Considering a Roofing Company Merger? 

Merging your business is one of the biggest decisions you can make. So what actually happens during a roofing company merger? As the former owner of Great Lakes Systems (GLS), I understand the questions that can keep you up at night. Will my team still thrive? Will customers feel the change? Will the culture I’ve built be respected?

Weather Shield Roofing Systems™ has been helping businesses for over 40 years across the U.S. If you’re considering a roofing company merger, I want to share our story. Partnering with Weather Shield turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made. But that didn’t mean there weren’t worries at the start.

What Were My Biggest Concerns Before the Merger?

Oddly enough, it wasn’t about money. My biggest worry was: how would this roofing company merger affect the people at GLS?

I had team members with plenty of runway left in their careers—folks who still had a lot to contribute and accomplish. The last thing I wanted was to put their futures at risk or diminish their opportunities. I wanted them to grow beyond what they could at GLS alone.

Fortunately, from the very beginning, the leadership team at Weather Shield involved me in honest conversations—before we ever signed a deal. They wanted to understand what mattered to me and my people. That openness helped me feel confident we were moving in the right direction.

Why Did I Feel Weather Shield Was the Right Partner for Our Roofing Company?

At the end of the day, it came down to people.

Sure, there were differences in management style. Weather Shield operated under EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), while I often joked GLS was running on “KOS”—Kevin’s Operating System! But the conversations with the Weather Shield leadership team—not just the owners, but the entire executive group—showed me our values aligned.

Their respect for people and their desire to build something better together helped ease my concerns about the roofing company merger.

How Did Our Teams Come Together After the Roofing Company Merger?

The first time everyone got together—at a Safety Day event—I’ll admit I was nervous. Would it feel like “us vs. them”? Would people stay in separate corners?

But something amazing happened. People connected. Old competitors shook hands, shared stories, and realized they actually liked working side by side. Almost overnight, we weren’t two separate companies—we were one team.

That kind of camaraderie only happens when leadership on both sides fosters trust and open communication throughout the roofing company merger process.

What Surprised Me Most About the Merger?

Absolutely, there were surprises. The biggest one? How quickly the GLS team embraced EOS. Many of us were skeptical at first, but once we experienced how structured meetings and clear accountability could improve communication, we were sold.

Another surprise for me personally—I found a renewed energy. Building relationships with new teammates at Weather Shield gave me a boost. I started looking forward to work in a whole new way.

How Has This Roofing Company Merger Made Us Stronger?

Moving from my more informal approach to a structured, proven system like EOS has helped us all focus on what matters: delivering excellent commercial roofing services to our customers.

With better systems, improved communication, and a unified vision, we’re now protecting our customers’ roof investments more effectively than ever. And that’s what it’s all about.

How Did Our Customers Respond?

Change can make customers a little uneasy—they build relationships with people, not just companies. Some were understandably apprehensive at first.

But the best feedback we heard? “We didn’t even notice a difference—except now the service team is communicating better than ever.”

That’s thanks to Weather Shield’s solid technology and customer service systems. Our clients are benefiting from faster response times and clearer communication on every commercial roofing job.

What Would I Tell Another Owner Considering a Roofing Company Merger?

Don’t rush it—and don’t base it on dollars alone.

If you’re thinking about a roofing company merger with Weather Shield, or any company for that matter, take the time to meet with the leadership team. You’ll know pretty quickly if the values and vision align.

In my case, once I saw how much we had in common—how we both valued our people and our customers—it became a no-brainer.

One Year Later: Was the Roofing Company Merger the Right Decision?

No question: it was the right move.

Do I miss making every decision myself? Sure, sometimes. But the shared leadership model at Weather Shield is phenomenal. And the opportunities now available to our former GLS team members are greater than anything I could have provided alone.

Looking back, I sometimes wonder why I didn’t do it sooner. And I’m excited about where we’re headed. There’s still a lot of runway ahead—and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together in the next year.

To any owner out there weighing a roofing company merger: change is tough. I worried about this for almost a year before making the call. But if you find the right partner—one who respects your people and your values—it can open doors you never thought possible.

If you’re considering this kind of change and want an honest conversation, I’d be happy to share more. And if you’re looking for a roofing partner who will always put people first, I can’t recommend Weather Shield Roofing Systems enough.

If you’d like to talk about how a roofing company merger might help your business grow, reach out to our team today.

Kevin Clausen

President – Great Lakes Systems