Jim Ziminski came up through the ranks on the manufacturing side of the industry serving in management roles with Great Lakes Windows and Crane Performance Siding, among others. More recently and most relevant to the TOP 500 home improvement companies, Ziminski is co-founder of Omnia Exterior Solutions, a private equity backed roofing company that has quickly grown to be one of the biggest firms in the industry. To date Omnia has completed more than a dozen acquisitions. In 2024, the company generated $312 million in revenue on 15,432 jobs. Omnia's philosophy is different than other private-equity 'roll ups' in the roofing industry. They view owners and managers of firms they purchase as key to the success of the organization. They've created incentives for those managers and owners to stay on to help run the collective entity. --- TOP 500 LIVE returns to The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Nov. 17-19, 2025. Go to top500live.com to learn more and register. We hope to see you there!
--------
46:51
--------
46:51
No. 30: Mark Franzoso and Mark Sackerson, Franzoso Contracting
Mark Franzoso, founder and CEO of Franzoso Contracting, and Mark Sackerson, sales manager for Franzoso Contracting, join Patrick O’Toole and Tim Musch, hosts of Talking TOP 500, for an interesting conversation about their company and time in the industry. Franzoso is a long-time business owner, having founded Franzoso Contracting in 1980. According to the company’s most recent appearance on the Qualified Remodeler TOP 500 list, the firm completed 1,408 jobs on $16.4 million in revenue in 2023, giving it a ranking of No. 166. Franzoso was also a member of Owens Corning Platinum Advisory Board, and his company also won three awards at the most recent Owens Corning conference in Orlando. FAST Remodeler Live, Qualified Remodeler’s upcoming technology conference for home improvement pros, will take place May 20 and 21 at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor. Having the right tech stack is hugely important to success in this industry and it only gets more important with each passing day. The conference is a blend of big-picture explanation along with dozens of ground-level technology hacks that can all be meaningful to business. To see the agenda and list of speakers and to register go to www.fastremodelerlive.com. Use the code 500pod for a reduction in the price of your tickets. Patrick O’Toole is chief of content and co-owner of SOLA Group Inc., parent company of Qualified Remodeler, and Tim Musch, a member of the home improvement hall of fame is with Paradigm Vendo.
--------
44:34
--------
44:34
NO. 29: Brian Elias, CEO and Founder, ReFloor
This episode of “Talking TOP 500” features Brian Elias, Co-CEO of Refloor, and former CEO of 1-800-Hansons. We'll see you at Fast Remodeler Live in May! Click here for your $95 ticket!
--------
41:52
--------
41:52
No. 28: Kyle Powers, Apex Energy Solutions
Tim and Pat sit down Kyle Powers, brand leader for Apex Energy, part of Great Day Home Improvements, one of the largest companies on the Qualified Remodeler TOP 500 list. Kyle has impressive experience for a young home improvement professional. He has previously worked for: Mad City, AHT Windows, Tundraland, Tony Hoty Training & Consulting, Jacuzzi Bath Remodel, and Apex Energy Solutions. He will also be a featured speaker at the fourth annual technology for remodeling and home improvement professionals, FAST Remodeler Live, to be held at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor, May 20-21, 2025. Want to view the full roster of speakers and register? Go to www.fastremodelerlive.com.
--------
53:06
--------
53:06
No. 27: Ryan Shutt, CEO of Southwest Exteriors
This episode of “Talking TOP 500” features Ryan Shutt, CEO of Southwest Exteriors, an exterior remodeling company based in San Antonio. This year, Southwest is approaching $20 million in revenue. The company’s website features a pricing calculator, which appears to go against aspects of sales orthodoxy, but the results speak for themselves. Shutt was a speaker at 2024’s TOP 500 LIVE conference in Las Vegas, where he presented on Southwest’s reboot of its marketing, sales, and customer service. To watch a clip from Shutt’s presentation, visit Qualified Remodeler’s YouTube channel. He also sat on the CEO Panel Discussion with Audience Questions and Answers. In this episode, Shutt tells the story of how he made Southwest into what it is today.
This series puts a spotlight on the business of home improvement and professional home remodeling. Presented by QUALIFIED REMODELER magazine, "Talking TOP 500" is a series of conversations with owners and managers of firms on the magazine's annual list of the largest 500 remodelers and home improvement pros. Every aspect of sales leadership, marketing and running a profitable business is on the table. Hosted by Patrick O'Toole and Tim Musch.
South Africa