Biography

Gordon Penrose MBE – Honorary President

Gordon Penrose, the Honorary President of the Institute of Roofing (IOR), was been awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year Honours list in recognition of his services to the roof slating and tiling industry.

Gordon, who is also the managing director of Penrose Roofing in Northern Ireland, has played key roles in various roofing associations over the last 60 years. He has been the president of both the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) and the International Federation for the Roofing Trade (IFD).

Gordon has also served two terms as Chairman of the NFRC Northern Ireland region and chaired the NFRC’s competitions committee, which was responsible for organising roofing competitions, including selecting teams for SkillBuild UK and the IFD World Championship.

As director of the Northern Ireland Roof Training Group, Gordon has played a key role in helping to create apprenticeships for young people within the industry. He was instrumental in bringing the IFD congress and world championship roofing competitions to Belfast in 2010 as well as the IoR conference to Belfast in 2012.

Gordon began his career as an apprentice with Dunfermline District Council and set up Penrose Roofing in 1967. He is currently a livery member of the Worshipful Company of Tilers and Bricklayers (London Guild) as well as a Freeman of the City of London, Belfast Ambassador and Honorary life member of the Polish roofing federation.