Rick Damato

I was accused of being a “gadget guy” this week. Not the first time I ever heard that one since I have had a history of leaping on new technologies soon as they emerge - often before I should and very often in ways that I should not.

One of the topics of this month’s issue of Roofing Contractor is “Distribution and the Supply Chain,” the area of the industry this editor has worked in for the past quarter century. In addition to being an observer of the roofing industry overall, I have a keen interest in the supply chain.

I was running a branch of the roofing-oriented distribution firm, JGA Corp., in my hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., when the first generation of popular “algae and fungus resistant” shingles hit the market.

Yeah, that’s right. Our son, Jordan, was awarded the Hope Scholarship that paid for a good chunk of his college education.

The tornados that ripped through the nation’s south and mid-section in April and May were not only record-setting in scale and scope, but in terms of loss of life, and, I suspect, loss of innocence.

The first car I ever owned was a 1969 VW Beetle, and it came with full shoulder/lap harnesses. Without any pressure from the government, I made the choice to use the seatbelt.

The short answer to this question is “dialog.” Cannot recall exactly when or how the idea emerged to invite Dr. David Michaels, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, to speak at September’s Best of Success (BOS) conference in Clearwater, Fla.

Just back from a fantastic five days off with the fabulous Kay and other friends and family and glad to have a couple more days to unwind from all the relaxation.

There should be little doubt that the OSHA of 2011 is not the OSHA of 2000-08. Anticipated changes in OSHA have been on the way since the new Secretary of Labor in the Obama administration took over with the statement, “There is a new sheriff in town.”

The weather this winter was brutal in some parts of the country, which has led to a nice little uptick in roof repair and remediation work this spring. Now we are entering the storm season and there is no way of knowing how, when, what, or where the next weather event will strike.