Energetic, successful and on the cutting edge, the Young Guns are making their marks in the roofing industry.

Like the children of many small business owners, John Kalkreuth grew up sleeping, eating and living the family roofing business — working it through junior high, high school and college.

“In March of 1993, I started a roofing company — undercapitalized, underfunded, undermanned, and with no bonding and no line of credit."

John Dudley Jr. started working for a close friend’s father during the summers and on the weekends, doing general contracting and eventually roofing work.

A family business poses its own set of challenges for the owners.

Ridgeworth Roofing Company celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, and Rodney Petrick, its president and owner, has been around for 39 years of its history.

Metalmaster Roofmaster was founded as a small, family-owned operation consisting of only George and Gloria Smeja in 1977.

Schena Roofing & Sheet Metal Company has been a fixture in Chesterfield, Mich., for 45 years.

I had a great time interviewing Anthony Schena, the CEO of Schena Roofing & Sheet Metal Company, for our cover story for the July issue.