Meet MVP Winner Chris Bower

By Kate Edwards. 

A positive impact built to last: the sky is the limit for this superintendent’s commitment to excellence.

Every year, the Roofing Alliance’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award program  recognizes and celebrates workers who are nominated by their coworkers in two categories:  1) Workers who exemplify dedication to their work, employees, and company; demonstrate a strong work ethic; and practice excellent leadership, initiative, and resourcefulness.  2) Workers who show compassion for others outside the workplace and volunteer their time with their communities, churches, families, and friends.

MVPs are dedicated to their work and to helping others, going above and beyond to get the job done and ensure everyone feels valued for what they do.  Seven winners were selected for 2020. At RoofersCoffeeShop® we live by our motto of Roofing Respect® and are highlighting each of the MVP award winners. Keep reading to understand how these devoted individuals add value to their workplace and contribute to the world around them.

There’s someone special at Bone Dry Roofing Company. His name is Chris Bower, a superintendent who oversees the company’s location in Saint Simons, Georgia. Chris stands out for his exceptional attention to detail, quality craftsmanship, dedication to customer experience, trustworthiness, and his ability to foster an environment of learning and growth of which safety is always a focus. All of these components come together as the foundation for Chris’s commitment to excellence, an approach that reflects the company’s values while leaving a lasting impression.

Chris has been in the roofing business for years, and many have had the opportunity to work with him and experience the impact for which he is known. One man, Mark Pressley, has been there since the beginning. Mark was one of the first people to help Chris learn the trade and still works alongside him today at Bone Dry Roofing Company. Mark said, “Chris has been a foreman for me for the past fifteen years on many high-profile jobs including the Georgia Dome and Turner Field. He is by far one of the best roofers I have had the opportunity to work with in the industry.”

One of Chris’s most defining traits is his attention to detail, which has been described as “incomparable” and one of the many reasons why he is considered an invaluable asset to the company. Chris applies this skill to every aspect of his job; whether it is producing quality craftmanship, coordinating daily workflow, or taking the time to carefully walk customers through the job process. Chris dedicates the same amount of time and care to every customer regardless of the project, always maintaining a commitment to excellence to create the best experience. Jim Redden of Redden Construction Company, a customer of Bone Dry Roofing, was happy to discuss the positive experiences he has had working with Chris. Jim said, “It is my pleasure to praise Chris Bower for the outstanding communication, excellent work ethic, excellent quality of work performed, and completing all of the projects he has done for me in a timely manner and on schedule.”

Chris Bower is always focused on safety and currently serves as Chair of the Safety Committee, actively participating in regular Toolbox Talks on the subject. Brian Kinney, an operations manager at Bone Dry Roofing Company, notes how Chris utilizes his dedication to safety to provide the best environment for his workers while fostering a learning environment for growth and development. Brian said, “He makes it his mission to make sure that every employee is safe on the jobsite and educated about safety on all jobsites.” Of Chris’s passion for education, Brian went on to say, “He works diligently to grow in the roofing profession and then take that knowledge to educate the new generation of roofers.”

Eric Bray, another member of the Bone Dry family, has worked with Chris for nearly a decade. When it comes to a testament of the trustworthiness that Chris displays, Eric said it best, “Despite managing million dollar projects and high profile clients for our company, the greatest recommendation that I could give is that I would allow someone to work on my mother’s house, and Chris Bower without a doubt is the person that I would trust to do that.”

Chris is also committed to excellence in supporting his community. Bone Dry Roofing Company proudly supports the students of St. Simons Elementary School and is determined to help the school in providing the best experience for its students. The PTA members of St. Simons discussed their relationship with Bone Dry Roofing Company. They said, “We would like to personally thank Chris Bower and the Bone Dry Team for sponsoring our events and making it possible for our students here on the island to experience the best learning environments possible. We enjoy seeing you at our annual Super Dolphin Day Race and we look forward to working with you for years to come.”

The Sea Island Company has worked with Bone Dry Roofing for many years. Jared Vann, director of property services, values working with those who care about the project while demonstrating reliability and trust. Regarding his experiences with Chris, Jared said, “From the beginning of a project, Chris’s work ethic is front and center. During the project, the importance of drying the space is at the front of his mind and his team pays attention to every little detail. Whether during or after the project, I am never concerned about a rain shower.”

Jared has also experienced Chris’s passion for helping his community, which he describes in the following story about the time Chris immediately stepped in to help during hurricane season: “Having been through two hurricanes here, heavy on my heart was to go to the Bahamas and help after Hurricane Dorian ripped apart the Abacos. Through my church, I put together a mission trip to take skilled workers to the Bahamas. Chris was one of the first to volunteer. He was a critical part in drying in over 6 houses on the island of Great Guana and assisted in countless other solutions for locals of Great Guana Cay. Chris and his team worked countless hours, and in the middle of a disaster, helped to bring hope to an island that was on the brink of losing hope. It is not easy to work in the Bahamas, and to take a roofing crew into a place you can barely get is quite the accomplishment.”

Chris Bower’s commitment to excellence in everything he does has been described in many kind words from those who have worked with him. Chris’s positive impact is built to last, and Jared Vann’s final comments provide a great summary of why Chris is truly an MVP.

“In my industry, you get the opportunity to work with a lot of people. Seldom do you get the opportunity to work with someone like Chris. If I call, he answers, and he always has a smile on his face when we meet on a jobsite. Bone Dry Roofing is a great company and they are truly blessed to have someone on the team as capable and talented as Chris.”

For more information on the MVP awards and nomination visit the Roofing Alliance’s MVP Program webpage.