Supporting Women in Roofing
Big Rock Supply was proud to sponsor the Elevated Voices panel discussion at the Chicagoland Women in Roofing (CWIR) Women Raising Roofs – Chicago Style event held at Gibson’s Oak Brook on March 5, 2026. As a segment of the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association (CRCA), CWIR continues to create opportunities for women across the roofing industry to connect, learn, and grow within a field that has traditionally been male-dominated.
While women currently represent a small percentage of the overall roofing workforce, their influence within the industry continues to expand. Events like this one help foster mentorship, education, and networking opportunities that encourage women to pursue leadership roles across manufacturing, distribution, contracting, and safety.
To represent Big Rock Supply at the event, we invited Naomi Dupre, President and CEO of Kirby Fiberglass Inc., whose leadership journey is a powerful example of resilience and determination in the roofing industry.
Naomi Dupre: Leadership Forged Through Resilience
Naomi Dupre’s path into roofing was anything but traditional.
After graduating from CSU with a Bachelor of Science degree, Naomi began her career in the apparel industry before pursuing her MBA at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She later transitioned into leadership and management roles in the rapidly growing telecommunications industry.
After taking a two-year sabbatical to spend time raising her daughter, Naomi was recruited by her stepfather, Dr. Herbert Kirby, to join the family business, Kirby Fiberglass Inc., as Vice President of Marketing and Sales. Less than a year after she joined the company, Dr. Kirby and the company’s plant manager, Cleeve Reeves, were killed in a Cessna accident on January 10, 2005. Suddenly, Naomi found herself responsible for carrying the company forward.
At the time, she was managing her own grief, the grief of family members, guiding 16 grieving employees through an uncertain future, and preparing for the birth of her second child while raising a toddler at home. What followed was a defining moment in her career.
“I didn’t have time to overthink,” Naomi recalls. “I had a lot to learn quickly, navigating a company completely solo. I was fearless in my approach because I simply had work to do.”
Determined to preserve the legacy of Kirby Fiberglass, Naomi immersed herself in the roofing industry. She joined organizations such as the Roofing Alliance and ARMA, learning everything she could about the manufacturing and roofing landscape. Twenty-one years ago, she was often one of only two or three women in rooms filled with more than sixty industry leaders.
“I always walked into the room with respect, expecting the same in return,” she said. “Those meetings were filled with people who had knowledge I needed, so I asked questions and learned as much as I could.”
Her determination and willingness to learn quickly earned the respect of many leaders in the industry.
A Shared History with Big Rock Supply
Over the years, Naomi developed and fostered strong relationships across the roofing industry, including a long-time partnership with Big Rock Supply.
One of the first trade shows Naomi attended on her own after Dr. Kirby’s passing was the 2007 CRCA Trade Show, where she reconnected with many of the contractors and manufacturers her stepfather had worked alongside. Among them was Tom Joy, father of Brian Joy of Big Rock Supply, who welcomed her and shared insights about the Chicago market, roofing systems, and industry relationships.
Those early introductions eventually grew into a long-standing professional relationship between Naomi and Big Rock Supply. As leaders of family-owned companies navigating a changing roofing industry, both Naomi and Big Rock Supply share a common perspective on resilience, adaptation, and long-term partnerships.
Today, Naomi works closely with Big Rock Supply as a National Account Manager, helping expand product opportunities while continuing to evolve Kirby Fiberglass beyond its traditional fiberglass mop products.
“Being resilient, creative, and forward-thinking has enabled me to reinvent Kirby into more than just mops,” Naomi explained. “Teaming up with Big Rock is a natural progression that allows me to expand product offerings while supporting contractors in multiple regions.”
Because the CWIR event focused on empowering women across the industry, Naomi was a natural choice to attend on behalf of Big Rock Supply.
Inside the CWIR Event
The day began with a keynote breakfast featuring an inspiring opening speaker who discussed leadership and professional growth within construction and roofing. From there, attendees were divided into smaller groups and rotated through four hands-on learning stations designed to provide practical knowledge and safety education.
The stations covered several critical jobsite topics, including:
- Ladder safety and proper setup
- An overview of roofing systems and components
- Roof-to-wall transitions and flashing design
- Jobsite safety and fall protection
For Naomi, the safety-focused sessions stood out the most.
The discussion led by safety professional Frank Marino emphasized the importance of fall prevention systems. During the session, Marino explained that while individual harness systems are essential, they still rely heavily on proper use and consistent compliance from workers. Guardrail systems, on the other hand, can help eliminate much of the potential for human error by providing a passive safety barrier around rooftop edges.
This insight resonated with Naomi, who immediately recognized the relevance for contractors and distributors alike. For companies like Big Rock Supply, which provide rooftop safety solutions for contractors working at height, the conversation reinforced the growing importance of guardrail systems as part of comprehensive jobsite safety planning.
Safety Solutions At Big Rock Supply:
Big Rock Supply offers a comprehensive range of rooftop safety solutions designed to work confidently at height. Our safety lineup includes guardrail systems, self-retracting lifelines (SRLs), skylight safety rails, mobile fall protection systems, fall arrest harnesses, and warning line systems. Offering a range of passive fall-protection options for a variety of jobsite conditions, Big Rock Supply has the safety and equipment to keep your work moving forward.
These safety offerings support OSHA-compliant rooftop work and keep crews and job sites safe.
Panel Discussion: Elevated Voices
The event concluded with the Elevated Voices panel discussion, where a group of experienced women in roofing shared their personal journeys, challenges, and shared advice to others entering or interested in entering the industry.
Panelists included:
- Joan Crowe
- Kim Good – SJ Mallein & Associates
- Laurie Moore – Kreiling Roofing
- Kayla Quinn – Preservation Services, Inc.
- Stephanie Creed – All Weather Products
The discussion, moderated by Jennifer Grove of Tori Construction and CWIR Co-Chair, highlighted the evolving role of women across the roofing industry and emphasized the value of mentorship, leadership development, and industry involvement.
Following the panel, attendees gathered for a networking reception where conversations continued well into the evening, reinforcing the sense of community and support that CWIR events are known for.
Women Shaping the Future of Roofing
The roofing industry offers far more opportunities than many people initially realize. Beyond the work performed on rooftops, careers exist across manufacturing, safety, distribution, engineering, management, marketing, and product development.
Organizations like Chicagoland Women in Roofing are helping expand those opportunities by creating spaces where women can learn, connect, and grow within the industry. Big Rock Supply is proud to support these efforts and to champion professionals like Naomi Dupre who demonstrate that leadership, determination, and expertise know no boundaries.
Naomi’s journey, from stepping into leadership during an incredibly challenging moment to continuing to evolve her company and partnerships today, serves as a powerful reminder that the roofing industry welcomes innovation, resilience, and strong voices from every background and gender.