Craft Spotlight – Justin Rogers

Justin Rogers joined Carpenters Local 285 in 2015. He loved framing, interior systems, and every facet of being a union carpenter. It wasn’t until a friend of his introduced him to door inspection and installation that he considered a change for himself. The friend owned his own automatic door company and had a constant stream of work coming in that sounded appealing to Justin, so he decided he’d give the world of doors a chance.

Justin’s friend unfortunately had to sell his company shortly after this, which gave Justin yet another idea. Since he had been learning all he could about the craft, he decided to start his own door installation and inspection company in 2022.

It wasn’t easy-going by any stretch of the imagination, but through hard work, dedication, and approaching every obstacle as a learning experience, Clark-Anthony Construction L.L.C. was born. The hurdles in terms of starting a business were plentiful, but Rogers was committed to learning everything he could to make this venture successful. The company is flourishing now, but it isn’t without its new set of challenges. From making sure every single employee feels appreciated to getting every certification he can obtain, Justin has his hands full.

As a business owner, Justin analyzed everything he liked and didn’t like about each place he worked prior and fine-tuned what he offered to employees based on his experience. “If you put effort into us, we’ll make sure you’re taken care of,” Justin said about how he models his relationship with his employees. From supplying company cars and paying for gas to giving Christmas bonuses to each employee every year, Rogers is holding up his end of the bargain because his team does such great work.

Owning and operating his own company still means there is constant work. “Every building has at least one door… And that door [not only] needs to be built but inspected and maintained,” Justin says. For now, their biggest sources of work are retail spaces, such as Home Depot, CVS, Target, and others. They also have contracts with local government in their area, working in county buildings, correctional facilities, and schools. With all this work coming in, Justin makes sure to keep connected to his crew because he was in their shoes. He knows what it’s like to be a union apprentice or journeyman.

Door inspection doesn’t come without its stressors, however. Safety and regulations are of the utmost importance in this field. If a door inspector or installer approves a door when they shouldn’t and someone gets hurt because of that, the company is liable for that individual. For instance, a local business recently reached out to Justin after a patron got seriously injured by an automatic door that another company installed and inspected. Rogers’ crew went in, quadruple-checked the door, and failed it on inspection, proving how important being thorough is in this line of work.

Justin, with the help of the Central Midwest Carpenters, is fighting to get legal mandates for how often doors need to be inspected and maintained. For Rogers, ensuring safety, not only for his crew but for everyone who uses a door he’s installed or inspected, is the highest priority. This attention to detail is a quality that can be found in any craft that falls under the Central Midwest Carpenters. Our members are setting the standard as business owners, workers, and productive members of our communities.