A guardian Angel

Four years ago, Angel Arroyo was sitting in his car outside a church, waiting to attend a funeral service. He had just been paid for a side job and was eating his lunch.

As a man approached his car, Arroyo lowered his window. The man was looking for a job, and Arroyo gave him his card and told him to call his company and ask to apply. The man said he needed to work for two weeks and did not have transportation to get to the office and fill out the application.

When Arroyo asked why the man needed to work for two weeks, the man said he needed to save enough money to return to his family in Washington and showed Arroyo a stub showing he sent money to his family. He needed $300 for a train ticket to Washington.

As the man walked away, Arroyo called him back. The man asked when he could start working, but Arroyo told him he was going to do something different. He gave the man $300 in cash and told him to go home to his family.

“The man dropped to his knees and was thanking God and the Virgin Mary,” Arroyo says. “He said he had been praying for this. I told him there was one ccondition: He had to call me when he got home so I would know he made it to his family safely. Two weeks later, I got a call. He was with his family, and his wife thanked me.

“That was the last time we talked, but it felt so nice to do that for him,” Arroyo continues. “He never asked me for money. When he was walking away, my heart said, ‘You better help him.’”

His desire to help others is one of the reasons Arroyo, general superintendent for Raincoat Roofing, Broadview, Ill., recently won the Best of the Best Award during NRCA’s 138th Annual Convention and the 2025 International Roofing Expo® in San Antonio. The Roofing Alliance’s MVP Task Force presented Arroyo with the award, which is an extension of the Roofing Alliance’s Most Valuable Player Awards. The MVP Awards program celebrates workers who are outstanding employees within their companies and recognizes them for their excellent performance outside the workplace. OMG® Roofing Products Inc., Agawam, Mass., and Professional Roofing co-sponsor the honor.

“Angel is the embodiment of excellence in the roofing industry,” says Reed Gooding, president of GSM Roofing, Ephrata, Pa., and MVP Task Force chairman. “His technical expertise, problem-solving skills and commitment to mentoring others have elevated not only his company but the industry. His passion for doing the right thing, helping others succeed and making the hard work look easy makes him a truly deserving recipient of this year’s Best of the Best Award.”

Getting started

Arroyo was born in Autlán de Navarro, Mexico, a town about three hours from Puerto Vallarta. He is the oldest of 10 children and helped care for his siblings as he grew up. His parents moved the family to the U.S. when Arroyo was 8 years old, and they settled in Chicago, where much of his mother’s family lived.

Arroyo says he was an adventurous, social child with a lot of friends. He liked to go bike riding and go to arcades. As he got older, he rode his bike 10 miles to a job as a busboy at a restaurant and then rode home at night.

He attended Washburne Trade School in Chicago and became a carpenter. While working for QuickSet Defense Technologies, Raincoat Roofing was installing a roof at the company’s building. The owner of QuickSet Defense Technologies asked Arroyo to make sure the crew buttoned up the roof because a storm was coming.

“The roofing crew was waiting for the carpentry work to be done, and the carpenters hadn’t arrived,” Arroyo says. “I said I could help them, and when the carpenters showed up, the carpentry work and roof were already done. Raincoat Roofing’s owner at the time, Rich Marubio, offered me a job, and that was how I came to Raincoat Roofing.”

Up the ladder

Arroyo started at Raincoat Roofing in 1987 as a roofing worker. John Rogers, general superintendent at the time, saw something in Arroyo and would ask his input regarding roof systems and applications. He promoted Arroyo to service crew and a few years later made him a lead foreman.

When Arroyo had friends looking for work, he approached Rogers, who told Arroyo he was ready to start his own crew. Arroyo brought his friends into Raincoat Roofing, trained them and became their foreman.

One day, Raincoat Roofing was working on a project that involved six buildings and a lot of carpentry work.

“I was running three crews there, and Rich Marubio assumed each crew was doing its thing,” Arroyo says. “But then he saw I was the liaison for everyone, running around to make sure it was going well, and the building owners kept coming to me with questions and concerns. Toward the end of the job, Rich approached me and said: ‘Hey kid, John is overspending himself, and I need an assistant superintendent to help him.’”

Arroyo was assistant superintendent under Rogers for several years. In 1997, Jeff Suess came to Raincoat Roofing, partnering with Marubio. Several years later, Rogers retired and became a salesman, and Arroyo became general superintendent.

“I met Angel in 1997, and at the time, he was not the top gun, but I knew he wanted to be,” says Jeff Suess, owner of Raincoat Roofing. “My first impression of Angel was he was an incredibly hard worker. He always was the first one here and the last to leave. He cared about the guys, asking what they needed and how he could help. He would stay with the guys until the end of the day to help them finish the work. He worked harder than anyone, and now he’s the top gun.”

Always learning

Jeff Suess says knowledge is a key trait that makes Arroyo the “top gun.”

“He went to trade school and understands more than just roofing,” Jeff Suess says. “He’s like a sponge when it comes to learning. Every day he wants to learn something a better way, a faster way or a safer way. He has such a varied background; he knows plumbing, electrical, roofing and masonry. What he doesn’t know, he’s going to find out. One of our core values is always being willing to try, and he exemplifies that.”

James Williamson, safety director for Raincoat Roofing, agrees.

“Angel is a guy who has been around long enough that there aren’t many questions he can’t answer,” Williamson says. “His knowledge is unsurpassed. I don’t know how he keeps it all in his head. Many times, consultants will give him specs, and he sees the specs won’t work and tells them what will work.”

Sarah Sutton-Shouse, service manager for Raincoat Roofing, says Arroyo has a knack for seeing a problem and solving it quickly.

“It’s crazy,” Sutton-Shouse says. “Angel almost always has an answer on the tip of his tongue. Some people think individuals who answer quickly are giving an answer without thinking about it, but Angel just knows. There is nothing I’ve asked him about—a roofing spec, a project—where he couldn’t immediately jump in and help me. The knowledge is always at his fingertips.”

Arroyo recognizes his knowledge is one of his strengths.

“It makes me feel good when I have architects, consultants and manufacturers asking for my opinion,” he says. “It makes me proud they take me seriously and feel comfortable with my input.”

John Schehl, who was NRCA’s vice president of certifications before retiring in 2022, said in a testimonial for Arroyo that he frequently sought Arroyo’s help when developing training videos and educational programs and asked Arroyo to volunteer as a subject matter expert when developing NRCA PROCertification® content.

“He always showed up on time for committee and task force meetings and actively contributed his excellent industry knowledge,” Schehl said in the testimonial. “But what has always impressed me more than anything is Angel’s humility, honesty, integrity and cheerfulness he brings every day to every task in which he engages.”

Angel is the embodiment of excellence in the roofing industry

Arroyo boosts his knowledge outside of roofing by joining friends on their jobs in his free time.

“I have a neighbor who’s a chief engineer, and I go with him and learn electrical work,” he says. “My wife’s uncle is a plumber, so I’ll sometimes tag along with him and see how I can help. It’s good to learn other trades.”

Arroyo’s devotion to and relationship with crew members also have made him successful.

“It’s such a unique relationship he has with them,” says Dave Lembas, salesman, estimator and project manager for Raincoat Roofing. “It’s like a big family. He knows what they need before they even ask the question.”

Jeff Suess says Arroyo’s relationship with crew members is based on trust and respect.

“He’d rather disappoint a salesman or customer than disappoint his men,” Jeff Suess says. “That’s why we’ve had many foremen here for more than 30 years. They wouldn’t stay if they didn’t like him. How do you get that? With trust and respect—like a marriage.”

Williamson says Arroyo would do anything for the crews.

“He cares about the guys and will bend over backward to help them,” Williamson says. “If one of the guys needs $50, he’ll give it to them out of his pocket. If they need time off for family, he tells them to take it.”

Want to know more? Click here for additional information about the Best of the Best Award and a list of past winners.

Arroyo also has strong relationships with customers.

“I call him my guardian angel,” Lembas says. “He gets along with our customers unbelievably well. He listens intensely and has a true knack for making customers comfortable.”

Lembas recalls a project from eight years ago when a third-party contractor did a portion of the project that was not roofing-related and caused some problems.

“It was raining, and we got a phone call at 8 p.m. that the customer was getting water into the building,” Lembas says. “Angel had boots on the roof an hour later. The third-party contractor had disrupted our roof system, but as frustrating as it was, Angel handled it calmly and made sure the customer was taken care of. He corrected something that wasn’t our responsibility just so we could maintain a good relationship with that customer. He did an excellent job of organizing manpower to help take the stress, anxiety and fear away from the customer. It was amazing.”

A Swiss Army knife

Arroyo’s unique view and tenaciousness have been a true asset to Raincoat Roofing.

Jeff Suess recalls a 12-story project that had four roof areas and a chemotherapy lab underneath.

“We had to replace the deck, insulation and roof,” Jeff Suess says. “It was an insane amount of work, and it all had to be done on a Saturday. We had 40 to 50 men working on all four elevations. We had two huge cranes, and one crane driver said the crane wasn’t tall enough to reach. I don’t know many people who could pull that job off the way Angel pulled it off, but he got it done.”

Eric Suess, president of maintenance at Raincoat Roofing, says Arroyo’s coordination of complicated projects is “a symphony of organization.”

“There are a lot of talented people, and I’ve known many, but I don’t think I have known anyone who has been as well-rounded on so many things as Angel is,” Eric Suess says. “Having been in the industry for as long as he has and having done what he’s done, if you put him in front of anything, he could figure out what to do. He’s a Swiss Army knife. I don’t think there is anything in the roofing arena he can’t fix or figure out.”

Matt Baker, vice president and sales for Raincoat Roofing, says many of the company’s competitors have tried to hire Arroyo or would like to hire him.

“When I’ve given presentations to potential customers, I’ve said he is one of the main reasons they would want to use Raincoat Roofing,” Baker says. “And sometimes he is the reason people want to give us their business.”

Arroyo used his unique view on one of the toughest projects he can remember.

“We were working on a high-rise, and it was one of the tallest we’ve done—I think 53 stories,” he says. “We were bidding on it to bring the debris through the inside of the building, but when I saw the beautiful hallway and units, I thought: ‘We’re going to destroy this.’ When everyone left, I stayed behind and kept looking at it and then proposed bringing all the debris through the outside. Everyone said I was crazy, and I said: ‘We’re going to make it happen.’

“I knew the capability of our staff and knew we had equipment others don’t have and how we could stage it to make it work,” Arroyo continues. “Some people have blinders on; I expand my horizons. And it went well—so well that I created a great relationship with the building engineer, and he always calls me to come watch the Chicago Air and Water Show from the high-rise building.”

Thinking of others

When Arroyo isn’t working on Raincoat Roofing projects, he takes care of properties he owns and spends time with his wife, Maria, and his daughters, Adalie, 17, and Vivian, 14.

“My kids keep me really busy,” he says. “Vivian plays soccer, and Adalie is in theater.”

Sutton-Shouse says she loves how Arroyo’s family talks about him.

“They see him as this beacon,” she says. “It’s how I want my kids and spouse to think of me. I think the best way to know someone is to hear what people say about them when they’re not around.”

Arroyo also enjoys spending time outside of work talking to high school students about opportunities in the roofing industry.

“My wife works for the school district, and some kids are not made for college,” Arroyo says. “I make a program and put up a display about roofing to let them see if college is not for them, roofing is a good career. I like getting involved with the kids.”

Arroyo says the first question the kids ask is how much money he makes.

“I give an example of a ladder with rungs,” he says. “It depends on how high up the ladder you want to go. As you go up the ladder you make a little more money and start to know whether this is a career for you. I tell them I made it a career because as time evolved, I knew there was that ladder for me to climb. That ladder is there for them, but they need to do the work to climb it. I show them the safety tools, harness, hard hat and videos of guys working on the roof. I introduce the industry to make them feel this might be something they would want to pursue.”

Arroyo also uses his time to help with staff events at Raincoat Roofing. Many years ago, the company had an employee gathering with office staff at a nearby club. When Arroyo heard about it, he went to Marubio with a request.

“I told him I wanted to invite him to a Raincoat Roofing employee picnic,” Arroyo says. “It was a potluck, so everyone contributed something. It was fun, and Rich had such a good time that during the summer the following year, he told me we’d make it an annual event, and I could organize it every year how I want. It is still happening every year and has blossomed.”

After organizing the picnic, Arroyo asked whether he could organize a company Christmas party, and Marubio agreed.

“We did it in VFW halls for several years,” Arroyo says. “I would get a deejay, and the guys would bring wives or kids, but everyone was too shy. One year, I decided I would do it in the warehouse, and it was so nice to see all the guys laugh and have a good time. Every year, I ask them where they want the party, and they choose the warehouse.”

Sutton-Shouse says Arroyo also organized a summer paintball event.

“His family and the field and office staff attended,” she says. “He brought all the food and cooked. It was really nice because he just wanted to have a day out with everyone. He’s fun and brings out the best in everybody.”

Relentless integrity

Arroyo says his desire to help people has always been part of his personality.

“If I see someone needs a hand, and they don’t ask for it, I show up for it,” he says. “That’s who I am. That’s who I’ve been all my life. It makes me feel good.”

Lembas says Arroyo has “relentless integrity.”

“He has a willingness to go the extra mile to make sure what we’re doing is going to be profitable and our customers will be 100% satisfied,” Lembas says. “He often has four or five projects going at one time. He reminds me of a duck; you see a duck on the water looking so calm, but under the water, his feet are constantly paddling.”

Jeff Suess says Arroyo’s work ethic is unparalleled.

“He never gives up,” Jeff Suess says. “Even when he knows he’s lost, he’ll find a way to make it a learning experience.”

Eric Suess says Arroyo cares more about the company than himself.

“Everything he does and says is Raincoat Roofing,” Eric Suess says. “After winning the award, he said: ‘This is not my award; this is Raincoat’s award. I’m only an employee of Raincoat.’ He believes he’s just here to make us money and make the customers happy. He’s a humble person.”

Sutton-Shouse agrees about Arroyo’s devotion to the company.

“There are a handful of us who would say we bleed Raincoat, and Angel bleeds those colors,” she says. “He is Raincoat through and through. He always has the company’s best interests at heart and represents the company in the best light. He has an immense amount of care for everyone and everything.

“You can be a good worker, employee and boss but go home and not be a good person,” Sutton-Shouse continues. “Angel exemplifies a good person professionally and personally.”

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