During the 2024 International Roofing Expo® in Las Vegas, NRCA announced Hap Esbenshade, chairman and CEO of The Mountain Company, Vienna, W.Va.; Laurel Management Group, Vienna; and Tri-State/Service Roofing & Sheet Metal Company, Vienna, as the recipient of the John Bradford Volunteer Award. Esbenshade received the award Feb. 7 during the NRCA 2024 Industry Awards Ceremony.
The John Bradford Volunteer Award is presented to an individual in the roofing industry who has consistently demonstrated outstanding acts of volunteerism. Volunteerism takes many forms—some demonstrated locally and others nationally, such as the volunteer work performed at NRCA.
A graduate of Duke University, Esbenshade has been actively involved with NRCA and the Roofing Alliance for more than 40 years. His company recently celebrated 100 years of service to communities in the mid-Atlantic, Midwest and southeastern U.S.
Esbenshade’s company was one of the first contractors to join the Roofing Alliance and has contributed more financially to the Roofing Alliance than any other contractor member. In addition, it was his vision to create the Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship Fund, which has provided scholarships to 149 students totaling more than $1 million.
With NRCA, his 40 years of volunteerism have included serving on 25 committees and NRCA’s board of directors. He was instrumental in creating NRCA’s Contractor Management Committee because he understands the value of educating contractors about the business management side of running a roofing company.
Esbenshade’s company has adopted the roofs of 11 Ronald McDonald Houses in the communities he serves through the Roofing Alliance’s program, providing free labor to keep families in need safe and dry. He has served as chairman of the development committee of his alma mater, Duke University. Esbenshade also serves on the board of Marietta College in Ohio; oversees the Spartan Kids Foundation, which provides extraordinary experiences to underserved and challenged kids; and has been president of his local Boys and Girls Club. He donated an auditorium to the business school at West Virginia University that is dedicated to his father, and two years ago, he was inducted into the West Virginia Business Hall of Fame.
The John Bradford Volunteer Award is named after John Bradford, who served as NRCA’s president from 1982-83 and was a past president of the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association. He was instrumental in the development of the Montana Roofing Contractors Association, served on many boards throughout his roofing career and enjoyed civic involvements.