Opportunities to Advance, Grow and Move are Constant at WTI

By Lauren White, RCS Reporter.

With a love of the outdoors and getting his hands dirty, Jimmy Coleman found his ideal position as a field foreman.

Jimmy Coleman, the current WTI field foreman in Kentucky, got his start in roofing in 1993.  He is now in his 18th season at WTI (Weatherproofing Technologies, Inc.) and appreciates the company’s emphasis on customer service, employee training and safety, in addition to the employee benefits available. 

The summer between his second and third year in college, Jimmy did manual labor for a roofing contractor and fell in love with the work.  When faced with the decision to return to college or continue working at the roofing company, Jimmy knew roofing was a more appropriate path for his future.  An avid outdoorsman, Jimmy enjoyed that roofing allowed him to work outside, get his hands dirty and yielded generous paychecks.  When he first started out, the minimum wage was $3.30, and at 19-years-old, Jimmy was making double the minimum wage, working 60 hours a week and loving going to work everyday.

After his first job, Jimmy worked for various companies and became a foreman in 1998.  A few years later, in 2003, Jimmy was working on a project and met a Tremco Roofing sales rep who told him about WTI, the company culture and benefits, all of which appealed to Jimmy.  Shortly after, he became a WTI employee.

Throughout his years at WTI, Jimmy has held multiple positions.  He shared, “The opportunity at WTI is all what the person wants to put in.  You can be a laborer or move yourself up pretty quickly; it’s all on the individual.  I was a supervisor, then worked on the inspection side.  I like to get my hands dirty, so in January of this year I came to the repair side of business, that’s where my heart is.” 

As the field foreman for WTI, Jimmy opens the shop in the morning and makes sure his crew members have all of the materials and supplies they need for the day.  Some days Jimmy is working with his crew out in the field, and other days he works with the sales people, puts estimates together, and ensures projects have been completed and meet the customers’ standard. 

While customer satisfaction is a high priority at WTI, the company is also committed to safety.  With a company motto of “Lead with safety,” WTI is one of the top companies in the industry for safety.  They have more than 20 OSHA trainers, Jimmy being one of them, which allows them to do in-house training.  He shared, “I’ve worked with a lot of contractors when I was on the inspection side of the business, we are one of the top in the country.”

 As someone who is always learning new things, even outside of the industry like masonry and plumbing, Jimmy was eager to attend training sessions on safety.  He shared, “Safety was new to me.  I didn’t think as much about it until I went to the trainings.”  According to Jimmy, some of their customers are as committed to safety as WTI, which has enabled them to secure work on buildings where other contractors couldn’t.

When we spoke with Jimmy, he was already out in the field working on a project.  He shared that he and his crew didn’t start any repairs for almost an hour and a half because they were getting their safety in order.  “We made sure everyone had their harnesses and ropes and were anchored tight,” he said. 

Not only does WTI ensure their employees are safe, they also make sure they are taken care of.  Jimmy couldn’t be happier with the benefits available to him.  He noted, “At WTI, the benefits are well beyond any other contractors in this area.  We have access to health insurance, 401(k) plans, pension plans and vacation time.” 

In his free time, Jimmy, his wife of 27 years and his 13-year-old son love to travel the country.  Jimmy also enjoys hunting and fishing with his son.  Every chance they get they’re exploring a new place.  On Fridays and Saturdays during the summer, Jimmy and his son can be found on their boat competing in bass fishing tournaments.  Just last year, Jimmy’s son was invited to join the high school bass fishing team as a 7th grader! 

Like many others, roofing found Jimmy.  During his time at WTI, he has found a job that keeps him safe, protects his future and appeals to his desire to work outdoors.  As he said, “The availability to advance and grow and move within the company are constant.” 

Sound like a fit for you? You’re in luck because WTI is hiring! Visit their career page/directory to learn more.