Details

What is your position within your company?
I am vice president of C. L. Schust Co. Inc., a commercial roofing and architectural sheet metal company in Fort Wayne, Ind.

What is the most unusual roofing project of which you have been a part?
We replaced standing-seam roof panels on the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. The 100-foot 22-gauge McElroy Metal Maxima 12-inch-wide panels with 2-inch ribs were roll-formed on-site and placed into wood crates we built. We used a crane to lift the panels 130 feet to the roof before lowering them 60 feet into the building. The project required a lot of coordination between multiple parties and attention to detail during every step. This was not your typical roof system replacement.

Why did you become involved in the roofing industry?
I grew up in a construction family and knew I’d work in the industry. During college, I worked as a laborer, which was rewarding. In October 2005, I received an unexpected job offer from my uncle who owns C. L. Schust. Having the chance to work every day at the family business was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.

What was your first roofing experience?
About a month into my job as an estimator and project manager for C. L. Schust, I was told to go into the field and work on a roof. I worked on a new construction project installing 1 1/2- and 2-inch polyisocyanurate insulation and TPO membrane.

Big city or small town?
I like the size of Fort Wayne and the surrounding area, which has a population of 372,000. So that fits into the small category, right?

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Why?
My superpower would be the ability to make kids not hurt. I volunteer at Erin’s House for Grieving Children, which is a peer-to-peer support system for children who have lost loved ones. Every time I leave the facility, I wish I could take the children’s pain away.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
I currently am enrolled in NRCA University’s Future Executives Institute—Class 9. FEI has been a great opportunity to learn, grow and collaborate with 35 peers from around the U.S. Our company also proudly supports NRCA and the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association.

People would be surprised to know ...
I have never had a pet.

What songs are you listening to over and over?
Whatever songs my kids are listening to. I like all types of music, including alternative, country and rap.

What’s the most exciting/adventurous thing you’ve done?
Scuba diving in the Cayman Islands while on spring break during my senior year of college

What is your most rewarding experience?
Personally, my most rewarding experience is marrying my wife and raising our two children. When I receive a compliment about my kids, it reinforces to me that we’re off to a good start with them. Professionally, the most rewarding experience without a doubt is offering people positions at C. L. Schust. It’s rewarding to know I’m making their day and helping them support themselves and their families.

What quality do you most admire in a person?
Authenticity

What do you conisder a waste of time?
Doing something that is not productive or beneficial for myself or others. I always try to be respectful of time.