Raincoat Roofing marks 45 years in Chicagoland

Raincoat Roofing is celebrating its 45th anniversary as a family-owned commercial and industrial roofing contractor in Broadview, Illinois. The milestone highlights the company’s long-term growth, employee retention and continued investment in service, safety and new technology across the Chicago area.

Why it matters: - Raincoat Roofing’s 45-year run shows how a local contractor can grow by keeping long-term employees, repeat clients and safety standards at the center of its business. - The anniversary also signals continued investment in commercial roofing service, maintenance and emergency response across the greater Chicagoland market.

What happened: - Raincoat Roofing marked its 45th anniversary in October 2026. - The company was founded in 1981 and is based in Broadview, Illinois. - Raincoat Roofing is a family-owned commercial and industrial roofing contractor serving businesses and property owners across the greater Chicagoland area. - Leadership says the milestone reflects four and a half decades of growth, technical advancement and client service.

The details: - Jeff Suess joined Raincoat Roofing in 1997 and founded the company’s Maintenance Division. - The maintenance operation began with one service truck and a small team. - Jeff Suess is now the sole owner of Raincoat Roofing. - Eric Suess leads Raincoat Roofing Maintenance as president. - The maintenance division now operates eight service trucks. - The maintenance division employs six full-time office staff. - Raincoat Roofing completes thousands of service calls and preventative roof inspections each year. - Angel Arroyo, the company’s Production Superintendent, is celebrating 39 years with Raincoat on October 17. - Matt Baker, Chief Sales Officer, recently reached 27 years with the company. - James Williamson, Safety Director, has been with Raincoat for 17 years. - Williamson has built safety education programs that include OSHA 10, OSHA 30 and CERTA training. - Sarah Sutton-Shouse, Director of Service Operations, joined the company seven years ago. - Raincoat Roofing specializes in commercial roof installation, replacement, restoration, preventative maintenance, roof inspections and 24/7 emergency repair services. - The company’s four core values are Do the Right Thing, Always Willing to Try, Respect and Everyone Works Safe. - Raincoat Roofing says those values shaped supplier relationships, client retention and safety protocols before they were formally written down. - The company’s website is More information.

Between the lines: - The anniversary story is as much about workforce retention as business growth. - Long-tenured employees appear to have helped Raincoat Roofing preserve institutional knowledge while the company expanded. - Leadership frames the culture as a competitive advantage, especially in a trades business where service quality and safety affect repeat work. - The company’s emphasis on “trying” and doing the right thing suggests a practical, relationship-driven management style rather than a purely volume-based approach.

What's next: - Raincoat Roofing plans to keep investing in modern technologies, streamlined operations and higher service standards. - Eric Suess says the company believes its strongest years are still ahead. - The business will continue serving the greater Chicagoland area with commercial roofing and emergency repair work.

The bottom line: - Raincoat Roofing is using its 45th anniversary to spotlight a simple formula: retain good people, protect the work and keep building for the long term.