It’s rare to find someone who has grown up in the roofing and sheet metal business. Lucky for us, Shawn Killgore, Fabrication Shop Manager for Maxwell’s in-house sheet metal fabrication team at Formwell Industries, is one of those people.
Shawn spent most of his early childhood in Eufaula, AL, until he moved to West Memphis, AR, where his father and three uncles owned and operated Delta Roofing and Sheet Metal, which was established in 1950.
Growing Up in the Business
Shawn began working for his father when he was about 15 years old. His earliest memories are filled with carrying shingles up to the subcontractor roofers and picking up debris during the hot summers. As soon as he was old enough to drive, Shawn began working in the warehouse and fabrication shop after school.
“Some of my favorite memories from that season of life was being taught by my father, Gary, to shear and bend metal into quality pieces, using only outdated manual equipment,” Shawn recalled.
Once Shawn decided to work full-time for Delta Roofing, he began as a laborer and worked his way up to being Sheet Metal Foreman and then Project Manager. During this time, he learned so much about the ins and outs of roofing while running a fabrication shop and being responsible for the company’s safety protocols and quality control.
Joining the Team at Maxwell Roofing
While working at Delta Roofing, Shawn came to Nashville for a CERTA train-the-trainer course which was hosted by Maxwell.
“I remember seeing the framed pictures of completed jobs. The pride of the team in the completed work stood out to me,” Shawn shared. “That was a couple of years before I ever thought I’d be moving to Nashville, so Maxwell was the first roofing contractor I visited when I moved.”
After Shawn moved to Nashville, he joined the Maxwell Roofing team in January 2022. He was trained on various in-house tools and technology, including everything from Maxwell’s vintage machinery for custom hand fabrication to modern machines like the Flow Waterjet precision cutting table. As Fabrication Shop Manager, Shawn spends most of his days coordinating with various Maxwell Roofing superintendents to design, create, and deliver professional products tailored to each job’s needs.
What Makes Maxwell Different
While leaving the family business is always hard, Shawn is grateful for the opportunity to work at Maxwell. Although much of the sheet metal work Shawn does may never be seen after installation, he still approaches each project with diligence to deliver high-quality work.
“I love that good work doesn’t go unnoticed,” he described. “Our team deeply values communication, safety, respect, and attention to detail.” That attention to detail is certainly evident in the sheet metal products Shawn creates.
Outside of work, you can find Shawn cruising around in his hot rod, fishing, hunting, or hanging with his dog, Wrigley. Maxwell is incredibly grateful for the experience and dedication Shawn shows when he’s creating architectural and industrial sheet metal products that will last for years to come.