GAF received FORTIFIED™ Pioneer Award for advancing resilient roofing across North America

August 17, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.

GAF's commitment to the roofing industry recognized nationwide.

GAF, North America’s largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer, has been recognized by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) with a 2026 FORTIFIED™ Pioneer Award for its leadership in expanding access to resilient roofing. The recognition was announced during the 11th Annual FORTIFIED™ Awards, which celebrate organizations and professionals advancing disaster-resistant construction.

The Pioneer Award highlights GAF's commitment to increasing industry education around resilient roofing practices and its first-of-its-kind alliance with IBHS. Through the collaboration, GAF has helped train over 1,100 roofing professionals across more than 600 companies nationwide. In 2025, approximately one-third of newly designated FORTIFIED™ homes were built using GAF shingles, reflecting the growing role GAF-trained contractors and products play in advancing resilient construction.

“GAF's commitment to growing the network of qualified FORTIFIED roofing professionals has played an important role in making resilient construction more accessible to homeowners,” said Fred Malik, Managing Director of the FORTIFIED Program at IBHS. “By investing in contractor education and training, GAF is helping strengthen communities and advance the adoption of roofing practices that have been proven to improve home resilience.”

Through GAF's Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence (CARE) program, GAF delivers specialized training to help GAF Master Elite contractors meet the requirements to become FORTIFIED Certified Roofing Contractors. This equips contractors with the skills to install roofing systems designed to meet IBHS's beyond-code standards for resilience to help homeowners achieve greater protection against severe weather.

"We're honored to receive this recognition and proud of the impact our collaboration has had on advancing resilient roofing across the industry," said Mike Thomas, Director of External Learning & Development, Storm Restoration at GAF. “By bringing together contractors and instructors from GAF’s CARE team, we've been able to expand access to education, raise the bar for installation quality, and help more homeowners safeguard their homes with confidence.”

In addition to GAF's recognition, numerous GAF-certified contractors were honored with FORTIFIED Volume Awards and FORTIFIED Social Media Awards, recognizing their contributions to increasing homeowner awareness of resilient construction and delivering FORTIFIED-designated roofs in communities across the country. GAF-certified contractors recognized include:

GAF-Certified FORTIFIED Volume Award Recipients

GAF-Certified FORTIFIED Social Media Award Winners

These recognitions come as the FORTIFIED program continues to gain momentum across the United States, recently surpassing 100,000 designated homes, reflecting growing demand for science-backed construction practices that help homes better withstand hurricanes, high winds, hail, and severe storms. For more information about FORTIFIED Roof™ or how to become FORTIFIED certified, visit www.gaf.com/FORTIFIED.

About GAF

GAF, a Standard Industries company, is the leading roofing and waterproofing manufacturer in North America. For more than 135 years, GAF has been trusted to protect what matters most for families, business owners and roofing professionals with its innovative solutions and focus on exceptional service. GAF's leadership extends to its commitment to strengthen its communities and industry through investments in career development, sustainable products, and local community resilience. Learn more at www.GAF.com

About the IBHS

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is an independent, nonprofit, scientific research and communications organization supported solely by property insurers and reinsurers. IBHS’s building safety research leads to real-world solutions for home and business owners, helping to create more resilient communities. Learn more at ibhs.org.

About FORTIFIED

FORTIFIED is a voluntary construction and re-roofing program designed to strengthen homes against severe weather, including high winds, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Visit fortifiedhome.org to learn more about the program, including the designation process.