HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Beacon (Nasdaq: BECN) announced today that Brooke Laizure, Owner of Whirlwind Roofing & Construction (Whirlwind) in Bixby, Oklahoma, is the winner of the 2024 North American Female Roofing Professional of the Year campaign, which highlights women in the roofing industry across the U.S. and Canada. Whirlwind specializes in residential roofing replacement, repair and restoration and is proudly family-owned and operated.
Brooke is a founding member of the National Women in Roofing (NWIR) and chairs the NWIR Oklahoma Council, which she co-founded in 2019. Through NWIR, she is involved in Build My Future, a one-day construction career day for high school students in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, offering them hands-on exhibits from organizations in the skilled trades. She also supports Women Accessing Non-Traditional Trades and is a member of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce. She has served as an Oklahoma Roofing Contractors Association (ORCA) board member and is passionate about her own education, earning Xactimate Level 3 Certification. Whirlwind is also a Fortified™ Home designated roofing company.
"We launched this campaign to recognize females in roofing four years ago and were thrilled with the nearly 3,000 entries we received this year highlighting women throughout North America who are dedicated to their career, the industry, and their communities,” said Jennifer Lewis, Beacon’s Vice President, Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility. “It’s a privilege to acknowledge Brooke for her exceptional work ethic and commitment to empowering women. Her impressive achievements and dedication to uplifting other women led to her recognition as North American Female Roofing Professional of the Year.”
"I am incredibly grateful and humbled to accept this award from Beacon Building Products and thankful for the support I have received from my family, friends, and peers,” said Laizure. “Being named the North American Female Roofing Professional of the Year goes beyond personal accomplishment; it’s a celebration of empowerment in an industry where women continue to break barriers and redefine what it means to be a professional roofing contractor. I hope my story inspires other women to pursue their passions and make a difference in the industry.”
From March 8th through April 10th, Beacon solicited nominations of outstanding female roofing professionals. Beacon opened voting to the public from May 15th through June 5th. The other top four finalists were:
- Millie Hindes – Watergate Roofing, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Sarah Lechowich – True North Roofing, Cottage Grove, Minnesota
- Tomie Kay Morse – Morse Home Improvement, Dagsboro, Delaware
- Melanie Knox – Restoration Builders, Round Rock, Texas
Honorable Mentions went to:
- Stephanie Baird, Bliss Roofing, Happy Valley, Oregon
- Tori Bobbs, Poseidon Roofing, LLC, Fort Myers, Florida
- Gina Farese, Marcor Construction, West Babylon, New York
- Heather Hitchcock, Royal Roofing, Deer Park, Texas
- Stacy Lytton, Horch Roofing, Warren, Maine
- Katelyn Reynolds, Property Masters, Pendleton, Indiana
- Madelyn Smith, House Works of America, Columbia, South Carolina
- Sarah Wilis, WxTite, Greensboro, North Carolina
To learn more about Beacon’s annual Female Roofing Professional of the Year program, the finalists, and the program rules, visit: go.becn.com/femaleroofpro.
About Beacon
Founded in 1928, Beacon is a Fortune 500, publicly traded distributor of building products, including roofing materials and complementary products, such as waterproofing. The company operates over 560 branches throughout all 50 states in the U.S. and 7 provinces in Canada. Beacon serves an extensive base of nearly 100,000 customers, utilizing its vast branch network and diverse service offerings to provide high-quality products and support throughout the entire business lifecycle. Beacon offers its own private label brand, TRI-BUILT®, and has a proprietary digital account management suite which allows customers to manage their businesses online. Beacon’s stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol BECN. To learn more about Beacon, please visit www.beacon-canada.com
