He spent most of his early years at Bengard revamping the machines and changing the business model to focus on flooring trims as the core business. In 1991, he became the vice president of sales and by the age of 34, he was named president of Bengard Manufacturing by his mentor, Bill Benson Sr. 

“My affinity for tinkering with bikes, motorcycles, cars and just about any type of machine, as well as my education in mechanical engineering, served me well in my career,” said Comitale. “Especially in the early years when the rudimentary equipment we had needed to be upgraded, and the processes streamlined. The work we did in eliminating non-value-added labor and the switch to a JIT production system allowed us to compete with much bigger companies and win market share.”

Comitale’s quick advancement and extraordinary leadership earned him a nomination to YPO, Young President’s Organization where he later graduated to WPO, World President’s Organization. Comitale has also been a participating member of many industry associations. He was an active board member for the former Flooring Installation Association of North America (FIANA), was an integral part of the Flooring Institute of Ontario (FIO) and is the current Chairman of the Board for the Canadian Home Products Trade Association (CHPTA) as well as being on the Board for M-D Canada.

“During my time at Bengard, we grew the company both organically and through acquisition,” he said. “We expanded the product line to include vinyl, wood and MDF moldings as well as the Aluminum Trims we were best known for. In 1999, we combined Bengard Manufacturing with the Flooring portion of Drummond Metal Products, and the combined entity was sold to The Loxcreen Company in Columbia, SC in 2000.” 

It was during Comitale’s time at Loxcreen where he dove in headfirst into product development and there again, he used his engineering background to develop PROVA Tile Installation Products with his team. What started with a single tile underlayment product, has now grown into a complete line of tile underlayment, shower waterproofing and building accessories that are amongst the most advanced in the industry. “I eventually became the COO for The Loxcreen Company’s entire business in both Canada and the U.S,” he explained. “In 2012, M-D Building Products acquired The Loxcreen Company where I have been ever since as executive vice president of M-D Building Products and president of M-D Canada and M-D PRO.” 

“The dedication, time and consistency Joe has invested over decades has resulted in thousands of employees and their families enjoying wonderful lives -- all because of his hard work,” said Ryan Plotkin, president and CEO, M-D Building Products. “He has mentored many people over the years and created pathways for their professional growth and development that they may not have had without his investment in them. The strong relationships that he has fostered with all stakeholders have transitioned to the current leadership team and create a springboard for the company to continue forward successfully in the market for decades to come.”

Comitale will continue to offer his expertise to M-D Building Products on an as-needed consulting basis and will help his successors transition into their leadership roles. This transition plan is set to ensure the business continues to move forward while maintaining the tenets of the M-D PRO Flooring Business and M-D Canada Consumer Business philosophy of “Customer Delight” intact.

Comitale also plans to carry on utilizing his expertise in business strategy and consulting services as the founder of the newly incorporated Dark Horse Business Strategies Inc. “I’ve always enjoyed working with small businesses and plan to find some fledgling companies to work with to pass on some of my experience to help them scale.”

The entire team at M-D Building Products thanks Comitale for his years of outstanding leadership, service, dedication and loyalty.