How Painting a Roofer’s House Led to a Roofing Career

By Karen L. Edwards, RCS Editor. 

Tiffany Newman is Tremco’s first woman in the role of contractor support specialist.  

Tiffany knew from a young age that she wanted a career that would allow her to be hands on. “In my early 20’s, I started looking at getting into the trades,” Tiffany shared. “The only traction I could get was as a painter. I started painting one summer and ended up painting a roofer’s house. He was starting his own company and he asked me if I knew anyone who would be interested in the roofing trade.”  

That was all it took. Tiffany joined his roofing company where she worked for about a year before moving from the greater Vancouver area to Vancouver Island to help care for her then-boyfriend (now husband) who had fallen 30 feet from scaffolding. “Geoff told me to take some time to care for Keith, but I said ‘no I have a job here’ and he told me I was fired, handed me a business card for Alpha Roofing and said he set up an interview for me,” explained Tiffany.  

She became a foreman at Alpha Roofing which is where she frequently worked with a Tremco sales rep. They developed a good relationship leading him to tell her about the contractor support opportunity with Tremco and she was torn. “It was a huge decision for me because I loved working at Alpha and being a foreman. My goal was to become a superintendent there. It was a bit of a tough decision but ultimately, I felt it was a good step up in the right direction. I had the opportunity to travel, to train, and to work with multiple crews.” 

As a contractor support specialist at Tremco, Tiffany works throughout British Columbia to provide training and technical support to contractors and support to the sales team. She really enjoys helping others and working alongside crews. “I am very much a hands-on person, not the type to stand back and tell people what to do. I feel the best way to teach it work alongside the crew,” she said.   

Tiffany says she really enjoys the people she works with and how the job varies day to day. “It’s a very dynamic job, there are no set hours, and some days are longer than other, but every day is a little bit different.” 

Learn more about WTI Tremco in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.tremcoroofing.com/.