Remembering Vinny Abondonza

As many of you know, the commercial roofing industry isn’t just about roofs we build—it’s also about the relationships we build. We heavily relied on our relationships during the pandemic, working closer with each other than ever before. Unfortunately, a dear friend of many employees here at Johns Manville lost his battle to COVID-19 in spring 2021, Vinny Abondonza. We will always remember his contagious charisma. His smile and laughter that would warm any room in an instant, and that he was an all-around genuine person.

JM Director of Product Management and Marketing, Jennifer Ford-Smith, stated, “Vinny was a true joy and brought life, fun and friendship to the roofing industry for more than 37 years. He never met a stranger, and he would give the shirt off his back to help another. He was passionate about family, friends and the Boy Scouts. He served as an Assistant Scoutmaster with Boy Scout Troop 114 and enjoyed quad-riding trips with his friends.”
Vinny didn’t just make an impact on the lives of those of us in the industry, but on generations of those who were a part of the Boy Scout Troop 114 Agawam, with which Vinny was actively involved for over 16 years. The roofing industry is working with the Boys Scouts of America® Western Massachusetts Council to build a 30ʹ x 60ʹ outdoor pavilion in his memory. It will be used for scouting activities at the Horace A. Moses Reservation, the Scout camp Vinny loved so much.

Numerous industry organizations and companies are jumping in to help. Our JM commercial roofing division was more than willing to donate to the project in honor of Vinny, who was close to so many of us here at JM. Construction on the pavilion will be completed this fall.

To learn more about the pavilion memorial and how you can donate, click here.