About Us

Our Mission

Incorporated in 1950, but with roots in predecessor organizations stretching back to the early years of the 20th century, the Association is one of the oldest construction industry trade associations in California.

ARCBAC is the recognized multi-employer collective bargaining agent for unionized roofing and waterproofing contractors in Northern California. As such, a large part of our mission is to represent member contracting firms in labor relations with their union roofing and waterproofing worker employees.

The Association actively advocates on behalf of member contractors. We are the voice of the unionized roofing and waterproofing industry in the halls of local, regional, and California state government.

The Association also strives to be a resource for consumers, providing authoritative, credible, unbiased information about the roofing industry.

Learn more about the history, mission and activities of the Association.

Our Board

The Association’s Board of Directors consists of nine (9) contractor members, who represent some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s finest roofing and waterproofing companies.

Board Members are elected by the contractor membership of ARCBAC and serve for three-year terms. One-third of the Board is elected annually.

The Board Members, in turn, annually elect Officers who serve one-year terms.

The following individuals are the Association’s Officers and Directors for 2023:

Officer Profiles | Director Profiles

Our Association Members are fully licensed, fully insured, professional roofing contractors who exclusively employ skilled union craftsman

Our Staff

The Association’s professional staff is seasoned and exceptionally well-qualified. Their dedication to the support of the Bay Area roofing and waterproofing industry helps us to provide the utmost value to member companies.

Each of the Association’s staff members has an impressive resume of training and experience. Learn more about their qualifications below.

Manuel De Santiago, III

Executive Director

Manuel joined the Association as Associate Executive Director in May 2017 and became Executive Director in June 2018.

Manuel brings more than 25 years of diverse experience in all aspects of union construction to his role with the Association. His areas of expertise include human resources, risk management, and labor relations. He has represented management in collective bargaining with the Laborers and Operating Engineers Unions and has served as a Management Trustee on Apprenticeship, Health and Welfare, Pension, and Vacation Trust Funds. His primary duties include negotiating Working Agreements with three Locals of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers, AFL-CIO and handling a variety of day-to-day labor relations matters, serving on joint labor-management Trust funds and committees, and providing professional and technical services to Association Members. Manuel is also active in local, regional, and national industry associations. He currently serves as an ex officio member of the Board of Directors of the Roofing Contractors Association of California and on the Affiliate Executives Council and the Union Contractors Council of the National Roofing Contractors Association. Manuel holds a B.A. from the University of California, Davis, and a J.D. from the John F. Kennedy School of Law.

Steve Johnson

Director of Safety

Steve joined the Association in 1999 as Safety Director through 2014 and has over 25 years of construction and general industry safety management experience.

His experience after leaving the Association ranged from leading construction specialty contractors as safety director to providing safety consultation for general contractors as a senior consultant. In early 2022, Steve returned to the Association and resumed his former role as Safety Director.

He has provided safety consultation, leadership, and compliance training for Association Members for 15 years and has also been involved with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) by providing OSHA Outreach Training and taking part in multiple national safety training efforts. Steve has been an advisory committee member of numerous Cal/OSHA Advisory Committees for proposed regulation changes to Title 8 California Code of Regulations that affect the construction industry. He stays active in the regulatory process and represents the Association to help shape the outcome of proposed regulations that have a fiscal impact or regulatory burden on the construction industry.

Through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) Steve certified as an Occupational Hygiene and Safety Technician (OHST) in 1996. Also, through BCSP, he participated in a Beta Testing Program and certified as a Safety Management Specialist (SMS) in 2017. Steve has been a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) since 1998 and is now a professional member of ASSP and active in the Bay Area Construction Section of the San Francisco Chapter of ASSP. Steve has a Bachelor of Science Degree from California State University, East Bay, in 1993.

Dejana "DJ" Velic

Office Manager

DJ joined the Association as Office Manager in November 2020.

DJ has a B.S. from California State University – East Bay. With the Association, DJ is responsible for all accounting, database management, and general office operations. The friendly professional voice members hear when they call the office belongs to DJ.