Mark Farrell knows what it takes to stay on top of the roofing industry in a tough economy. That’s because excellent service at quality prices has always been the team mantra.



Mark Farrell knows what it takes to stay on top of the roofing industry in a tough economy. That’s because excellent service at quality prices has always been the team mantra.

“Having spent the last 30 years in the roofing industry, I’ve seen the market saturated with contractors looking for a quick buck,” said Farrell, 55, Vice President of Progressive Roofing in Phoenix, Ariz., with locations in California, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. “We believe in service at a quality prices allows a comfortable lifestyle for employees and our children.”

Progressive Roofing, which employs 600-700 employees and conducts 95 percent commercial business, has faith in that company slogan: “Service at Quality Prices.” But what does it mean for its customers?

“We want to ensure them that we will be around to service their needs even during the worst economic times,” Farrell said. “It’s a relationship that stands the test of time. The partnerships that we develop with our customers are built over the long haul. We believe that by consistently offering quality with fair pricing, customers will come to us first with their roofing needs no matter what the state of the economy.”

Progressive Roofing’s “tips of the trade” is an extraordinary list of words to live by. Farrell said company tips of the trade include: Have a well-trained and well-paid workforce in uniforms; Make sure your field and office management team is knowledgeable and experienced; Keep a solid workforce core of superintendents/project managers all year long, even if some months will cause an increase in the average cost per man-hour; Work with customers to determine life expectancy and budget re-roofing instead of just addressing leaks; Always try to carry a backlog through the busy times; Accept the fact you cannot do work for everyone; Customers do not have to be the building owner; Be honest and straightforward with your customers; It is important that the customer respects you as a professional; Be fair with your employees. 

The future is bright for Progressive Roofing.

“We are planning on maintaining our commitment to quality,” Farrell said. “We will continue to set high performance goals for all of our employees and help them to achieve those goals by offering specialty training and education. The most important objective we strive for is a safe workplace for our employees and customers.”

Farrell said Progressive Roofing just follows the blueprint of “quality and service above all.”

“We are committed to exceeding the expectations of our customers,” he said. “We do this by providing the most cost-effective problem solving techniques and quality workmanship with a team atmosphere that will cement our relationships. We will provide our employees fair wages, a safe working environment, and the opportunity to excel to their highest level of potential. We are also committed to the team concept of satisfying the customer, and helping employees succeed while building a prosperous business.”

Farrell, who works each day to improve safety at the company, said he enjoys spending time with his wife, Lauren, three daughters and two grandchildren. He also is an avid sports fan, enjoys playing tennis, and coaches his daughters’ softball team.