Bolivian Immigrant and Roofing Company Owner Wins Prestigious San Fernando Valley Award

By Lauren White, RCS Reporter.

With a commitment to serving others, Mike Quiroga has come a long way from his original dream of being an accountant.

The son of a five-star general, an immigrant from Bolivia, husband, father, and a roofer, Mike Quiroga has filled a lot of roles throughout the years.  He has been recognized for his dedication to others and his determination. This blue collar worker is the recipient of a prestigious award for philanthropy and volunteerism, the San Fernando Valley’s 2019 Fernando Award.

Growing up, Mike had certain privileges his neighbors didn’t because he was the son of a five-star general in the Bolivian Army.  These luxuries included his own phone and a water well. Instead of isolating themselves, Mike watched as his parents shared their wealth with their neighbors who were not as privileged as them.  The Los Angeles Daily News wrote, “Mike’s father and mother opened their gates, and their son never forgot that.  He would do the same many years later in this country…”

Mike was attending university in Bolivia when, due to political turmoil, it was closed for a year.  That was when Mike went to live with his brother in America. His brother had recently returned from serving in Vietnam.  During that time Mike attended West Valley Occupational Center in the mornings, studying to become an accountant. He also worked in a fast food restaurant and then as a hospital orderly from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Mike had a difficult time finding a job as a bookkeeper since no one was hiring workers without experience.  With a wife and twin girls to take care of, he took a job as a driver for a small roofing company. Unfortunately, a year later, the owners’ son took over as the driver, forcing Mike out of a job.

He needed to figure out a new plan in order to provide for his family, especially since his wife was expecting another child.  Mike shares in an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News, “I went to the library everyday and read everything I could about roofing.  At night, I studied for my license, and after passing the test, I opened my own business...I put a small ad in the Greensheet, and kept my (business) sign— Mike’s Roofing— on my truck, hoping for odd jobs.”

Then one day, Mike got his first job.  He was sitting at a light when a man pulled up next to him and asked for an estimate on a new roof.  Mike went to the man’s house Saturday and that was the beginning of Mike’s Roofing. “I was a one-man roofing company for five-years, doing everything myself without any helper,” Mike reveals.  Eventually, he was able to hire someone to help him.  

Mike volunteered in the community, in order to, “...help open gates for people who did not enjoy the privileges he and his family had,” the Los Angeles Daily News reported.  He volunteered at the Living Centers for the Blind and Tierra del Sol, which is a “training and work facility for special needs adults,” explains the Los Angeles Daily News.  

More and more people noticed Mike’s contributions to the community, which led to more jobs for him.  “At one point I had 75 people working for me. I wasn’t climbing ladders anymore. I was wearing a suit and tie, and driving nice cars,” Mike explained.  However, in the mid-90’s he had to relieve the majority of his workforce from duty because of the recession.

“Lawyers said I needed to file for bankruptcy in order to survive, but I said that word is not in my vocabulary.  Back in Bolivia to file for bankruptcy was a disgrace. You were considered a failure...Here in the United States it was not a big deal, but I refused to do it.  I gave up my suit, my luxury car, and went back on the roof. Little by little, I came back. People trusted me,” Mike told the Los Angeles Daily News.

Mike’s parents demonstrated what it meant to provide for others, and he has continued to do that throughout his career.  “If you are honest, you put your face all over...I never wanted to walk into a restaurant with my family and have someone say he’s a crook.  I wanted them to say there goes a good man,” Mike expressed. While he didn’t believe it was possible for him, an immigrant and a roofer, to win the Fernando Award, Mike’s commitment to serving others and his perseverance make him extremely deserving of this prestigious award.  

Do you know of someone in the industry who is ‘doing good deeds’ in their community? Help us catch them at it. Send news and information to info@rooferscoffeeshop.com.