Contractors Are Delaying Projects and Cutting Crews

Roofing Contractor Webinar

Events

May 22, 2025

Remote Teams 101: The New Way to Hire

Our industry experts will guide you through what remote hiring and outsourcing should look like, how it can help you grow, and why it’s easier (and less scary) than you might think. If you want to save time, find great talent, and grow your business, this is one session you don’t want to miss!

December 3, 2025

The Premier Roofing Conference: Best of Success

Join roofing professionals from across the nation at the 2025 Best of Success conference, the ultimate destination for roofing professionals seeking the latest industry insights and networking opportunities. Pick up strategies for critical challenges like workforce shortage with innovative solutions, explore the latest advancements in roofing technology and sustainable practices, and gain valuable insights from industry leaders on navigating the evolving roofing landscape.

View All Submit An Event
×

Be in the forefront of the roofing industry!

Join thousands of professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing