Peter Chaffee is a rarity in today’s United States. After studying computing in college, Chaffee passed on entering the hip technology sector. Instead, he went to work as a project manager at Chaffee Industrial Roofing, becoming the fourth generation to arrive at the East Providence company. Chaffee recently took some time to discuss his decision to join the company.
PBN: I understand that you are a computer whiz. Why join the family roofing business?
CHAFFEE: I joined the family business because I had more of a chance to make a difference in my field than working anywhere else. While I was studying at Northeastern, I had the opportunity to work six-month co-ops for two large technology companies. While on co-op, I spent most of my time working in an office on a limited number of projects. Even though co-op was great, I felt like I was more of a number that did not have an opportunity to help develop the future of the company.
However, working for a family-run, midsized business dedicated to commercial and industrial roofing, I am able to be a part of those larger decisions, recommending ideas of my own and learning from the experiences of family members and co-workers alike.
PBN: What is your role at the company?
CHAFFEE: Technically my role or title is project manager; however, one of the best parts about working for Chaffee Industrial Roofing is that everyone has many different roles. For me, I work on everything from suggesting and introducing new technology to designing roofing systems.
On a typical day, I do not know whether I am going to spend my time at the office or on a job site, but everything I do is interrelated. For example, I implemented a new piece of technology that allows us to measure jobs using satellite imagery, making it easier for us to continue estimating even in inclement weather and allowing us to ensure for more accurate measurements. As a result, not only am I able to become familiar with a new piece of technology but I also produced an innovative working tool for everyone in the company to utilize.
PBN: Four generations is pretty amazing, especially in today’s world. Can you talk about some of the benefits and challenges of working in a family owned company?
CHAFFEE: I believe everyone would agree that moving into a family business does come with its stigmas. Some people might assume that you enter into the company with certain privileges just because you are the son of the company president. However, anyone wishing to grow in their skills would want to work their way up the ladder gaining respect and notoriety for themselves as they went along.
I started working on the crews at Chaffee, one of the laborers as it were, and I have continued to develop my skills over the past few years, and worked myself up to project manager through my own work ethic.
In conjunction with this come the benefits of working for a family company. I am able to work with relatives like my father and uncle who have had decades of experience and I am continuing to learn through their guidance and expertise. I can also work with guys from the crews and other employees that have been with us for years and are able to share their own tricks of the trade. Because I am going into a family business, I am recognized as a valuable long-term asset as an employee and they can invest their time and trust in me as a fourth generation Chaffee.
PBN: Do you hold any future hopes to some day run the company?
CHAFFEE: In all honesty, right now I am focusing on learning as much as I can while I can. Would it be great to one day follow the family tradition and perhaps even add a fifth generation to Chaffee Industrial Roofing? Of course. But for now I am content to continue building upon everything I have been taught thus far in my career, and to go from there.
PBN: What about the company itself: how do you see it changing in the future or does the roofing industry remain fairly the same over time?
CHAFFEE: Both our company and the roofing industry are constantly changing over time. New products are continually being released and new methods of installation are being developed. Customers are also demanding greater energy efficiency in their roofing systems as a result of the green way of thinking, benefiting both their own companies and the quality of the Earth. As solar-powered systems are becoming more feasible financially, our customers are asking for more heavy duty “solar ready” roofing systems that can support these new photovoltaic solar systems.
In keeping with customer supply and demand, I can say that our company is proud to remain up to date on these practices and that we will continue to supply in accordance to the current demand. Therefore, I can see several different ways that the commercial and industrial roofing industry will continue to change and update, and also many ways that we as a company can support those changes.
