In honor of Veteran's Day this week, we are spotlighting some of our current associates who have served our country. It is a privilege to be able to work alongside these folks each day. Today's spotlight is Jose at Allied Roofing Company, based in Kernersville, NC. We asked Jose to answer a few questions about his service and how it has played a role in his current position. Q:What branch did you serve in and what did you do? A: United States Marine Corps. I was a tank crewman in the 1st Tank Battalion. I started as a tank driver and worked my way up to a tank gunner. Q: What was the most challenging part of transitioning back to civilian life for you? A: I think the hardest part of the transition was adapting to the way things work in the “real world." There is no more rank structure...well not like in military that is. Q: How has your military background helped you in your current role? A: Being a Marine has definitely helped in many ways. Too many to count. First one that comes to mind is not knowing when to quit, anything. Next would be the ability to adapt to the situations at hand because Lord knows that every day is different in my department and I can walk in in the morning with a plan and various things, only having toss that plan out the window real quick due to how the day progresses. Q: What does a typical day look like for you in your position? A: As I stated before it varies A LOT. Being the supervisor of the service department I can start the day by inputting service work orders into the FCS system give them to the service crews and as of the past few months also running production jobs with one of our production crews. This normally means having to put on a tool belt and going to work on the roof along side of them. Q: What kinds of things do you like to do outside of work? A: I like to build things and remodel homes. I love to hunt ( but the wife normally has other plans) but most of all I love spending time with my kids and wife...this normally means we get on each others nerves within 5 min. Thank you Jose for your service and the sacrifices you have made for our country and freedom.

In honor of Veteran's Day this week, we are spotlighting some of our current associates who have served our country. It is a privilege to be able to work alongside these folks each day. Today's spotlight is Ken who is the company President at CSC Awnings, based in Winston-Salem, NC. We asked Ken to answer a few questions about his service and how it has played a role in his current position. What branch did you serve in and what did you do? I served in the United States Air Force from 1983 – 1987. My job was a computer operator. I had a top secret clearance. My job was to run computer programs in a mainframe environment, produce reports and back up files. What was the most challenging part of transitioning back to civilian life for you? There was not much of a transition from military life to civilian life. Growing up, my father was a disciplinarian maybe because he was in the Navy so I was always kept in line. How has your military background helped you in your current role? My military life has helped me in my current role by being disciplined, respectful of people and putting in the time and effort to be successful. What does a typical day look like for you in your position? A typical day involves estimating projects, project managing projects, scheduling our field employees, assisting Mike (our estimator/project manager at CSC Awnings) with estimating / project managing, order entry into CE and purchasing. What kinds of things do you like to do outside of work? I try to play golf on the weekend. I enjoy riding my motorcycle when time allows. I enjoy spending time with my wife Tammy doing whatever. She also enjoys playing golf and riding motorcycles with me. I enjoy watching golf, UNC Tarheels football & basketball and also the Carolina Panthers. Thank you Ken for your service and the sacrifices you have made for our country and freedom.

In honor of Veteran's Day this week, we are spotlighting some of our current associates who have served our country. It is a privilege to be able to work alongside these folks each day. Today's spotlight is Ben at Applied Roofing Solutions, based in Reidsville, NC. We asked Ben to answer a few questions about his service and how it has played a role in his current position. Q: What branch did you serve in and what did you do? A: I served in the US Army as an infantryman. I was in a light infantry company, while overseas I acted both as a .240 machine gunner and as a team leader and rifleman when needed. Q: What was the most challenging part for you of transitioning back to civilian life? A: The hardest part about transitioning back to normal life was the absence of camaraderie and my best friends. Whenever I needed anything or whenever they needed me for anything, we were just a few steps away. Now majority of them are down in Georgia so it was a lonely few months when we first got back. But time has passed and now they are just a quick phone call away. Q: How has your military background helped you in your current role? A: The military places a large emphasis on the importance of being on time, at the right place, and with the necessary equipment. In my current role, this helps me look ahead and see what challenges we could be facing in the future on job sites and try to mitigate them as much as possible. Time is money. The leadership experience I had while in the military has shown me the right way to lead. Being a leader is more than just telling people what to do. The Army has shown me that you need to give them the training and tools necessary to accomplish their task, and it has proven to me that their failures aren’t on them as much as they fall on their leader. Most importantly, being in the military has shown me how vital it is to keep learning and to stay humble. We have some of the best guys in this industry working with us here at Applied Roofing Solutions. The amount that can be learned from them is unfathomable and their experience is necessary for both my success as a young project manager and the success of our company. I will always keep learning from them and be sure to have their best interest and the best interest of both Applied Roofing Solutions and the Bulldog Group a priority. Q: What does a typical day look like for you in your position? A: Nowadays I do not have to worry about putting heavy body armor on and checking my ammo and weapon systems. My day now is an early ride to work where I help the Applied Roofing Solutions associates get ready for the workday. I answer to the needs of our customers whether they are having roof leaks or are interested in reroofing their building. I place bids on projects and make sure that our associates have everything they need to stay productive, safe, and happy throughout the work week. I help manage projects and keep the wheels moving, whether that is going out on a job to help or keeping the dumpsters empty on job sites. I make a goal to be there for our crews and get them whatever they may need to stay productive, but most importantly to stay safe. Q: What kinds of things do you like to do outside of work? A: When I am not at work, I enjoy building everything from outside furniture to decks. I like working with my hands and staying busy. I enjoy going out to the lake with friends, and dirt biking up in the mountains of North Carolina. But above all I enjoy working out, I have been working out with the same group of guys since before I deployed. Working out is a form of relieving stress for me and helps me keep my sanity about me, without this group of guys I do not know where I would be today! Thank you Ben for the sacrifices you have made for our country and freedom.

You may have noticed that we have an updated logo! In the process of creating materials for our Bulldog Leadership Development Program that will be launching later this year, we realized it was time to update our look. Let us know what you think. Thanks to Jeff at Mindstorm Communications for his partnership in making our new look happen!

Check out this drone footage of the Crown Coliseum Project completed by Triangle Roofing Services earlier this summer! Excellent teamwork and craftsmanship by all Triangle Roofing Services associates on this project. Fibertite also published an article on this project, check out their article here! This footage was taken by Triangle Roofing Services associate, Brad.

Our Safety Director, Mr. Christopher Kindley, was recently notified by the MESH (Manager of Environmental, Safety, and Health) Board of Directors that he had successfully completed the requirements and earned the Manager of Environmental Safety and Health Certificate. The MESH Certificate is awarded to individuals who demonstrate achievement through education in occupational safety, health, and the environment. MESH is sponsored by the Safety and Health Council of North Carolina, NC State University, and the North Carolina Department of Labor. "We are tremendously happy to recognize Chris as a recipient of the Manager of Environmental, Safety and Health Certificate," said North Carolina's Commissioner of Labor Cherie Berry. "This program prepares managers for keeping their worksites safe and healthy and that preparation improves employee protection and company productivity." The MESH program is designed to increase the professionalism of environmental, safety and health managers at governmental, commercial, and manufacturing sites in North Carolina through a rigorous series of continuing education programs. The MESH program strives to recognize environmental managers and raise industry standards, and increase the value of these practitioners to their employers and others to whom services are provided.

We wanted to take some time to recognize Jose at Triangle Roofing Services. Jose has been a valuable associate at Triangle Roofing for nearly 11 years. His role within the company has grown as the company and his knowledge of roofing has grown. We asked Jose a few questions about himself: Tell us a little bit about yourself. I have been married for almost 18 years have three beautiful daughters. My family is pictured above. What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? My hobbies are gardening and keeping up with maintenance on my lawn mower. If you could be anything that you wanted to be, what would you be? Your dream job. My dream job would be to be a farmer! What do you like most about your job? I like that there is something to learn on every job site. No two job sites are the same and I am always learning new things. Products, new equipment, installation techniques, new technologies, the list of things to learn is really endless. Is there anything else you'd like to add? I'm very glad to have had the opportunity to join Triangle Roofing Services, over 10 years ago. I still have opportunities to grow in the future, as well. I am thankful to have had Chris & Teresa, who have provided me with this path and have helped me grow to where I am today within Triangle Roofing Services.

We wanted to take some time to recognize Federico (known by most as "Pee Wee") at Coastal Commercial Roofing Company. Pee Wee is filled with technical and practical knowledge about all facets of commercial roof installation, with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Safety Director, Christopher Kindley says of Pee Wee, "Over the past few years I’ve visited Pee Wee's job sites on multiple occasions. Pee Wee is a very hard working and involved foreman. He is hands on, cares about his crew members, and the company he works for. His dedication is obvious through actions words. Keep up the great work Pee Wee!" We asked Pee Wee a few questions about himself: Tell us a little bit about yourself. I have been married for almost 19 years have a son and a daughter. My family is pictured above at a Myrtle Beach Pelicans game. What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? I like to work around the yard and keep it nice. I also enjoy fishing and camping. If you could be anything that you wanted to be, what would you be? Your dream job. Stay in roofing! I love roofing. If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be? I would love to be able to have help that wants to work and shows up everyday. The roofing industry is not for everyone and it can be a challenge finding people, especially right now in the labor market. What do you like most about your job? Being able to work outside and not having to stay in one place all the time.

The Bulldog Group held firm and remains number 13 on the Engineering News Record's list of top roofing firms in the U.S. The Bulldog Group also moved up to 375, from last year's spot of 397 in the overall top 600 list of specialty contractors. Ken Gwyn, CEO, says, "This would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of each and every one of our associates throughout the year. We truly have a fantastic team of people who take pride in what they do. We also have great customers who trust us to be their roofing experts. Our primary focus is ensuring our customers keep their assets protected by providing the product that best aligns with their overall goals and financial resources." Top 600 List of Specialty Contractors Top 600 List & News Article

We are proud of two of our associates who have put in the time, energy, and effort required to pass state licensing exams! Christopher Walker at States Commercial Roofing Company recently passed the exam for Specialty Roofing in the state of South Carolina with an unlimited license (SR5). Will Trute at Allied Roofing Company recently passed the NC specialty roofing exam. Will plans to sit for both SC and VA exams in the near future.

Nearly everyone has participated in a fire drill to practice what to do in the event of a fire. You hope you never have to run down the stairs of your building to escape an actual fire, but you practice JUST IN CASE! This is what Encompass Roofing & Waterproofing did at their Toolbox Talk on Monday, December 11, 2017, with fall protection. We hope they never have to use the knowledge they learned because someone is suspended off the side of a building in their harness, but we practiced what to do in that situation JUST IN CASE it ever happens...

We wanted to take some time to recognize Abimael at Coastal Commercial Roofing Company. Abimael continues to impress us as he is constantly developing his roofing knowledge and leadership skills. We asked Abimael a few questions about himself: Tell us a little bit about yourself. I have been married to my wife for 9 years. My family my driving force to me working safely. How long have you been in the roofing industry? I've been in roofing for 17 years. What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? I really enjoy fishing. Tell us something about yourself that we may not know. I am always ready to help anyone who needs anything from me. What is your dream job? I like what I do now. My dream is to continue to work hard day by day and for my company to appreciate it. If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be? I wish I could make the weather a little less hot sometimes. It can get pretty hot and humid down here in the south especially by the beach.