Three generations of roofing success

By Jenny Yu.  

Aetna Roofing Corporation continues to grow in the Northeast while preparing the next generation of leadership. 

Nearly 60 years after its founding, Aetna Roofing Corporation continues to build on its family legacy while preparing for the future under third-generation leadership. In a recent episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Megan Ellsworth spoke with Lauren Begg, project manager and estimator at Aetna Roofing Corporation, about the company’s history, her path into roofing and the values shaping the contractor’s next chapter. 

Based in Trenton, New Jersey, Aetna Roofing services the entire state of New Jersey along with Eastern Pennsylvania and parts of Northern Delaware. Lauren said the company was founded by her grandfather, who entered the roofing industry as a teenager after a difficult childhood. “He got into this when he was a teenager and started it from absolutely nothing and has helped grow it into something incredible,” Lauren said. 

Today, Lauren works alongside her father, who serves as vice president of the company. While she officially joined the business full-time three years ago, roofing has been part of her life since childhood. “I remember being four years old and my dad taking me out to jobsites. He would have me meet the crews, the foremen,” Lauren retold. “The first job I ever went to was a waterproofing project at Princeton University at their football stadium.” 

Those early experiences sparked a lasting interest in the industry. Lauren recalled visiting the office on weekends while her father worked on bids and tracing blueprints as a child. “I knew my whole life that this is what I wanted to do,” she said. 

After studying marketing and political science in college, Lauren returned to the family business with a focus on learning every aspect of operations, from estimating to field coordination. “For me, I really want to understand all parts of the business,” Lauren expressed. “I care a lot about everyone that I work with.” 

As she steps into a larger leadership role, Lauren said she hopes to bring a more people-centered culture to the company and the roofing industry overall. “I’m implementing a more humanistic side to the business,” she shared. “That’s something that I’m trying to integrate as I start to become more influential and step into a bigger leadership role.” 

Listen to the full podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about Aetna Roofing Corporation’s story and leadership transition.