There is a fine line between a boss and a leader. While the former hustles to succeed, the latter aspires to leave an enduring footprint that inspires future generations. Barbara King, Vice President of HR Operations at Best Roofing, firmly belongs in the latter category. “A successful leader,” she says, “measures her impact by the growth and confidence she inspires in others.” For Barbara, this truth sits at the heart of her work. It shapes her warmth and humility. Success, in her view, is not meaningful unless it is shared with intention and sincerity.
Where did it all begin? From the very start of her career, Barbara found herself drawn to the human side of business. She was particularly struck by the significant impact that prioritizing employee satisfaction could have on an organization. There was one more spark that lit the fire. Along the way, she was fortunate to have mentors who further cemented this conviction. One thing led to another. Those early lessons left a lasting mark and inspired her to build a career in human resources and talent development. The key takeaway was clear: when a company invests in its people, real and lasting success naturally follows.
The HR Journey at Best Roofing
When Barbara first arrived at Best Roofing, HR responsibilities were largely administrative, focused on compliance, hiring, and paperwork. Over time, her role evolved into something far more strategic, centered on ensuring that people policies align with the company’s long-term objectives.
Barbara notes that key milestones in this journey included giving HR a stronger voice with leadership, strengthening collaboration across departments, and establishing more consistent and effective processes for recruitment and employee engagement. Collectively, these efforts have helped position HR as a trusted partner that shapes both the company’s culture and its business growth.
A Day in the Life of the Vice President of HR
For someone like Barbara, who holds a dynamic role, no two days are ever exactly alike. Even so, she consistently centers her time around three core priorities: people, processes, and performance.
Her day often begins with arriving at the office early a few days each week to support field staff, whom she considers essential to keeping everything running smoothly. Mornings typically include quick team check-ins and strategic conversations with leaders focused on talent and workforce planning.
She also sets aside dedicated time for one-on-one meetings with mid-level managers to ensure they have the resources and guidance they need. When it comes to prioritizing her responsibilities, Barbara asks herself, “What will most impact our employees and our business today?” That question helps her make the most of her time and maintain focus.
The Role Model Approach to Work-Life Balance
People in demanding roles often find unique ways to achieve a healthy work-life balance. This can be especially challenging in fields like HR, where regulatory demands, employee concerns, and high-stakes decisions make it difficult to mentally “switch off.”
Barbara approaches her role by seeking integration rather than strict separation. She believes in being deliberate with her energy and time, and regardless of the pressures she faces, self-care remains a priority. She sets healthy boundaries and relies on a strong support system, both at work and at home.
Her motivation mantra serves as a personal reminder that being a role model for balance is an essential part of leadership. Barbara finds that when employees see leaders honoring their own well-being, it encourages them to do the same.
Ongoing Professional Challenge
Ranked among “The Most Influential People in Talent Acquisition, 2025,” Barbara did not have a smooth ride. She has faced her share of setbacks and struggles. One of the most demanding initiatives underway is driving a company-wide cultural transformation. The difficulty lies in aligning leaders, retraining managers, and encouraging meaningful shifts in mindset across departments.
While Barbara believes meaningful progress has been made at Best Roofing, she acknowledges there is still work ahead. Achieving lasting results requires time, consistency, and persistence, supported by clear communication and steady reinforcement.
“When employees begin to see alignment between words and actions, trust builds,” Barbara explains. “That’s when true transformation starts to take root.”
Impactful Hiring in a Competitive Market
This HR executive’s perspective on impactful talent acquisition goes beyond simply filling open roles. It involves bringing in people who align with the company’s values and can grow with the business over the long term. Barbara notes that today’s candidates are increasingly seeking purpose, opportunities for skill development, and a sense of inclusion.
As a result, an effective approach must authentically convey the company’s story and use data to support better hiring decisions. Every step of the candidate experience must also reflect the organization’s culture.
How They Find the Right People at Best Roofing
When asked how Best Roofing aligns its hiring practices with culture and long-term goals, Barbara’s response is matter-of-fact. Clarity, she says, is the linchpin, and it makes half the battle won. She explains that the entire hiring process, from job descriptions to interviews, is designed to assess cultural alignment as carefully as technical proficiency.
Hiring managers play an important role in every hiring cycle, which is why a close partnership is maintained throughout the process. The objective is to ensure candidates are selected not only to meet immediate needs but also for their long-term potential within the organization.
The Proudest Achievement as an HR Leader
Imagine a company meeting where every voice matters. A workplace where HR is seen as more than just hiring and compliance. That is the change Barbara has worked toward throughout her profession, and it stands as one of the achievements she is most proud of.
However, things did not come easily. The shift required sustained effort and consistency. Barbara invested time in ensuring HR earned a seat at the table, allowing the function to influence more than operational basics. Today, HR is involved in shaping culture, workforce planning, and overall growth strategy. For Barbara, seeing HR recognized as an integral part of the business has been deeply rewarding across her 26-year career.
Fostering an Inclusive Culture
At Best Roofing, inclusivity and engagement begin with the fundamentals. Barbara emphasizes that at every stage, employees are encouraged to feel respected, heard, and genuinely valued. The organization places strong emphasis on open communication, creating meaningful opportunities for feedback, and recognizing both team and individual contributions.
While more formal programs continue to evolve, celebrating successes and milestones across the company remains a top priority. This approach helps guarantee that every employee understands the importance of their role in achieving the organization’s goals.
Comprehending the Industry Trends
The trends Barbara sees in talent acquisition will continue to shape the future of HR in the industry: data-driven recruiting, technology-enabled sourcing, and employer branding. Yet she also posits that three elements will remain critical to succession. These are the human touch, personalized candidate experiences, and genuine representation of organizational culture.
Lastly, Barbara indicates that to attract the next generation to construction and roofing, two levers will be essential. One is showcasing career growth opportunities, and the other is investing in workforce development.
Strengthening Leadership Through Support
Barbara views empowerment as a powerful tool for progress, especially when it comes to women. Her perspective is both intentional and expansive. She aims to support not just one, two, or three, but the entire sisterhood. In her words, “Empowered women empower organizations. When we lift others, we lift the entire company.”
For rising female HR professionals who aspire to leadership, Barbara relies on hands-on guidance as her approach. It is the framework beneath everything she does. She believes that “mentorship is the bridge between ambition and achievement; helping others cross it creates a profound effect.” She devotes time to supporting younger professionals, guiding them through technical skills, ethical dilemmas, and the deeper responsibility of leading with care.
With women in HR, her focus is on building confidence and encouraging them to use their voices. This accessible form of mentorship helps them navigate the more challenging aspects of leadership. Barbara also makes a point of creating opportunities, whether by recommending them for high-impact assignments or introducing them to senior leadership.
Additionally, she is an active member of Latinas Rising Up in HR, where she supports and develops Latina HR professionals on their path to leadership. Barbara often reminds them that giving a leg up today benefits everyone tomorrow.
Advice for New HR Pros
Adept leaders like Barbara, who have been around the block, often advise rising talent to step outside their silos. It is a battle-tested way to understand how the entire engine works before attempting to fix any one part. These experienced leaders not only share valuable insights but are also eager to inspire aspiring professionals to choose the right path forward.
Barbara encourages new HR professionals to maintain their sense of curiosity and to focus on the human element behind every policy. She believes they should understand business operations as deeply as they know the HR framework, a practice that helps them become trusted partners to leadership. She also reminds aspiring professionals that empathy is essential and that this quality can become a defining strength for female changemakers.
“When women in leadership,” Barbara stresses, “lead with empathy, vision, and courage, they redefine what’s possible for everyone around them.” This mindset forms the foundation for balancing organizational success with meaningful employee support. Fundamentally, Barbara believes that to truly grow into leadership, professionals must first take the time to understand the ropes.
Legacy as an Inspiring HR Leader
Some leaders levy outcomes. Barbara builds environments. For her, legacy is not about position or transaction. It is about what lasts, how people are treated, what they carry forward, and what they choose to create.
Her contributions extend beyond deal tables and individual decisions. They live in the architecture of influence, in how teams adapt, how collective thinking evolves, and how the profession grows more attuned to the future it must serve.
Barbara wants her legacy to be one where HR is recognized as a core driver of strategy and business success, rather than simply a support function. She does not seek anything grand. Instead, she hopes to be remembered as a leader who uplifted people, encouraged their growth, and created opportunities for them to thrive.
If her efforts inspire others to see HR as a function that genuinely elevates both employees and the business, and helps the next generation reach its potential, that will be a meaningful legacy to her.
