A Family Legacy: Generations of Building Dreams in Stafford

When Nicole McDaniel was just a small child, she would ride along in the truck with her father, Kevin Parker, picking up trash from job sites while he checked on roofing work and spoke with homeowners. Little did she know those early days would shape not just her career, but her entire life's trajectory.

"I practiced my math skills by estimating jobs for my dad while he was inspecting the roof," Nicole recalls. "He would holler measurements down to me and I'd go to the truck to do all of the math while he finished up and loaded ladders."

Today, at 39, Nicole serves as the driving force behind Kevin's Roofing, the family business her father started as a teenager. It's a story that weaves together generations of hard work, dedication, and deep roots in the Stafford community.

Kevin Parker, now 60, began his roofing journey at just 11 years old, working on homes his father built. By his junior year at Stafford Senior High, he was already running his own roofing company, attending school in the mornings and roofing in the afternoons thanks to the school's split schedule. He married his high school sweetheart, Celina, two years after graduation, and Nicole was born two years after that, followed by her brother, Kevin Aaron Parker.

"Kevin has been the foundation of Kevin's Roofing and it has changed and evolved into the business it is today," Nicole says proudly.

While Kevin built the business across eastern Virginia, Celina pursued her education, earning a Master's Degree in Teaching Education from UVA. She went on to teach for 30 years in Fairfax and Stafford County, instructing students in physical education, driver's education, business management, and personal finance. She also coached varsity softball at both Stafford High and Colonial Forge, as well as basketball, track, and field hockey. Celina recently retired from her distinguished teaching career.

Growing up in Stafford and attending Hartwood Elementary, Gayle Middle, and Colonial Forge High School, Nicole was always involved in the family company. In middle school, during the early days of personal computers, she created an estimating spreadsheet for Kevin's Roofing. "We still use a [now very updated] version of that sheet," she notes.

By high school, Nicole was working 25 hours a week through the co-op program, running the repair division, while also putting in 20 hours a week at Men's Wearhouse. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Marketing from Longwood University, working in banking during and after college at Woodforest Bank and then PNC.

But fate had other plans. After a robbery at the bank, Nicole, understandably, found herself unsettled about her career path. Her father asked her to return for one year to handle a few company projects, giving her time to figure out, as she puts it, "what I wanted to be when I grew up."

"It didn't take long to figure out this was where I belonged," Nicole says. "We began a 10-year succession plan in 2011, and that has brought us to today."

That journey has been supported every step of the way by her husband, Nick McDaniel, 39. The couple's love story began as freshmen at Colonial Forge High School, where they dated briefly before rekindling their romance as juniors. They graduated high school and went off to college together, attending Longwood University, where Nick also earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. After graduating, they got engaged and married in 2009 at a Sandals resort in St. Lucia—a destination that remains special to them.

"My mom actually knew him before I did," Nicole shares. "She was a teacher at AG Wright Middle, where he went to school before CFHS.”

Nick brings his own entrepreneurial spirit to the family, having owned a concrete installation company during college. He later served as a Telecommunications Officer at Stafford County Sheriff's Department for 14 years before starting his own property management company two years ago, managing short and long-term rental properties in the area.

Despite their busy professional lives, the McDaniels prioritize community and connection. Nicole serves on the Building and Grounds committee for Fredericksburg Academy and as President of her HOA, and the couple supports as many small businesses as they can. "We're always looking to help promote small businesses, specifically, those who provide great products and services within our community."

The couple loves the region they call home. "The Fredericksburg region has a small town feel with big town amenities," Nicole explains. "I normally run into someone I know when out and about in town."

When they're not working, the McDaniels can be found enjoying the water—spending time on the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers or vacationing at their favorite spot, the Outer Banks. They also love exploring the area on foot —walking downtown Fredericksburg — or hitting the gym, where Nicole has developed a passion for yoga.

For Nicole, living in Stafford her whole life has never felt limiting. Instead, it's provided the foundation for building something meaningful: a business, a family legacy, and a life deeply connected to community. From those early days riding in the truck with her dad to leading the family business today, she's proof that sometimes the best path forward is the one that leads you home.