Every year since 2008, The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress' MVP Task Force has chosen Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award winners to be recognized for making extraordinary contributions to the roofing industry and community. And each year, co-sponsors Professional Roofing and OMG Roofing Products Inc., Agawam, Mass., have presented one of the MVP winners with the Best of the Best Award. Professional Roofing checked in with our past Best of the Best Award winners to see how they have been doing since they won their awards.
Rodney Griffith
2008 Co-winner
Production foreman
Centimark Corp., Pelham, Ala.
When Rodney Griffith won the award in 2008, he had been with Centimark for four years and believed he had found his career. Griffith still is a production foreman at Centimark, and Brandon Leach, field supervisor for Centimark's Pelham branch, describes him as "the best we have in the field" and "my go-to guy." Griffith reportedly is next in line for any promotion in the operations department. He married his wife, Bethany, in 2009 and they have a daughter, Katie. Griffith also has two stepchildren, Jimmy and Kristin Honeycutt.
Teri Stallion
2008 Co-winner
Chief operating officer of the General Roofing Division
Innovative Roofing Group Inc., Atlanta
In 2008, Teri Stallion was field superintendent for Innovative Roofing Group. She has since been promoted and now runs the day-to-day operations for the company's General Roofing Division. She oversees all crews and is responsible for ensuring projects stay on schedule, on budget and meet quality standards. She also helps oversee safety for the company. Greg Lewis, president of Innovative Roofing Group, says: "Teri continues to amaze me with her work ethic, community involvement and the respect she gets from her workers and everyone in the roofing industry."
Gena Madeley
2009 Winner
Truck driver and yard worker
GSM Roofing, Ephrata, Pa.
Gena Madeley holds the same position she held when she won the award in 2009. Her adventurous and charitable spirit is as strong as ever; she plans to travel with Orphan Resources International in July for a mission trip to orphanages in Guatemala. Madeley also has been involved with Pinebrook Bible Conference and Retreat Center, East Stroudsburg, Pa., where she is helping to reroof camping facilities damaged by Hurricane Sandy. In addition, Madeley volunteers at a day camp for the Terre Hill Bible Fellowship Church, Terre Hill, Pa., teaching children archery skills for one week during the summer.
Richard Heilinger
2010 Winner
Part-time service specialist
GSM Roofing, Ephrata, Pa.
In 2013, Richard Heilinger completed his 55th year of service with GSM Roofing. At age 72, he still works part-time as needed for roof system inspections and makes recommendations for projects based on his extensive roofing experience. GSM Roofing staff still joke he knows every roof in Lancaster County and the surrounding counties. After breaking his back several years ago while deer hunting, Heilinger has recovered and keeps busy with several projects, including repairs and small jobs at his church and helping his son on his farm. Heilinger also enjoys spending time with his great-grandchildren.
George Denton
2011 Winner
Superintendent for the service division
Supreme Systems Inc., Dallas
When George Denton won the award in 2011, he was described as a dedicated and committed individual who had grown and matured with the company. Since then, Denton has grown the company's service department and added two more crews. He also mentors Supreme Systems' new service division at Tri State Roofing in Chicopee, Mass. Denton still is active in his church and recently gained a new grandson. Tim Rainey, president of Supreme Systems, says Denton's two grandsons keep Denton active and young.
David Baytosh
2012 Winner
Associate vice president of operations
Advanced Roofing Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
When David Baytosh won the award in 2012, he was a construction manager for Advanced Roofing. He has since been promoted to associate vice president of operations. He now oversees all construction managers, as well as large-scale, difficult jobs, such as reroofing the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands—a $3 million project. Baytosh still is involved with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Habitat for Humanity® and has helped develop an apprenticeship program at the Atlantic Vocational Technical Center, Coconut Creek, Fla.
Dan Pastore
2013 Winner
Field superintendent
Upstate Roofing and Painting Inc., Rochester, N.Y.
Dan Pastore won the award just one year ago and is staying busy. He has increased responsibilities, managing and overseeing more crews. He also played a key role in helping foreman Willie Santiago, who lost his voice box to cancer, overcome communication challenges by finding creative ways to work around environmental limitations. Upstate Roofing and Painting Chief Executive Officer Dave Pastore says: "Dan led the effort in turning what could have been a catastrophic situation into a rewarding and uplifting experience for all." Additionally, Pastore and his wife, Sandy, recently celebrated the birth of their first grandchild, Maxwell.
Krista Berns is Professional Roofing's director of online communications.
