Meet the jury: the 6 international experts who will choose the roofer of the year
At this point, you already know Best of the Best, our annual video contest to choose the best roofer or the best natural slate skills of the year. However, the 2024 edition brings a striking novelty: a professional jury will choose the winner!
The first round of the contest remains the same: you, the readers of our blog, will vote for the national winners. Do you want to take part in the contest? It’s very easy! You can submit your videos here.
Following that, our first-ever jury will consist of six highly respected professionals from the natural slate industry. Want to meet the people who will choose the champion?
Matt Timby – United Kingdom
He is the owner of Matt Timby Limited based in Lincolnshire, England. An award-winning roofing contractor in multiple disciplines, including of course slate works. I’m a Master Craftsman, Skillbuild Judge and Mentor for the UK National young roofers’ team.
I’ve been incredibly passionate about roofing since I first picked up a slate hammer as an apprentice and I’m honoured to have been asked to be part of the Jury for this year’s CUPA Best of the Best Competition.
Heidi J. Ellsworth – United States
She has worked in the roofing industry since 1993 and has held positions with Malarkey Roofing, Carlisle Construction Materials and EagleView Technologies. She is currently a partner and president of RoofersCoffeeShop® and owner of HJE Consulting.
Heidi is also one of the founders of National Women in Roofing (NWIR). She served as chairperson for the first two years of the association and in 2020 was awarded the WORLD Award.
Severino González – Spain
Manager of the Slate Cluster of Galicia and the National Federation of Slate. He holds a Law degree from the University of Santiago de Compostela and has been in the industry since 1989, initially serving as a legal advisor for about four years and then continuously as the manager.
Severino has given lectures at almost every architecture and technical architecture school in Spain, as well as at various colleges, where he educates and advocates for the use of natural slate.
Henri Lefin – Belgium
At 6 years old, he was already frolicking on rooftops, and by 12, he was installing his first natural slate. Now, he is a true craftsman who shares his passion!
After being rigorously trained as a slater in his father’s company and graduating in entrepreneurship, Henri Lefin naturally decided to go into business for himself in 1997. In 2000, he partnered with Sandra Swennen to create the company as it exists today.
Sébastien Therenty – France
He has been a passionate roofer since the age of 14, and this passion inspired him to climb the ladder from apprentice to entrepreneur. Over the years working on Parisian rooftops, he has participated in numerous projects, including the Arc de Triomphe, the Town Hall of Ivry-sur-Seine and the King’s Stables at Versailles.
I also place great importance on sharing the values of our craftsmanship and training our future roofers. My goal for the coming years is to restore the nobility of the roofing profession.
Jørgen Trier – Denmark
Jørgen Trier is currently a Senior Roofing Supervisor at Andresen’s VVS A/S, where he oversees VVS (plumbing, heating, and sanitation) and roofing projects. He has extensive experience as a Technical Salesperson and Advisor, working closely with architects, builders, and plumbers.
Andresen’s VVS operates across several Danish locations, including Fredericia, Middelfart, Kolding, and Vejle, specializing in district heating services and comprehensive VVS solutions.
