J.A. Piper Award

Each year, NRCA awards the J.A. Piper Award during its annual convention to a roofing professional who has demonstrated outstanding service to NRCA and the industry. Among the Piper Award winners are NRCA presidents and committee members—all of whom have dedicated their lives to the industry.

The award was established in 1947 and is named after former NRCA President J.A. Piper in appreciation for his service during the Great Depression. Piper had the unique challenge of holding the association together during the tumultuous time.

All NRCA members are asked to submit names for consideration for the Piper Award to NRCA's Awards Committee. The committee judges nominees based on candidates' attributes, which typically include contributions to NRCA and participation in industrywide events.

76th Annual Piper Award winner

Bob Daly | President of Kaw Roofing & Sheet Metal, Kansas City, Kan.

NRCA named Bob Daly, president of Kaw Roofing & Sheet Metal, Kansas City, Kan., recipient of its 76th annual J.A. Piper Award March 8 during NRCA’s Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception in New Orleans. The J.A. Piper Award is the roofing industry’s most prestigious honor and recognizes roofing professionals who have devoted constant outstanding service to the association and roofing industry.

Daly is a third-generation roofing contractor who grew up working at his family’s company during summers and holidays. After attending a semester of junior college, he was drafted during the last draft of the Vietnam War and served in the U.S. Navy.

After serving his country, Daly returned to college and graduated from Regis University, Denver, with degrees in business administration and economics. Following graduation, he joined his father—who received the J.A. Piper Award in 1950—brothers and sister in the family business founded by his grandfather.

After Daly’s father passed away, he and his brothers became co-owners of the company, and Daly joined the board of directors of his local roofing contractors association. In 1996, he was elected to NRCA’s board of directors and served as a director from 1996-99 and from 2002-06. In 2000, he was elected as an NRCA vice president and served from 2000-02 and 2003-04. In 2006, Daly served as senior vice president before being elected as NRCA’s president in 2007.

While president, Daly led the association through a strategic planning process and reached out to manufacturers and suppliers to include their voices. One of his most challenging tasks was guiding the organization through a difficult budget cycle during the Great Recession. Because of his professional leadership, NRCA made it through that challenging time proactively and responsibly.

Daly also served on many NRCA committees and task forces, including the Energy Conservation and Environment, National Roofing Service Corporation, Government Relations, PAC Advisory and Associated Specialty Contractors committees.

In addition to volunteering his time at NRCA, Daly served on the board of directors of the Associated Roofing Contractors of Greater Kansas City; The Builders—a chapter of the Associated General Contractors; and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association—Kansas City chapter before serving as president of the Kansas City chapter in 2019.

Daly also served as secretary/treasurer of National Roofing Partners; has co-chaired the Joint Roofing Industry Labor and Management Committee of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers since 1989; has served on the Labor Negotiating Committee for Greater Kansas City Building and Construction Trades Council since 1993; and is a member of the Roofing Alliance.

“He has integrity and strong dedication to the roofing industry,” said Allen Lancaster Jr., vice president of Metalcrafts, a Tecta America Company LLC, Savannah, Ga., when presenting the award. “He’s led a life of helping others—from small residential contractors to corporate manufacturers. He’s not afraid to take what he’s learned in business and life and share it with others so they may prosper. He’s reliable, intelligent, loyal, trustworthy and a good friend.”

Previous J.A. Piper Award Winners