ABC Supply Recruits, Hires and Helps Military Veterans

The family of late Navy veteran Chris Hixon is surprised to see its newly remodeled home on “Military Makeover.”

Story and photos courtesy of ABC Supply Co.

In the roofing industry, ABC Supply is one of the largest wholesale distributors of roofing in the United States and one of the nation’s largest wholesale distributors of select exterior and interior building products. The company’s success doesn’t hinge on its size, however. 

Since 1982, ABC Supply’s culture and way of doing business have been shaped by its Core Values, one of which is American pride. The company and its associates believe in the American Dream and honor those who have served in our armed forces in many ways, including supporting veterans through opportunities and charitable efforts. 

TOP: ABC Supply donated building materials for the “Military Makeover” remodel of the home of late Navy veteran Chris Hixon and his family in Florida.

BOTTOM: An American flag flies from an ABC Supply truck at the 300th home built for veterans by Homes For Our Troops.

ABC Supply Focuses on Recruiting More Veterans

ABC Supply employs nearly 15,000 associates throughout 49 states. It’s a 14-time recipient of the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award — one of only two companies in the world to have received the honor so many times — and a two-time recipient of Glassdoor’s Employees’ Choice Awards for Best Places to Work. 

In recent years, ABC Supply has focused more attention on recruiting veterans to its workforce to help them build fulfilling, lifelong careers. With a variety of positions — including inside sales associates, delivery drivers, roof loaders and roles in management — it’s not hard for veterans transitioning to civilian life to find an opportunity that allows them to put to use the skills they learned in the military. For instance, ABC Supply may be able to help veterans with driving experience fast-track securing a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Get in touch to discuss where you best fit within the ABC Supply family. 

“Veterans want to succeed, and ABC Supply wants them to succeed. You feel like you’re part of a family here,” explained Jack Rosa, a U.S. Navy veteran and CDL driver at ABC Supply. 

In a world as fast-growing and diverse as the building materials industry, ABC Supply is looking to recruit talent who can build lifelong, successful careers. For veterans and civilians alike, the industry provides a lot of opportunity to set yourself on a respectable career path. 

“When their service is done, our military veterans deserve the chance to achieve the American Dream they helped protect,” said Mike Jost, ABC Supply’s chief operating officer. “We’re doing our part to give them that opportunity.”

Since 2017, ABC Supply has attended over 70 military job fairs and has hired over 1,300 veterans. In 2019, the company also began a “veteran hiring pledge” with Military.com to help increase the number of veterans it hires. 

“I want more veterans to work at ABC Supply,” said Navy veteran Brittany Eastman, an inside sales associate at ABC Supply. “The company takes care of its associates and cares about our families. ABC Supply gives you the tools you need to get better in your career.” 

Solar panels are installed on Marine Corps veteran Marcelino Marquez’s home, which was remodeled on “Military Makeover.”

Finding a Cultural Fit 

ABC Supply knows that the transition to civilian life can be a challenge for many veterans, especially when it comes to finding the right job after serving. But veterans can find a welcoming home at ABC Supply.

“When I got out of the military, I knew I was losing the camaraderie I had with the soldiers I worked with,” said Todd David, ABC Supply managing partner and Army veteran. “I found that at ABC Supply the camaraderie we have is very similar, and it’s a company that values the talents you have.”

It’s no secret that the industry has been experiencing a labor shortage, and ABC Supply knows that veterans are an ideal group of people to fill open positions. The abilities they develop in the military, such as a drive to succeed, leadership and hands-on technical skills, translate well to roofing and construction industry jobs. 

Veterans working at ABC Supply also find that the company’s culture aligns with their own values. The company’s Core Values — respect; opportunity; work hard, have fun; entrepreneurial spirit; family; give back; and American pride — drive how ABC Supply conducts business, both internally with its associates and externally with its customers. 

Plus, the company’s Core Purpose is a mission that many veterans feel proud to work toward: ABC Supply is dedicated to promoting and preserving the American Dream by helping people accomplish the extraordinary — based on its fundamental belief that every person has within themselves the ability to do great things.

“The culture at ABC Supply is really special. I haven’t seen anything like it outside of the military,” said James Mason, district manager at ABC Supply and veteran of the U.S. Marines. “The people here are willing to serve, are dedicated and want to do extraordinary things.”

ABC Supply is proud to partner with Homes For Our Troops, a nonprofit that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 veterans.

Driven Veterans Help ABC Supply Achieve its Mission

While ABC Supply’s Core Values guide how it conducts itself, the company’s mission is to ultimately make contractors’ lives easier. By hiring more veterans and creating an environment that helps associates achieve their goals, ABC Supply’s workforce is dedicated to providing the support contractors need to succeed, including value-added services that can help save them time. 

“At ABC Supply, our associates are the heart of our company,” said President and CEO Keith Rozolis. “We know that by taking care of our people, they’ll take great care of our customers.”

West Region Vice President Matt Cooper adds that veterans help the company live out its mission. 

“Veterans are making a huge impact on ABC Supply because of what they bring to the table, like the leadership skills that they learned in the military,” said Cooper.

After serving four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Cooper joined ABC Supply as a roof stocker in 1991. He earned his CDL so he could become a driver, then moved up through dispatching, inside sales, purchasing and branch and district management positions before being promoted to West Region vice president. 

“When I took the job with ABC Supply, I didn’t think I would be here for a career. I didn’t know that they would see the value that I brought to the company,” said Cooper. “I’ve worked my way up to become a regional vice president — I’ve lived the dream.”

Members of ABC Supply’s Branch Management Training class present President and CEO Keith Rozolis with an American flag that flew over the United States Capitol.

ABC Supply Helps Military Veterans With Housing

ABC Supply has also provided support to veterans outside its walls by giving back through “Military Makeover” and Homes For Our Troops. 

ABC Supply joined “Military Makeover,” a television program on the Lifetime Network that surprises military veterans with free home remodels, to renovate four homes for deserving veterans throughout 2019 and 2020. Here’s a look at who the company helped: 

STEVE WOJCIK

Wojcik served in the military for 20 years before being honorably discharged following a serious injury in Iraq. Wojcik, his wife and their three teenage daughters received a new roof and siding as well as a total renovation of the kitchen and bathrooms in their Strum, Wis., home.

LUKE HARVEY AND NATASHA WOODRUFF

Harvey served in the Army for six years before being medically retired due to severe injuries sustained in Iraq. Woodruff, also an Army veteran, received the Women of Courage Award from the Pentagon. The couple’s North Carolina home received new siding, doors, windows and more. 

HIXON FAMILY

Navy veteran and school athletic director Chris Hixon lost his life while at work during the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. ABC Supply helped “Military Makeover” honor his memory by providing his wife and sons with a new roof, flooring, countertops, HVAC system and more in their home.

MARCELINO MARQUEZ

Marquez served in the Marine Corps for 27 years, completing tours in Japan, Iraq and Afghanistan. ABC Supply helped “Military Makeover” renovate the home where Marquez, his wife and their three children live with new gutters, doors, siding and windows.

ABC has also made a multimillion-dollar pledge to support Homes For Our Troops, a nonprofit that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 veterans to enable them to rebuild their lives. ABC Supply recently assisted with materials to help Homes For Our Troops build and donate its 300th home to U.S. Army Sergeant Nathan Shumaker in Hillsboro, Mo.

ABC Supply Locations Share Dedication to Honoring Veterans

ABC Supply’s passion for honoring veterans doesn’t stop with corporate initiatives. Many of the company’s locations show commitment in their own ways. 

• The ABC Supply location in Charlotte, N.C., has set up a display of its associates’ family members who are active-duty or have served in the military. The collection of photos has become a special spot in the branch for both associates and customers. 
• Graduates from ABC Supply’s Branch Management Training program’s Class of 2019 presented a flag that had flown over the United States Capitol to Rozolis as a gesture of respect for ABC Supply’s American pride Core Value. 
• Locations in Plainfield, Cedar Knolls, Avenel and Tinton Falls, N.J., came together to donate nearly 40 boxes of items to Operation Jersey Cares to send in care packages to service members stationed abroad.
• Town & Country Industries, a division of ABC Supply, located in Jacksonville, Fla., and ABC Supply locations in Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Fla., worked together to host a Veterans Day celebration with food, prizes and music. The Veteran Enforcers Motorcycle Association and representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard Station Mayport attended, and the event raised donations for the Coast Guard Foundation.

Through its commitment to hiring more veterans and dedication to honoring those who have served, ABC Supply shows its American pride and respect for the men and women who serve in the military. The company is proud to be a place where veterans feel at home to build their own careers as well as the businesses of their contractor customers. 

Learn more about ABC Supply’s commitment to military recruitment.