Five Generations
of Mastering the Elements

The McDowall family's legacy in roofing has continued for five generations, spanning a 110-year period. Although it experienced a brief interruption during the Depression, it was revived in the late 1940s and operates today with the same drive and spirit it had when George Atkinson McDowall first opened the doors at McDowall Roofing Co. in 1895 in Joliet, Illinois.

Tracing the company's roots is a little difficult since it moved from Illinois to Minnesota and changed names, but there is one constant the involvement of one or more generations of McDowalls in the roofing industry for over 110 consecutive years.

Roofing remained McDowall's area of expertise until the 1940s when the company's craftsmanship and capabilities enabled them to enter the specialty sheet metal industry. Ventilation and air conditioning came soon after.

In May of 2009 the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce selected John McDowall for the Entrepreneurial Success Award for McDowall Company's profitable growth and civic involvement in the community. The award is presented annually to a business that starts out small and through the years becomes large under the leadership of the same individual.

"When my great-grandfather, George Atkinson McDowall started this business more than 110 years ago, I don't think he could have imagined where the business would be today." In 1895, McDowall Company opened strictly as a roofing company. Today it's a full service contracting company, providing our customers with the latest innovations in roofing, heating, cooling, ventilation and temperature control.

"Today, I extend a personal guarantee to you. If, for any reason, you are not completely satisfied with our work, call me and I will personally see that you are taken care of; you can count on that."

-- John W. McDowall
President & CEO