By Cyrus Guccione
Mail

Celebrating 40 years of business, Roger Thyfault said he has defied all odds to get to where his business is today.

Folks around town know Thyfault as a proudly unlicensed contractor and owner of Western Maintenance and Supply. Thyfault boldly publicizes his lack of accreditation as a defining factor of his work.

“If you’re not doing shoddy work and you’re good to your customers, there’s nothing any of these registered contractors can do,” Thyfault said. “My reputation is pretty impeccable out here and I got a good following of people.”

While it may not be easy, Thyfault says “going above and beyond the call of duty” is how he has remained busy these last four decades, providing roofing, siding and all types of contracting work for home and business owners in Fountain Hills and beyond.

According to the Arizona Revised Statues, a contractor’s license is generally required if a permit is necessary to build or labor and materials exceed an amount of $1,000. “I work illegally every day of the week,” Thyfault says, adding that his quality of work and the material he uses are what sets him apart as a superior contractor.

“As long as I do good work and I don’t have any complaints, there’s no way they can stop me from working.”

Thyfault had two role models in his uncles, Jerry and Bernie Comeau, who settled in Fountain Hills in the mid-1970s to open a drug store and a dental office.

A sixth-generation American, Thyfault followed suit and moved to Fountain Hills in 1985 from Hays, Kan.

While he reestablished his contracting business in Arizona, Thyfault also ran a retail paint and roofing supply shop downtown.

Crisis response

During the 2008 financial crisis, Thyfault didn’t miss a beat. As businesses shuttered and work slowed in Arizona, Thyfault was finishing his third summer helping rebuild Louisiana homes and businesses after Hurricane Katrina. A few years later, a major hailstorm hit his home state that brought down grapefruit-size hailstones, Thyfault said.

“Every house, every roof, every siding, every window and almost every car got destroyed in about a 90-mile radius. It was a major disaster,” he said. He spent a few summers in Kansas helping rebuild his hometown.

After roughly four more years working in Nebraska, Thyfault resettled in Fountain Hills where he keeps his workers busy.

“I’m only as good as my help,” he said. “The guys I got working for me have been with me for over 30 years. They’re the reason for my success.”

Marking his 40th year in business, Thyfault also credits his clients and his family for their support, especially his nephew, Quinton, who has begun working alongside him over the last few years.

“He’s like me, he doesn’t have a license but he’s got a tremendous following and he’s got more work than he can handle and I think he’s going to be out here in Fountain Hills for a long time, too,” Thyfault said.

As the new year approaches, Thyfault hopes to throw a big party celebrating his milestone. When that time comes, he’ll be sure to invite the entire community.

“It’ll be a fish fry,” Thyfault said.

For more information about Western Maintenance and Supply, call 480-837-1148.

We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Cyrus Guccione can be reached at cguccione@iniusa.org.