My name is Rick and I’m Lead Roofing Foreman here at SunnyMac. I’ve been with the company since April 2014, and have been in the roofing business since 1995. What many customers don’t realize is that SunnyMac has deep, advanced knowledge in roofing, and not only that — we have a sophisticated roofing team of over 50 people and hold one of the highest roofing designations possible — the Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Roofing Partner designation. If you’d like to learn more about what we offer, please check out our Roofing Services page.
Tell us about your background in roofing.
My roofing experience began while attending high school. At the time, I was just trying to earn a paycheck while preparing for college, and had no idea it would become my life’s passion and career. There’s nothing like being part of a crew, becoming like family with a group of hard workers, and waking up early each day to go out and do a quality job helping customers. It didn’t take long for me to work my way up to foreman. I love interacting with customers, and I think that is one of the reasons I love this career so much — every customer relies on us to provide peace of mind and quality services that will last for decades when done right.
I went on to attend Pennsylvania Institute of Technology for electrical engineering, and earned my Associate of Applied Science degree, which taught me all about digital circuits and electronics technology. A work injury caused me to hang up my toolbelt temporarily and transition to the roofing product supplier side. It ended up being a blessing, because I was able to learn so much more and become a highly-educated roofer.
I managed sales desks, and had to take many courses on the ins and outs of all products related to roofing. This is what led me to become so successful in the roofing industry — I learned how to distinguish quality products and all about the methods of installing roofs. I think this helped set me apart.
I’d visit factories, participate in vendor demonstrations, and see exactly how products, such as sealants, are manufactured. I also learned about roof varieties, external building materials, and nuances of materials best suited for every type of situation. I then transitioned to working in residential electric, where I assisted in the replacement of main service panels (MSPs) and upgrades. I did this for around ten years.
Since I had both roofing and electrical work experience, I was introduced to Matt MacFadden about a job he wanted to fill. Accepting it was an easy decision because the role combined both of my passions and required all the experience I had gained thus far in my career. I was the first roofer hired at the company, and since then I have watched it grow to 50+ roofing employees.
What does your day to day look like?
I oversee all field operations relating to roofing. We have 5 roofing supervisors and 5 roofing foreman overseeing crews of 6-7 roofing specialists per job. A large part of my role is ensuring all SunnyMac projects involving a roof are delivered with the highest quality possible. This requires ongoing training and overseeing complex solutions, so employees across the company continuously improve skills. I’m happy to share that there is very low turnover because of the wonderful family dynamic here and our constant focus on providing education, sharing skills, and helping build careers. We work very well together, and there is definitely a family bond between us.
On a typical day, I may advise solar or roofing installers on exactly how to handle a certain aspect of a project. We have great staff here that are extremely proficient and knowledgeable on guiding customers through the process from start to finish and answering any questions. We help customers along every step of the way. All roofing supervisors are available on-site for customers. Meanwhile, our office staff is on hand to answer any questions asked by our internal project teams. A new roof is typically installed in one day, and solar is also installed in just one day.
We have refined the process and made it seamless for customers; however, this requires constant attention and communication from the roofing department. Once a month, we host a meeting for all supervisors, and discuss complex situations that have occurred and provide opportunities for learning, new ideas, ways to streamline processes, new software, and all topics that ultimately lead to strong customer experiences. Everyone is extremely passionate about being the best.
Tell us something you’re proud of, it can be either a personal or professional achievement.
I’m really happy to be part of an impressive team. We are available around the clock to help those in the field. Everyone is committed and unified, with a passion for delivering the highest quality roofing and solar experiences possible for customers. My counterpart, Steven, has a ton of experience and manages the office aspect of all projects. He is always helping people throughout the company and ensuring we deliver the highest quality possible. Brendan has his MBA and tons of roofing and tree-removal experience. He is one of the many sets of eyes reviewing site survey photos and drone footage as it relates to the roofing aspect of a project. Stacey is an amazing help in the back office as well, and keeps the machine running. And of course, our field team is superior compared to others in the industry.
In addition to working with my talented colleagues (people are the heart of the company, honestly), I’m extremely proud to have helped SunnyMac earn the Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Partnership designation. To maintain this, we are randomly audited by Owens Corning, meaning they will physically get on the roof and inspect our projects at random. Because of this, customers can rest assured knowing they’re receiving the highest quality each and every time. I also hold my NABCEP certification, and am OSHA-50 certified. In addition to decades of roofing experience, I also have decades of solar installation experience, which I love to share with colleagues throughout the company.
Who are some of your biggest inspirations?
That’s easy — Nichola Tesla, because he was a visionary who constantly sought growth and discovery; Mr. Rogers, because he didn’t “try” to be a nice person, he just was a nice person at his core; and Mother Teresa, because when asked why she was a kind person, she replied that she sees the world through the eyes of God, which is pure love.
