By Dino DiVito, O'Hara's Son Roofing.

The owners who end up happiest with the outcome are the ones who started planning years before they needed to decide.

I have spent my career on the financial and operational side of real estate development and construction. Most recently, I have worked on the commercial roofing side; first as CFO and a board member of Flynn, one of the largest roofing and building envelope companies in North America and later as a co-founder of CanPro Roofing, Canada's first national commercial roofing roll-up. Today I am involved in a similar initiative in the United States. The hardest conversations I have had were never about spreadsheets; they were with owners trying to decide what happens to the company and the people in it after they are no longer the ones running it.

RoofersCoffeeShop® readers hear plenty about acquisitions from the buyer's side. This is written from the other side of the table: the owner's side. It is meant for the contractor who has spent twenty or thirty years building something real and is now asking a harder question than "what is it worth?" That question is: "what happens to it and the people in it after I'm gone?"

The questions every owner asks themselves

In nearly every conversation I have had with a founder considering a sale or transition, three concerns surface before any talk of numbers does. They ask, "Will my employees be taken care of? Will the culture we built survive new ownership? Will the business I spent decades building lose its identity becoming just another line on someone else's balance sheet?"

These are not soft concerns to be waved away by a purchase price. They are the real substance of the decision. An owner who has hired people out of high school, sponsored crews through apprenticeships and built a reputation one roof at a time is not just selling assets. They are handing off relationships and obligations that took a career to earn. Any owner who tells you that the financial terms are the only thing that matters is either early in the process or has not thought hard enough about it yet.

Succession planning without a ready successor

The roofing industry is full of strong operators without an obvious next generation of leadership. A son or daughter may not want the business or may not be ready for it. A longtime superintendent may be an excellent field leader but has never had to run a P&L, manage banking relationships or navigate bonding and insurance renewals. This gap is one of the most common and most underestimated risks facing contractors today.

Succession planning has to start well before an owner is ready to step back, ideally three to five years ahead. That means being honest about who on the current team could grow into ownership level responsibility and what it would take to get them there. It also means being honest when the answer is that no one currently in the building can do it. That is not a failure. It is information and it points toward a different kind of solution: bringing in outside capital, a strategic partner or a buyer who can supply the leadership bench the company does not yet have.

Selling is not just a financial transaction

One shift in thinking I try to encourage with owners is to stop viewing a sale purely as an exit and start viewing it as a strategy. When done well, a sale can be the mechanism that preserves a company's future rather than end it. It can create new opportunities for employees who would otherwise plateau in a business with limited capital to grow, and it can protect an owner's legacy far better than running the business into a slow decline or handing it to a successor who is not equipped to carry it.

The right buyer brings more than a cheque. They bring capital for equipment and working capital, back-office resources that let field leadership focus on the work instead of administration and the balance sheet to take on larger and more complex projects. Most importantly, the right buyer understands that the value they are acquiring is the culture and the crews, not just the contracts and structures the transition so the business keeps serving its customers under the same values that made it successful in the first place. That is worth screening for as carefully as price because a buyer who does not understand this will dismantle the very thing they paid for.

Growth exposes what discipline was hiding

Having helped build both a national roll-up in Canada and now a similar platform in the United States, I have seen the same pattern play out repeatedly: growth does not create problems so much as it reveals ones that were already there. A single-market contractor can often survive with informal job costing, a spreadsheet-based forecast and a general sense of how each crew is performing. Add a second or third market and those same gaps turn into real cash flow and margin problems fast.

Financial discipline is not glamorous, but it is what allows growth to be sustainable rather than dangerous. That means real job costing at the project level, cash flow forecasting that accounts for the working capital swings of larger commercial and re-roofing work and monthly financials an owner can actually trust. Contractors who scale successfully build these systems before they need them, not after a bad quarter forces the issue.

Building a leadership team that can carry growth

Sustainable growth is ultimately a leadership problem before it is a capital problem. The contractors who scale well invest early in regional leaders who can run a market with real autonomy in finance and operations talent, who can support multiple locations rather than just one and in systems for training and promoting from within so growth creates career paths rather than just headcount. Capital can fund expansion, but it cannot substitute for a bench of people capable of running it well.

Making an informed decision

There is no single right answer for every owner: some businesses should stay independent and pass to family or an internal leader and some are better served by partnering with a buyer who can provide capital, systems and a path forward for employees. What matters is that the decision is made deliberately with a clear-eyed view of the company's readiness, its leadership bench and what the owner actually wants their legacy to be, rather than reactively when health, market conditions or fatigue force the issue.

After the last six years on the operational and financial side of scaling roofing businesses, the lesson I keep coming back to is this: the owners who end up happiest with the outcome are the ones who started planning years before they needed to decide. Whether that plan ends in a family succession, an internal promotion or a sale to the right partner, the businesses that come out the other end intact are the ones where the owner treated legacy as something to be built deliberately, not something to hope for on the way out the door.

Hyatt to lead next phase of growth as Luke Coleman transitions to executive chairman following significant platform expansion.

O’Hara’s Son Roofing (“OSR”) today announced the appointment of Jake Hyatt as chief executive officer, succeeding Luke Coleman, who will transition to executive chairman and remain actively involved in the company’s strategic direction, M&A initiatives and key customer and supplier relationships. The leadership transition marks the next phase of OSR’s growth following significant expansion of its national commercial roofing platform.

Hyatt joins OSR after having most recently served as chief executive officer of Nations Roof, a private equity–backed commercial roofing platform. Hyatt brings more than 30 years of experience in commercial roofing and construction services, including leadership roles scaling multi-market operations, integrating acquisitions and accelerating organizational growth – establishing a track record as a trusted partner to stakeholders across the full investment lifecycle.

Since Angeles Equity Partners acquired OSR in May 2024, the company has expanded its national footprint and capabilities by acquiring Starkweather Roofing, Total Systems Roofing and CP Rankin. Organic growth initiatives have added recurring revenue through multi-year maintenance agreements and large-scale reroofing projects. OSR is ranked the seventh-largest commercial roofer in Roofing Contractor magazine's 2026 Top 100 Roofing Contractors list, up from number 11 in 2024.

“Over the past two years, the OSR team, together with Angeles, has transformed the company into one of the largest and fastest-growing commercial roofing platforms in the country. I am proud of what this team has accomplished and excited to continue contributing to our success,” said Luke Coleman, executive chair of O’Hara’s Son Roofing. “Jake is the right person to lead OSR into its next chapter of growth. He has built and scaled a platform of similar complexity and he shares our commitment to safety and operational excellence. I look forward to partnering with Jake to realize the full potential of our business.”

“OSR has built a strong foundation and a platform with real momentum,” said Jake Hyatt, CEO of O’Hara’s Son Roofing. “Our goal is to continue investing in our people and safety, expanding our capabilities, increasing our reroofing and maintenance services and pursuing disciplined M&A with a relentless focus on our customers.”

“Luke has played a critical role in transforming OSR and overseeing its rapid growth. We are excited that he will continue to be deeply involved as executive chairman,” said Angeles managing director Sam Heischuber and operating partner Adam Lerner. “Jake brings extensive experience leading and scaling multi-market roofing businesses and his track record makes him exceptionally well suited to lead OSR through its next growth phase.”

About O’Hara’s Son Roofing

Headquartered in Chicago, O’Hara’s Son Roofing is a leading national commercial roofing contractor specializing in roof installation, repair and maintenance solutions serving commercial, industrial and other large-scale facilities nationwide. OSR was recently ranked the seventh-largest commercial roofer in Roofing Contractor magazine’s Top 100 Roofing Contractors of 2026. With a focus on operational excellence, safety and customer satisfaction, the company partners with facility owners and managers to deliver durable, high-performing roofing systems. For more information on OSR’s offerings, visit www.oharasson.com.

About Angeles Equity Partners, LLC

Angeles Equity Partners, LLC is a Los Angeles-based specialist private investment firm that partners with niche manufacturing, critical industrial services and specialty distribution businesses in order to realize their full potential. Angeles’ expertise in operational transformation and strategic repositioning drives the firm’s investment philosophy. Learn more online at www.angelesequity.com.

By Jenny Yu.  

Dataforma and O’Hara’s Son Roofing show how partnership leads to practical, powerful tools. 

In this episode of CoatingsCast™, Karen Edwards spoke with Kim Baxter of O’Hara’s Son Roofing (OSR) and Brian Cook of Dataforma about how contractor feedback is shaping smarter software decisions across the roofing industry. 

For contractors, choosing the right management platform is a high-stakes decision. To make the most informed decision, the OSR team considered their options wisely. “There was a lot of software brought to the table, and a lot of software out there that does a lot of stuff,” Kim stated. “We listened to every single one, sent everybody through the ringer and tested them. It's not a very easy decision, because once you're in and you get everything in there, you'd better have made the right decision.” That diligence ultimately led OSR to Dataforma, where functionality and flexibility aligned with real operational needs. 

Brian highlighted that one of the most common reactions contractors have is surprise at the platform’s scope and affordability. “When they see our pricing, they're almost shocked. They're like, ‘There's no way you can do all these things that we need for this price.’ I'm like, ‘Well, we do,’” he said. “You have a timecard, daily job reports, a service module and a production module. We're about to release a full sales module for people that have separate sales CRM — you don't need those now, and the price point doesn't have to be crazy.” 

A key theme of the discussion was Dataforma’s commitment to user-driven development. Brian recalled how OSR’s feedback directly influenced platform improvements. “I remember doing all the demos with OSR, and you would hear them ask questions and you're like, ‘not only is that a great question, but that's also a great idea for a functionality upgrade,’” he said. 

One feature that stood out was Dataforma’s lock functionality, which Kim described as transformative for managing access and accountability. “When you've got the lock feature in Dataforma, you can lock it to however many people you want,” she explained. “It's just streamlined things for us. It's working. Everybody's on board, and we all work together really, really well.” 

As Dataforma continues to evolve, Brian said the focus is on modernization and integration. “We're making some big changes at Dataforma,” he shared. “We know we have this great foundation and great functionality. Let's get rid of clicks. Let's make it more updated for the 21st century. More integrations.” 

Read the first article in this series, Listen to the podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about how collaboration between software providers and contractors can drive meaningful progress across the industry. 

By Jesse Sanchez. 

One contractor’s search for a truly all-in-one tool led to a surprising standout find. 

When Kim Baxter joined O’Hara’s Son Roofing (OSR), she was tasked with an ambitious goal: build a national service program nearly from scratch. But before she could do that, she had to tackle something far less glamorous, finding the right software for the job. And that turned out to be a bigger deal than anyone expected. “We were looking for something that would do everything for us,” Kim said on this episode of CoatingsCast, hosted by Karen Edwards. “We only had nine employees. We needed something that would do accounting and production and service and work with our contractors.” The OSR team scoured the market, digging into platforms big and small. But no singular system seemed to check every box, until they came across Dataforma.  

“Dataforma is the only one that could do every single thing we needed it to do,” Kim said. “It was time saving for us and it was just all-encompassing.” That all-in-one capability is exactly what Brian Cook, senior vice president at Dataforma, says sets them apart. “We didn’t try to build a software fast,” Brian explained. “It was built over two years really just to be for our company.” 

Brian’s background is steeped in the roofing industry. He spent six years traveling across the country, visiting contractors weekly. That on-the-ground experience shaped Dataforma into what it is today, a platform designed from real jobsite challenges. The software’s strength lies in its ability to silo and scale. “If I run the Tampa, Florida office, I only need to see Tampa,” Brian said. “But if I’m the owner, I can run reports on the entire company or on each individual division.” 

For OSR, those capabilities weren’t just nice to have, they were essential as the company rapidly grew its footprint. And Kim didn’t hold back when it came to championing the switch. “I pulled Luke aside at one point and I said, ‘How loud do you want me to be about software?’” she recalled. “And he goes, ‘You be as loud as you need to be.’” That endorsement from leadership helped seal the deal and, according to Kim, they haven’t looked back since. 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about how OSR and Dataforma are building a smarter future together and what’s next for the software! 

Industry Leader of the Year, Associate of the Year and Golden Hammer Award winners honored at NTRCA Awards Gala.

The North Texas Roofing Contractors Association (NTRCA) – a regional association whose mission is to serve our roofing professional members promoting ethical standards, insights, innovation and education – announces this year’s board of directors and award winners. 

During the NTRCA Awards Banquet, held February 8, 2025, at the iconic Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, the winners of the annual Industry Leader of the Year award and the Associate of the Year award were announced and recognized for their significant contributions to the North Texas roofing industry. Past winners meet annually to choose each year’s new honoree in each category. 

The Industry Leader of the Year honor, the association's most prestigious recognition, was awarded to Holly Green, president and owner of Brettco Roofing. The Associate of the Year honor was awarded to Cindy Gebbia with Thermafoam. 

The 2025 NTRCA board members were also sworn in during the NTRCA Awards Banquet. The 2025 board members include: 

• President: Bret Foster - Bret Foster Roofing Inc. 
• Past president: Tina Hall - Joe Hall Roofing and Contracting 
• President-elect: Chris Arrington - Arrington Roofing Co. Inc. 
• Treasurer: Danielle Begley - Texas Roof Management Inc 
• Anthony Applegate - Banner Roofing & Construction LLC 
• Ida Buttarazzi-Meals - Certainteed 
• Casandra Greenwell - ABC Supply 
• Jeff Loud - Roadrunner Roofing Supply 
• Justin Minor - Beacon Roofing Supply 
• Vinny Munnia - SRS Building Products 
• Jimmy Porch - Myriad Roofing & Waterproofing 
• Wesley Quenichet - Local Hero Roofing LLC 
• Nick Sookiasian - IKO 
• Renee Urso - O'Hara's Son Roofing 
• Chase Walker - GAF 
• Kirk Scott - Scott Exteriors 
• Karen Ensley - Ensley Benitez Law PC 
• Kristin Lonergan - Champion Commercial Insurance 

The Golden Hammer Awards celebrate exceptional projects that exemplify craftsmanship, innovation, safety, and solutions to unique logistical challenges. This year’s recipients were: 

Residential project winners 

• Springtree Restoration: Lakewood Castle Project 
• Elite Roofing and Home Restoration: Fox Glen Project 
• BRM Roofing and Construction Services: Hampton Style Colleyville Project 

Commercial project winners 

• DT Roofing: Cowtown Coliseum - Fort Worth Stockyards Project 
• Supreme Roofing: Hangars 1 and 2 Project 
• KPost Company: Maple Terrace Project 

Residential community service winners 

• Paradigm Roofing: Red, White and Roof: 4th of July Veteran Support Project 
• Roof Experts: Veteran Wins Free Roof Project 
• PROCO Roofing: Tenderfoot Project 

Residential metal winners 

• Graham Construction and Roofing: Graham Residence Project 
• Joe Hall Roofing and Contracting: EDCO Arrow Line Slate Project 
• Absolute Construction: Frisco Concrete Tile to Metal Re-Roof Project 

Commercial metal winners 

• Anchor Roofing Systems: Mason County Courthouse Project PROCO Commercial Roofing: Baylor Football Ops Center Project 
• MRB Contractors: Zion Lutheran Church Project 

Residential tile winners 

• Haro Roofing: Project Ash Bluff 
• Scott Exteriors: Meadowood Ludowici Project 
• Joe Hall Roofing and Contracting: Eagle Mountain Lake Villa Project 

Residential innovations winners 

• Paradigm Roofing: Seaside Tesla Solar Roof Project 
• Joe Hall Roofing and Contracting: Historic Fort Worth Home Restoration Project 
• Ramon Roofing: Highland Park Project 

Commercial innovations winner 

• Arrington Roofing Co. Inc.: Our Redeemer Lutheran Bell Tower Dome Project 

Commercial new construction winners 

• Anchor Roofing Systems: The Paul & Alejandra Foster Baylor Basketball Arena Project 
• Sun Commercial Roofs: Terry Black’s Barbecue Fort Worth Project 

The NTRCA continues to celebrate innovation and craftsmanship, setting the standard for roofing excellence across North Texas. Congratulations to all winners and honorees for their outstanding contributions to the roofing industry! 

Sponsors for this year’s Annual NTRCA Awards Gala included: Beacon Building Products as lead sponsor, and specialty sponsors ABC Supply, GAF, SRS Building Products, CertainTeed, Elite Roofing and Home Restoration, Ensley Benitez Law PC, IB Roof Systems, IKO, Owens Corning Sales LLC, Polyglass, Roadrunner Roofing Supply, ThermaFoam LLC and Unity Insurance Partners. Rock N’Roll theme sponsors for the evening were EcoStar LLC, EDCO Products, Myriad Roofing & Waterproofing and Roofers Going Digital. Table sponsors included Anchor Roofing Systems LLC, Arrington Roofing Co. Inc., Atlas Roofing, DT Roofing LLC, H&R General Construction, Haro Roofing, Joe Hall Roofing & Contracting, KPost Roofing & Waterproofing, MRB Contractors LLC, Paradigm Roofing Co., PROCO Roofing & Construction, Spec Building Materials Corporation, Springtree Restoration LLC, Sun Commercial Roofs Inc. and Supreme Roofing. Half tables were sponsored by Absolute Construction, Conner-Legrand Inc., Elite Roofing and Home Restoration, Graham Construction and Roofing, Local Hero Roofing LLC and Roof Experts. 

To learn more, visit www.ntrca.com.

About North Texas Roofing Contractors Association 

The North Texas Roofing Contractors Association (NTRCA) is a resource for professional roofing contractors and associates working and doing business in North Texas. NTRCA also serves as a resource for individuals and businesses looking for qualified and competent roofing contractors. Roofing professionals must meet NTRCA eligibility requirements and agree to adhere to the NTRCA code of ethics to be members of the organization. NTRCA provides educational training sessions, mentoring, networking and community service opportunities for its members. For more information, please visit www.ntrca.com.