Developing into the best contractor they can be

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how Duro-Last helped Brandon Keck and Scott Crowder become the roofing veterans they are today.  

One of the many incredible things about the roofing industry is our community’s ability to welcome people from all walks of life into the fold. That’s what our podcast series Stories from the Roof, is all about – meeting the people who make up our industry and learning how they got where they are today. In a new episode of Stories from the Roof Megan Ellsworth sat down with Brandon Keck, president of JBK Commercial Roofing, and Scott Crowder, a manufacturers sales rep for R.S. Crowder & Associates, to learn how they got their starts in roofing.  

Today, Brandon and JBK are a trusted name in commercial and industrial roofing. But 29 years ago, he was running a crew at a family real estate development business on a two-building project. Brandon shared the story, “We had a deadline to get the exteriors ready for interior work before the winter hit. And the problem was the roofs were supposed to have EPDM on them, but the contractor who was supposed to do them told me they wouldn’t work because the weather was too cold for the system.” So, Brandon started looking for a solution that would allow his crew to still meet their deadline. What he found was Duro-Last. He explained, “I met a Duro-Last representative, and he said, ‘Well, I've got a mechanically attached system that's called Duro-Last. If you order it today, it'll be here in five days and you can put it on as soon as it gets here, as long as it's not pouring snow or rain.’ Five days later it was there and my crew, with no roofing experience, started installing it. That rep taught us and then two days later we had a roof.” 

As for Scott, his story starts 40 years ago with a job nailing shingles for $4 an hour. He explained, “I got into roofing for the need to eat. I ran around with a guy, a little older than I was, that actually did some roofing. So I started working with him in the afternoons after school just to make money to eat.” And after that, Scott simply never left the industry. He ran a commercial roofing company with his wife for a while before transitioning to working in Duro-Last's quality assurance department about 25 years ago. Now, he’s their Tennessee and Kentucky representative, helping contractors like Brandon build successful roofing systems!  

The common thread between Scott and Brandon’s stories is the presence and support of Duro-Last. Scott explained, “I learned a lot about roofing from making mistakes and growing from them. But I also learn a lot by working with Duro-Last. A lot of manufacturers like them have training programs where you go in and learn about their specific products and what they can do. Those helped a lot.” Brandon echoed his point, sharing his experience with Duro-Last, saying, “I have not been able to find a vendor that is as based on integrity and accountability as Duro-Last. They have been there for me when other vendors probably wouldn't be there... With Duro-Last, I know that they aren’t just trying to sell me a product and then leave. They're there for me, trying to help me develop into the best contractor I can be.” 

Listen to the full podcast to learn more about Brandon and Scott’s journeys in the roofing industry.