Megan Herzing

Megan Herzing has spent most of her life in the roofing industry. Even before taking on a lead role at Fortified Roofing and Siding, Herzing would accompany her father on inspections and listen to him talk to customers.
The experiences in her formative years made Herzing a natural fit to join the business later and, although her father is still involved, it’s allowed her take on a leadership position. “Our business is unique because we are a roofing company in mid-Missouri that is veteran owned and led by ladies,” Herzing says, referring to her father’s service in the U.S. Marines. “It is rare in our industry to see women-led companies.”
Because of that rarity, Herzing says other women looking to start a career in the roofing industry need to push through all the walls and ensure they know the ins and outs of the field. “I say push through and know your stuff,” she says. “People that doubt you will be surprised by your wealth of knowledge and they will have no choice but to respect you for what you know.”
But remember, it’s OK to not know everything and important to surround yourself with people who are more intelligent. Herzing says one of the best pieces of advice she received was that you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. “In fact, if you’re the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room,” she says.
Herzing says it’s great to see so many women being recognized as part of “Women to Watch” and that being among them is a huge honor in and of itself. “It is important for women and everyone to be recognized for their contributions,” she says. “We do our best to do that internally within our business and are very excited to see where our amazing team takes us in the future.”
After all, as Herzing says, “you are only as successful as the effort you put in and those you choose to surround yourself with.” Herzing says she takes great pride in choosing members of the Fortified team and ensuring they work to lift each other up as much as possible.
At Fortified Roofing and Siding, Herzing is also able to give back to the community, which is something that makes her job especially rewarding and meaningful. “Every year, we are fortunate enough to be able to donate a free roof to a veteran in need,” she says, noting that it’s close to their hearts because of her father’s military service.