Meet Shari Carlozzi, WTI Safety Solutions Director for Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance, NWIR Executive Committee Past Chair
More than 1,200 women can say they are a member of National Women in Roofing. But, what makes a member? It’s so much more than just joining and paying your dues. Shari Carlozzi knows what it means to her. “Get involved! Show somebody else what it’s like to be a member and embody what that really means. To appreciate being a member, you must know what it means to you,” says Shari. She’s been a part of NWiR since the first conversation that set it in motion…on a beach with Heidi Ellsworth. Isn’t that somewhat poetic? They were at a regional roofing association board meeting in St. Thomas when the conversation turned to the topic of the growing number of women in the roofing industry and the need for a support system. So, they decided to do something about it. That’s what women do…when something needs to change, we don’t sit around and wait, we get busy changing it. And NWiR was born. In the Q&A below, you’ll learn more about Shari and how NWiR has helped her grow in the roofing industry.
How did you get into the roofing industry?
I started in roofing in 2007. I had my own marketing company and after developing a marketing plan and sales platform for my customer, Hapco Inc., they offered me the opportunity to sell the products. Our program expanded and is still growing today! Now, I’m at Tremco helping them start a new safety program. I like a challenge and I’m used to starting things from scratch. This is a fun, new opportunity and I’m excited to grow the program.
What advice do you have for other women starting out in roofing?
NWiR has a content library that we started this year and it’s one of the best things to help women. When I started out in roofing, I had to go online and teach myself to learn about roofs. A lot of women don’t know much about roofing when they start and that’s intimidating. Go to the NWiR website and under the Education tab you can go to the Resource Library where you’ll find tremendously helpful guides like NRCA Roofing 101.
Why are you a member of NWIR?
To initiate positive change in our industry.
What is your passion and how does it inspire your work?
Starting projects from the ground up. I love to take an idea, develop it and help it to grow.
What do you do for fun?
I love music, yoga, sports, outside activities, the beach.
What is something people might not know about you?
I listen a lot more than most people realize.
What advice would you give to other women considering a career in roofing?
It is a great industry with terrific growth opportunities, especially for women.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received in your career or your life?
Be humble, listen and give credit where credit is due.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?
My children. I’ve raised two sons who have grown into men who appreciate and respect women. Balance is a good thing between work and home and I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to work around my kid’s schedules. I’ve been very lucky to spend time with them and still do my job. At end of day, family is your family. My goal was to raise two sons who respect and appreciate women as equals, and who understand diversity and equality. My sons are now 30 and 28. They respect and admire women. Every way that I want to be treated by a man, they embody. They constantly amaze me. You can be the best ever at a job, but if your family hasn’t been your priority then what do you have to show for it?
What’s your favorite story about being a woman in roofing?
One of my fondest memories was the first time that I went to give training to roofers on the job – they could demo tools and learn how to apply the commercial roofing we sold at Hapco. They took one look at me and said ‘oh, great. We needed a trainer and you sent us Barbie.’ They tried to ignore me but I hung in there, and after they made a big mistake, I showed them how to fix it and then how to do it right. By the end of the day we were all high fiving. The biggest compliment came when they decided to go with our product but only on one condition – the crew insisted that I be there on the first day of the job. That was very gratifying.
What do you want women to know?
As women, we doubt ourselves and men don’t do that. If you want to achieve it, set your goals high. You can achieve it. Nobody is keeping you from doing what you want but you. Set goals and work toward them. Perseverance pays off.