Rast Bryant works in a very hands-on industry: commercial roofing.
Bryant is the general manager of Lloyd Roofing in Fort Myers. He's seen an uptick in business as more residential units are built in Southwest Florida, because, as the old business saying goes, "retail follows residential."
In addition, a rush in new roof and repair work usually follows a big storm, such as Hurricane Ian in 2022. That's partly why Lloyd Roofing's Southwest Florida sales volume increased from $472,000 in 2021 to $6.8 million in 2022, the company says in Bryant's nomination form. Company officials project $11 million in 2023 sales volume in the division.Â