Hometown Hero: Larry Stiteler
By Cindy Fertsch
My dad taught me four important things in life: integrity, honesty, hard work and that you give back to your community” says Larry Stiteler, President and Founder of East Coast Roofing, Siding and Windows. Larry learned his trade at a young age while working alongside his father. And at only 22 years of age, on January 29th in 1979, with a “pocketful of change and a prayer” Larry started up his own roofing company. “In the early years, I rented a two bedroom apartment in Pleasantville; I used one room to live in and one as the business office,” says Larry. Even back then though, he had a vision for his business to be large, successful and to make a worldwide difference.
Today, that business has 18 full time employees, 75 contractors and a spacious office in Mays Landing. Two of Larry’s five children are now working in the business. Shaun is the Director of Operations and Trevor heads up the Window division. Larry and his wife Linda, of 15 years, have five children and four grandchildren together.
For over ten years now, Larry has been giving back to his community in a big way. Every year his East Coast Roofing, Siding and Windows asks for nominations for their annual Roof Give Away, an individual who needs a roof and also gives back to the community in some way. On December 9th or 10th each year, they announce the winner and then have the work completed by Christmas, all at no charge. The average value of each year’s Roof Give Away is over $25,000. This year, because it was the 10th Anniversary of the Roof Give Away, they decided to dedicate it to First Responders. They requested nominations from the community for first responders in need of a roof and/or home repairs. Jodi Algeri, a mother of three highschool and college age children, lost her husband, Lieutenant David Algeri, a member of the Egg Harbor Township Police Department, to cancer this past May. She was chosen as this year’s recipient. Larry knocked on her door personally to tell her the news.
“There is nothing more satisfying than giving back,” reflects Larry. “I feel obligated to bless others because the Lord has blessed me so much. I was uneducated, unemployed and had no money and now I have a thriving business.”
Holding true to his original vision for the business, to make a worldwide difference, Larry is working with Manna Worldwide to feed children in Guatemala. Eight years ago, he began funding a Nutrition Center called Solola. It is in one of the most rural areas of Guatemala and feeds 75 children a day. Some of the children walk miles barefoot each day just to get food. Larry, in partnership with Manna Worldwide, is now in the process of building a bakery in San Lucas, just outside Guatemala City. The proceeds from this will go to the development of a shelter to assist orphans as they transition to adulthood. The need for this is great in Guatemala because at age 13, an individual is aged out of the orphanage and often has nowhere to go. Larry spent six months working in Guatemala last year and plans to do the same this year. When he is not in Guatemala, Larry goes to his office in Mays Landing everyday. It is clear that Larry Stiteler is making a big difference both at home and worldwide.
