In Memoriam: Rob McReynolds

A message from the Colorado Roofing Association.

Rob McReynolds (60) had a passion for life that gave him the strength to overcome many challenges, run a successful roofing business and live a rewarding life all the way to the end. He passed away peacefully on Sept 17 after a graceful, life ending battle with Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

He was the Colorado Roofing Association Lifetime Achievement honoree in 2013 and served as CRA’s President back in 2003-2004. During his tenure he made community service a priority and always challenged the membership to get involved and give back to the industry. He served on the Awards Committee since its inception back in 2002 and truly believed in showcasing the good work roofers do every day and recognizing the companies and workers that make it happen.

In his President's messages each month during his tenure, he always referred to the CRA as a family. Our family truly lost a good one this week. In November of 2003, Rob wrote “I grew up with the value – it is better to give than to receive – and I believe giving back to your community is a true sign of what is in your heart.” This could not be truer. Rob had one of the biggest hearts than most of us have ever known – for his family, for his faith, for wrestling, for his community and for the roofing industry!

We hope Rob knew the positive impact he made on many of us and the industry. May he rest in peace!

A 2013 CRA Lifetime Achievement Award, here is a little of what we learned in Rob’s video tribute:

Born in Dodgeville, Wisconsin in 1959, Rob is a member of a long line of turkey farmers. His father uprooted the family five years after Rob was born to move to Dewitt, Iowa. There Rob was first exposed to the roofing industry when his father took a job as a sales rep for Ruberoid.

Eleven years later his father started his own roofing supply company and, like so many others, Rob was hooked. Before suppliers had boom trucks, Rob used to load roofs by hand, a task that helped keep this successful high school wrestler in shape. Once he even carried two 120-pound bundles up the ladder at the same time to see if he could do it. He succeeded, but that was the last time he tried that.

In 1981, Rob's father passed away after suffering a heart attack in his roofing office. Though Rob was mad at the world for a time, he made what he calls the best decision of his life when he married Barb Hahn. The couple stayed in Iowa for only a few months before heading west to Colorado where his brother Rich was living.

In Denver, Rob started to gain traction in the industry immediately when he went to work for Canfield Roofing selling cold processed roofing applications. He said that time of his career was a great learning experience with mentors like Jim Towery, Pat Cobb and his brother, Rich. They were always willing to answer Rob's questions about roofing or offer advice.

The next big step in Rob's life happened in 1987 when he was hired at D&D Roofing to help start a commercial division. Though the new kid took a few lumps at first, he learned how to navigate the competitive world of commercial roofing and the new division grew by leaps. But Rob never forgot what it was like to be the new face. He says to this day he still takes two tape measures to walk-throughs in case someone forgets one or breaks their own.

Ten years after he joined D&D, he and co-worker John Beckham approached D&D owner Dan Yanetta and offered to buy the business. Their offer was accepted and they took ownership on April 1, 1997. In what might be the fastest expansion ever for a new business, they added a sheet metal division three days later when they purchased Monarch Sheet Metal and put it under the D&D umbrella. Rob said they were so far in debt that adding another company did not seem so far out of line.

As most company owners can attest, the roofing industry has lots of ups and downs and in betweens. D&D Roofing and D&D Monarch combined for a high-water mark in 2007 when the company saw revenues crest the 30-million-dollar mark. Rob said getting to that point just about killed him and he is in no hurry to revisit it anytime soon. As if Rob wasn't busy enough building his company, his involvement in numerous committees with the NRCA and his time as president of the Colorado Roofing Association helped improve the image and knowledge of the roofing industry.

Rob was proud of the ways D&D blazed new trails over the years. His company was the first roofing contractor in the country to use the H-2B visa system to bring authorized workers to the United States. Rob personally made the grueling trip to Mexico the first time to help bring the workers to Denver. D&D was also one of the first companies in the state to use the E-Verify system.

In January 2016, D&D merged with the Flynn Group of Companies and he remained to manage the transition until his retirement in December 2017.

Rob pointed to his family as another of his many passions. This is where Rob truly shined. He and Barb have two grown daughters, Megan and Mo, and it's not an exaggeration to say Rob always got misty-eyed when he talked about his girls and their accomplishments and he was so excited the day he became a grandfather. 

 In 1986, Barb and Rob lost a son to SIDS when he was only four months old, an event that led to Rob turning his wrestling background into a role as a high school coach. He took two separate struggling programs and turned them around in short order. He was the first coach to have three consecutive Colorado high school wrestlers of the year in 1993 through 1995. Those wrestlers had a combined record of 107 wins with no losses in their award-winning seasons.

If you were to Google the word passionate, a picture of our winner of CRA’s 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award winner might just pop up. Passion, for Rob McReynolds, wasn't just a word - it's was a way of life. From being a father, coaching, roofing, estimating, selling, volunteering, playing, or directing a very successful roofing company, Rob McReynolds exuded passion in all he did.

Service details:

A Funeral Mass for Rob was held on Friday, September 27, 10:00 AM at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 12735 W 58th Ave., Arvada, CO.

The burial followed at Mount Olivet Cemetery 12801 W. 44th Ave. in Wheat Ridge.

See original obituary.