McKinnis Celebrates 41 Years! – Congratulations to McKinnis Roofing and Sheet Metal on their 41st Anniversary. Since 1981, McKinnis has been providing superior craftsmanship and attention to detail in the roofing and sheet metal industry throughout Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa.
McKinnis Celebrates 41 Years!
Here’s what else happened in 1981:
- McDonald’s introduced the McRib and Chicken McNuggets.
- The Post-It note was invented and launched.
- The first IBM-PC was invented.
- Popular movies that year included On Golden Pond, Stripes, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, to name a few.
- Bette Davis Eyes was the year-end Hot 100 single.
May 4th, 1981 – Dave McKinnis starts McKinnis Roofing and Sheet Metal in Blair, NE.
In a time before Google search, Facebook, Twitter, or even cell phones, Dave McKinnis got his start in the roofing industry. Today’s industry is more competitive than ever before, so when Dave was paid $1 per bundle to take shingles up a ladder and put them on a roof at age 12, he knew he had to set himself apart. He did this by focusing on doing the job right and refusing to cut corners.
Dave worked hard through the years, and now he’s celebrating 41 years of business. Read more about how Dave got started here: https://mckinnisinc.com/about/
Over the years – Roofing Industry
Over these 41 years, there have been many changes in technology and roofing products, and McKinnis has continued to evolve and stay on the leading edge. Dave Scott, Vice President/General Manager who joined McKinnis in 1996, knows this well. Dave mentioned, “We’ve seen changes over the last four decades—from new styles to exciting new products, and even changing weather patterns.”
Some of his favorite memories over the years, Dave says, are the projects McKinnis has worked on.
Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo Aquarium and Sea Lion Exhibit
Dave continued, “I’ve had the privilege of taking part in some really cool projects since 1996. The most recent one that comes to mind is the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo Aquarium and the new Sea Lion Exhibit. Just being a part of a project at one of the top zoos in the world was a huge compliment to us and our abilities. And using the FleeceBACK RL (RapidLock) TPO roof system was a first for our crews. Carlisle’s revolutionary RapidLock membrane is a roofing system that requires no adhesives compared to traditional fully-adhered systems. We didn’t have any temperature restrictions using the VELCRO hook-and-loop attachment method, so that was favorable for the team.”
Washington County Courthouse
Another notable project was the Washington County Courthouse. Dave Scott stated, “The historical restoration project at the Washington County Courthouse took a huge amount of teamwork. McKinnis coordinated the efforts of the owner, insurance companies, insurance consultants, engineers, and all the subcontractors to put the badly damaged courthouse back to Pre-storm conditions. It was a successful job that met the standard of the Nebraska historical registry and exceeded the expectation of the owner. McKinnis earned the respect of the insurance company and their consultants by handling the job in a professional manner!”
Orlando Cueva, who has been with McKinnis since 2000 also remembers the Washington County Court House project. “Working on this project definitely presented us with some unique challenges. The large hail caused extensive damage to the cupola and replicating ornamental pieces as close to the original to maintain the historical significance was one of the more challenging aspects of this project. Some pieces, such as the shield on the courthouse, were recreated from an artist’s drawing of the courthouse.”
Cueva continued, “Other pieces, such as the bale of wheat, involved very intricate detail work with individual rods being made, while the wheat petals were cut out of sheet metal bent and soldered together to make it three dimensional. All of the sheet metal on the original cupola had exposed fasteners with metal nailed directly to the framing. However, we took the necessary extra steps, such as protecting the framing with underlayment and attaching the new sheet metal with fasteners hidden in laps to ensure that this project would stand the test of time.”
McKinnis Sheet Metal Superintendent, Joe Chinowth, was excited to do the work, “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.” We used the companies’ combined experience to complete the work that required installing several different products such as EPDM, TPO, GAF Ultra HD Shingles, and the Sheet Metal.”
Commercial and Residential Roofing Since 1981
At McKinnis, we’ve been helping our commercial and residential clients with their roofing needs since 1981. We’ve seen so many different things happen in that time—but through it all, one thing has stayed constant, providing the absolute best workmanship and customer service possible.
Celebrating 41 years in an industry as tough as roofing is quite an accomplishment – and definitely worth celebrating! It’s been a joy to watch our community grow and prosper along with McKinnis. None of this would be possible without our loyal customers. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to serving the community for 41 more!!
TRUST THE EXPERTS AT MCKINNIS
If you are in need of roofing, windows, siding, or gutter work, give us a call today at 402-426-2644, visit our website at www.mckinnisinc.com or fill out our contact form. Our roofing and exterior experts are highly trained and always ready to help!