Born and raised in Michigan, Roger moved with his family to Maryland where he graduated from Edgewood High School in 1970. He briefly attended Harford Junior college before embarking on a career by deciding to attend Hobart School of Welding Technology in Troy, Ohio and graduating in 1972 at the top of his class. As a certified pipe welder a the age of 21, Roger began working in the industrial paper mill, chemical, coal, and nuclear power plant industry with the largest engineering and construction firms in the world. In 1975 Roger brought his brother Don into the trade and they gained valuable experience working with highly skilled and experienced journeymen pipefitters and certified pipe welders from all over the globe. Safety came first and then training, quality and production.

In 1980, Roger and Don co-founded a piping and welding business. Shortly after starting their business, because of their reputation and excellent referrals, the company grew to 35 employees in less than 10 years. On a daily basis Roger works with business owners, project managers, superintendents, and engineers, and it is not uncommon for him to be called upon to re-design a piping system to make it work. Roger enjoys teaching and training his new employees and encourages them to learn to fit pipe, weld and become certified. Over the years, he has helped many young men to advance from a helper to a great journeyman pipe fitter or certified pipe welder. Today, Barr Mechanical is recognized as one of the premier commercial and industrial pipefitting and welding businesses in metro Atlanta and they are “still burning hot.”

Roger worked as a certified pipe welder and journeyman pipefitter from 1972 – 1980.  His industrial jobs included, but not limited to the following:

• Air Systems-
  Foreman, IBM Chilled Water Installation in Atlanta, GA
• B E & K -
  International Paper Mill, Pensacola, FL, Champion Paper Mill, Monroeville, AL and Oglethorpe Paper Mill, Oglethorpe, GA
• Brown & Root -
  Brunswick Nuclear Plant, Southport, NC and International Paper Mill, Prattville, AL
• Daniel Construction -
  Pfizer Chemical Plant, Southport, NC and B&W Tobacco Plant, Macon, GA
• Fluor Daniel -
  Staley Corn Plant, Loudon, TN and Kimberly-Clark Paper Mill, Childersburg, AL
• TVA -
  Tennessee Valley Authority, Scottsboro, AL and Scottsboro Nuclear Power Plant