Beacon EVP, general counsel moving to special advisor role

Beacon announced that Executive Vice President and General Counsel Ross Cooper will transition next year from his full-time role as the company’s general counsel to a special advisor role focused on business strategy and growth initiatives. 

Cooper will help lead the national search for his successor and assist in a successful transition. He also plans to expand his role on the faculty of the Kogod School of Business at American University, where he has been an adjunct professor of business law since 2018.

The EVP joined Beacon in 2006 as the company’s first General Counsel after spending more than a decade representing Beacon and other roofing distribution companies as outside litigation counsel. 

He has been responsible for all of Beacon’s legal affairs including acquisitions, contracts, SEC reporting, labor and employment, corporate governance, leasing, and litigation management. 

During Cooper’s tenure, Beacon has grown from 150 branches and approximately $1.5 billion in sales into a Fortune 500 national leader in building products distribution, with over 500 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada and $7 billion in sales.

Cooper has helped lead Beacon through 35 acquisitions, including the transformative multibillion-dollar acquisitions of Roofing Supply Group and Allied Building Products. 

He also led the legal deal team in Beacon’s $850 million divesture of its Interior Products business that was announced on Dec 21.

“Ross’s deep knowledge of the building materials industry, legal acumen, and his negotiating and problem solving skills have been instrumental to Beacon’s growth and success during his tenure as General Counsel,” said Beacon President and CEO Julian Francis. “His ability to develop and efficiently coordinate Beacon’s acquisition efforts over the years have been particularly impressive, and we are thrilled that Ross will remain with Beacon with a focus on business strategy and current and future growth opportunities. He will continue to bring tremendous insight and experience to his students at Kogod while remaining a key contributor to Beacon’s future plans.”

“I feel extremely privileged to have served as Beacon’s first General Counsel and for the opportunity to provide advice and counsel to Beacon’s employees, leadership team and board of directors,” Cooper said. “The last 15 years have flown by and have been personally and professionally rewarding. I am particularly proud of the great legal team we have built to help advise Beacon in the future and support our next general counsel. I am very excited to expand my role at American University while continuing to contribute to Beacon’s growth plans. I am confident that Beacon will continue to drive shareholder value by executing on our strategic initiatives.”