From humble beginnings to national success

By Jenny Yu.  

The Stienecker brothers shared how Nitro Roofing has evolved from local roofing work into an in-demand national contractor. 

For more than 25 years, Nitro Roofing & Construction has built its reputation on family values, hard work and a commitment to quality craftsmanship. In a recent episode of Stories From the Roof, Megan Ellsworth spoke with brothers Wesley, Austin and Connor Stienecker about how the Ohio-based company has grown from humble beginnings into a multigenerational roofing and exterior contracting business, serving residential and commercial customers across the country.  

The company’s roots trace back to the late 1990s when Wesley, the oldest brother and current CPO of the company, first started working roofing jobs as a teenager for his uncle’s side business. The first job threw him straight into the fire. “The roof had five wood shake layers, there were piles of trash around the whole house that we had to pick up by hand,” Wesley retold. “It was a horrible job, but it was our start into the industry.” 

Since then, Nitro Roofing has experienced steady growth, expanding from local residential roofing work into commercial contracting and nationwide projects. Austin, the second brother and CEO of the company, said the company has grown significantly since the brothers took over ownership from their parents in 2023. 

“We were at about $3 million when I came back in 2019,” Austin said, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic set the stage for the company to open a new branch in Columbus and enter the commercial roofing space. “Now we’re doing close to $15 million and probably looking at $18 million this year. We grew so much over a couple of years.” 

This growth has also included government contracting and specialty exterior projects throughout the United States, with the team currently working on projects ranging from churches and recreation centers to military facilities and custom architectural buildings. “We're on a Naval base right now in Georgia, and we did this really cool Native American museum that has a longboard siding on it,” Austin shared. “It's like our Mona Lisa.” 

While the business has evolved, the brothers emphasized that Nitro Roofing’s family first culture remains unchanged. Connor, the youngest brother and CSO of the company, recalled his own growth by learning from his family members. “When I started, I was the grunt: working on the ground, picking up all the shingles, tending them. Eventually, just by watching my brothers and my dad work, it all came with the nature of just working through it,” Connor shared. “I’m still learning, day in and day out, because we see new things almost every day. It never is a dull day, that’s for sure.” 

Wesley agreed, adding that the learning goes both ways. “It's been a blessing working with our parents, our uncle and my brothers. We’ve all learned from each other over the years.” Wesley expressed. “It's been a wonderful trip.” 

Listen to the full episode to hear more roofing lessons learned from the Stienecker brothers!