Roofing Technology Think Tank, known as RT3, announced it awarded Innovator of the Year to John Kiesel, president of NRCA member Division 7 Roofing, Galena, Ohio. RT3 is a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry; the award was presented at the 2023 Best of Success Conference in Frisco, Texas.
The Innovator of the Year award was created to nationally recognize a roofing contractor who has contributed to the advancement of the roofing industry through technical innovation and/or product development in one of the following areas: production/technology efficiency; safety innovation; client service/quality of delivery; employee recruitment/training/retention; or environmental impact.
“John’s development and use of photogrammetry and 3D models, as well as augmented reality, is leading the industry into the future,” said Anna Anderson, CEO of Art Unlimited, RT3 award task team leader and past RT3 board president. “In addition, he is sharing these technologies with local trade schools and hiring summer interns to show the appeal of a career in roofing.”
Kiesel began in the roofing industry at 17 years old, working for his father’s roofing business. He worked his way up from field worker to superintendent to general manager and now is president of Division 7 Roofing.
“I feel the pain of roofing and recognize that when innovation or technology is able to disrupt the barbaric nature of roofing, I embrace that, and I want to see roofing be a more accommodating career,” Kiesel said.
