Roofing has always been part of the family in Vince Malizia’s world, and though cliché, there’s no doubt it’s in his blood. Started in 1981 by his father, John Sr., A1 Roofing has served the Long Island, N.Y., and greater New York City area for more than three decades. While his father handled estimates in the morning and completed installs in the afternoon, Malizia would watch his mother, Nancy, field new calls and organize billing.

Now, with both parents retired, the business is run by a different duo, Malizia and his older brother, John Jr. Being an RC Young Gun is hardly new to the family – Malizia follows his older brother’s footsteps (Young Guns, class of 2015), and shares the same passion for high-quality work.

Malizia also remains hungry for further success, and as a perennial attendee of Best of Success, is a big believer in developing company culture. He recently spoke about his efforts as a first-time presenter at the 2024 International Roofing Expo in Las Vegas.

Malizia supervises the day-to-day operations and production of over 15 roofing crews. He has also dedicated himself to A1's new business development and most recently took on the role of chief culture officer.

Though he acknowledges he’s thought about leaving the business for something more comfortable, he’s pushed his way through, and doesn’t regret a step.

“I knew if I stayed focused and worked hard, eventually I would prevail,” he posted on LinkedIn late last year, celebrating two decades in the field. “I’m proud to say that my hard work [paid] off. The years of working in single digit temps and triple digit temps [paid] off. I suffered through many hard years however it taught me a lesson. I learned something about myself, I’m a fighter and I won’t give up.”

RC: How long have you been in the roofing industry, and how did you get your start?

VM: I started in the roofing industry in 1998 at the age of 15. My father would send us to job sites to clean debris. As time moved on, I spent my summers working on job sites learning as much as possible. After graduating high school, I went to college locally, where I focused on school and working at A1. I eventually moved up to mechanic, foreman, and after graduating from St. Joseph’s College, became a salesman/estimator.

I spent the next few years networking and building our reputation. After Hurricane Sandy hit, my father retired and my brother John and I took over as owners. It was at this point that we had the vision to grow our company into the commercial market.

RC: What types of offerings does your company provide?

VM: Our company focuses on commercial roofing in the Tri-State Area. The types of clients we like to work with are private building owners, general contractors, and a small portion of public work. This includes reroofing, new construction, maintenance and repair.

RC: What are the top reasons why the company is successful?

VM: Our organization is successful for many reasons. When we make decisions, we always refer back to our core values: safety, integrity, customer experience, innovation and trust. This helps guide our team throughout the course of the day. Also, we pride ourselves on relationships. We aren’t interested in working for anyone and everyone. We enjoy working with people we know and trust. When working with our clients, it is also important for us to make sure they meet our core value standards.

RC: How has your company evolved over the years?

VM: My father founded the company in 1981 with my mother. Their focus was residential roofing on Long Island. At that time my father employed a handful of employees. Fast forward to today and we are currently one of the largest roofing contractors in the New York region mainly focusing on commercial roofing and waterproofing.

RC: What are significant challenges in your market, and how is the company addressing them?

VM: One of the challenges that we face each year is labor. This is typically an issue that we hear no matter the trade or location. A few ways that we have worked around this would be to hire qualified subcontractors that are properly insured. We also try and offer our employees and new hires as many perks as possible. Some of the perks are: vacation time, sick time, holiday pay, health benefits, 401(k) with a 4% company match. Also, we have many parties/events throughout the year to let our staff enjoy some down time.

RC: Have you recently implemented any new technology or programs that have helped your business?

VM: Over the past few years, our company has made many changes for the better. When I first took over the business, we were a residential roofing company using paper and pen. Today we are mainly focused on commercial roofing, and we have implemented a CRM system for our daily work. We are big with technology, and we are constantly changing and evolving. Our staff knows that they can never get too comfortable, as we are always raising the bar and focused on growing for the better. Some of the technology that we use include drones for inspections, photos and videos; infrared scans to locate moisture and heat loss; and recently AI to help with our blogs and social media campaigns.

RC: Do you see a generational difference in your own company?

VM: I see a generational difference in the field with our laborers and techs. The younger generation seems to be more content making less money working at Starbucks, opposed to working in construction making more money, however the work is much harder.

The benefit is that we have stepped up our game by offering more money and perks to attract new hires.

RC: Do you see your age as an advantage or disadvantage in this business?

VM: I happen to see my age as an advantage in the industry. Most of our competition in the New York area are older gentlemen that are phasing out of the industry. We are up-and-coming, utilizing our college degrees, technology and hands-on experience to surpass our competition.

RC: What area of the roofing business are you the most passionate about?

VM: I’m most passionate about our company culture. I grew up working in this industry and I know how hard work can be. The physical part of your body, the mental aspect on your mind and on top of that we are fighting the outdoor elements. That is why I’ve made it a mission to visit job sites weekly, learn and meet all my employees, celebrate their hard work and show them our appreciation by setting up happy hours, BBQs, holiday parties and much more.

RC: What’s next for your business?

VM: The future for our business is summed up in our Mission Statement:

What starts here, at A1 Roofing, changes the world. We intend each day to make ourselves and those around better; going out into society, making a positive impact.

RC: What are you doing when you’re not thinking about roofing?

VM: When I’m not thinking about roofing I enjoy golfing, family vacations and donating my time to charity. I’m on the Kids for Kids Committee where we focus on hosting events to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital and other local charities.