For most of us, it's hard to find someone we trust more than #family. Whether it be family by blood or family by choice, each of us has a group of people we turn to when times are tough or when life is uncertain. Those values, and the emphasis on relationships, is what has taken The Roof and Gutter Guys to where we are today.
Dedicating their lives to hard work, integrity, and family Pat DeNiro and Van Marquez found themselves in a strange situation in 1995. Both have been working as integral parts of a national #roofing company and were privileged to be part of many amazing projects. But, having to put in long hours and travel for most of the month both realized something was missing. After a long week away from home Pat looked at his kids and realized that there had to be more to life than just meeting quotas, chancing storms, and collecting paychecks. It was those little eyes that encouraged him to take the leap and create his own business. So, he picked up the phone, called his buddy Van, and created The Roof and Gutter Guys.
Starting a #business is never easy work. Pat and Van had connections, but running a two-man roofing company out of a 10’ X 16’ Tuff Shed in the backyard wasn't exactly glorious. Business was slow, but steady. After months of tough work, both felt that the efforts were paying off. Families were being taken care of and success was on the horizon, but they needed to capitalize on the name they were building. Every company out there had a brand and values that took them to the next level. How could their brand make a difference? What did they need to do to convince people that they weren't just “two guys in a truck” with a box of shingles?
One fateful Saturday, Pat was holed up in the shed trying to send out invoices and pay bills, all the while, his mind churning with how to increase their presence in the #community. His three-year-old and twelve-year-old daughters sat on the floor next to him, playing and enjoying the sunlight. Though being home with them more often was the whole reason he started his own company, now was not the time to be distracted with Barbies and Polly Pockets. In a desperate attempt to get some peace and quiet, he handed them stack of notecards. “Go find your brothers and decide what our mascot should be. If you can all agree on an animal, I’ll make it happen.” As they ran into the house, Pat got back to work, assuming that five kids all agreeing on something would take a couple hours and a yelling match.
To his surprise, his band of munchkins, with their pride in tow, came back outside an hour later to announce their decision. The eldest handed over the card and said, with confidence, “We think it should be an #alligator.” Though he didn’t get as much alone time as he had expected, he called Van and put in place a branding decision that would change their company forever.
In 1997, Pat and Van bought their first fleet of green trucks, slapped the outline of an alligator on the door, and went to work. Though most other companies trademarked themselves well with the customary power-colors like red and blue, green was just what these gators needed. Recognition of the brand’s non-traditional look got the Roof and Gutter Guys some serious traction in the community. That, paired with the fact that the best friends would buy almost anything with a gator on it for trade shows, got them the well-earned nickname of “The Gator Guys.” This led to them adopting their first, official gator logo in 2004, and later updating to the current logo and fully wrapping the fleet in 2014.
During those crucial years of growth, the men instilled what it meant to drive those trucks, and be considered a Gator Guy into each employee that walked through the door. No matter what their day was like, they were expected to wear their shirts with pride and be prime examples of the core values Pat and Van ran the company with. They expected #transparency, #professionalism, #accountability, and #integrity from their crews, while also prioritizing #educating and teaching them the quality that was required of them in order to stay on the team. Much like everyone’s favorite high school coach, they had expectations. Meet those requirements, and you’ll be given a level of respect and support anyone would fight for. Simple as that.
Fast forward to 2020, and those louder-than-life alligator trucks, driven by our just as lively crews, are well-known in the community. They serve as a symbol for what being a Gator Guy means. We are successful for being different and prioritizing relationships with co-workers and customers alike over everything else. If you ask an employee what it’s like to work under Pat DeNiro and Van Marquez, you’ll get responses like “we {as a company} thrive because of the attention to detail, not only in their work, but in the energy and effort they display in taking care of their employees.” Other responses you may hear specifically speak about the “unsolicited fatherly advice and life stories that end up being your favorite part of the work day.”
We, as a company hope to continue to grow and serve the Front Range the same way we have since we started, by growing with you, learning with you, and being there for you. Besides, who doesn’t need family in the roofing industry?