Raising the Roof With Heart: Meet Dawn Collins of Boxer Exteriors
By: Boxer Exteriors • February 11, 2026 • 3 min. read
From Texas roots to Wheaton streets, Dawn Collins brings integrity, energy, and a personal touch to home improvement. Learn how this local entrepreneur built Boxer Exteriors on trust, craftsmanship, and a deep love for community.
Hi, I’m Dawn Collins! I’m the proud owner of Boxer Exteriors, a local roofing, siding, window, and gutter company that’s all about top-notch craftsmanship with a personal touch. Around here, we believe that doing the job right isn’t just about using the best materials—it’s about making homeowners feel supported, valued, and confident from start to finish.
I actually grew up in Texas, splitting my early years between Dallas and Houston. Life took a big turn just before my 16th birthday when I moved up to Illinois. I landed at Fremd High School in Palatine and later went on to Illinois State, before transferring to Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island to finish my degree. It’s safe to say I’ve had a little bit of everywhere shape who I am!
Before starting Boxer Exteriors, I spent years in advertising sales, where I learned how to build strong relationships, grow businesses, and lead teams. Eventually, I became Executive Director for EO Chicago, a non-profit for entrepreneurs. I spent eight years surrounded by inspiring, visionary business owners, and that’s when the entrepreneurial spark really hit me. I realized I wanted to build something of my own— something meaningful, where I could make a real difference.
About nine years ago, life brought me to Wheaton. My husband, Tony, grew up here—he’s a Wheaton North grad and knows every bit of local history (he loves to remind me!). When we were house-hunting, Wheaton just felt right. It’s got that perfect blend of community, charm, and family-friendly energy. We love everything about it—the Prairie Path, summer concerts, local shops, farmers’ markets—you’ll usually catch us out and about enjoying it all.
Tony and I have a blended family of five awesome kids: Harper (11), Bennett (13), Addison (20), Preston (23), and Peyton (24). Plus, we’ve got two Boxers, Murphy and Winnie, who are basically part of the family circus. Between our business, kids’ activities, dog walks, errands, gym time, and my ever-growing list of home design projects, life’s always full (but in the best way).
Starting Boxer Exteriors was more than just a career move for us. We saw firsthand how hard it can be to find contractors who are honest, reliable, and genuinely care. With Tony’s fifteen years of roofing experience and my background in leadership and business, we knew we could bring something different to the table. We wanted to create a company people could trust—one that shows up, does great work, and treats every home like it’s our own.
At Boxer, our core values aren’t just business buzzwords—they’re how we live our lives. We believe in being knowledgeable, customer-focused, accountable, reliable, reasonable, kind, grateful, and fully committed. We believe in doing what’s right, keeping our word, and always bringing a positive attitude.
Giving back is also a big part of who we are. We support local groups like DuPage Animal Friends and Naperville Humane Society, and we started our Raise the Roof program to help families who need critical roof repairs but can’t afford them. Every fall, we choose a deserving family to help—last year, we were honored to install a brand-new roof for Jamie Sessions, a single mom of two. Moments like that remind us why we do what we do. (Check out the full story on our Instagram—it’s one of my favorites!)
At the end of the day, what makes Boxer Exteriors special is simple: we’re family-owned, rooted in integrity, and genuinely invested in our customers and community. Our goal is to keep building something that not only delights the people we serve but also gives back to the place we call home—all while creating a life I love, one roof and one relationship at a time.
Boxer exteriors did an amazing job! I own multiple commercial properties and because of them I was able to actually step back and take a vacation with my family. They handled the entire process from start to finish with the utmost service. Allowing me peace of mind while I was away enjoying life!!
Response time was great same day repair. Communication with company was face to face and very prompt Workmen were terrific to work with and did a great job also took it upon themselves to inspect and repair other wind damage I did not see I highly recommend Boxer Exteriors
We had some storm damage to our roof so I called Boxer to help me get the claim process started with insurance. We ended up arguing back-and-forth with insurance about their coverage so it took us such a long time to move forward. By the time we pulled the trigger on re-roofing, it was the very end of the season and snow was coming. Boxer made it happen right before cold and snow set in, working in the dusk of Chicago’s short November daylight to get the job done. Despite working in limited daylight, not a nail was left on our property! So impressed! Thank you Tony and Dawn!
I had such a wonderful experience with boxer exterior. They were fast. Pricing was great great customer service. I would highly recommend them to anyone.
Having our roof replaced with Boxer Exteriors was an outstanding experience. It was done efficiently and expertly. The cleanup was thorough. We love our new roof. Thanks to Tony, Preston and their hard working crew.
Boxer Exteriors went above and beyond for us. I worked directly with the owner Tony and his son Preston, and they were outstanding from start to finish. They accommodated us at the last minute during a tight timeline as we prepared to list our home with a relocation company, and they made everything happen seamlessly. Their professionalism, communication, and quality of work were excellent. It’s no surprise they have a five star rating on Google. Highly recommend.
Tony did a great job coordinating the repair job at my house. His caring and concern for the customer is exceptional. The work performed was done on time and exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend.
Our experience with Boxer Exteriors has been seamless and pleasant. Great customer service. Dawn and her team went above and beyond. I highly recommend!!!!!💪🏻💪🏻
We recently used Boxer Exteriors for our roof, siding and gutters - they basically did a full exterior makeover on our home. The project took just about a week, and it’s seriously hard to believe it’s even the same 1960’s house. As first time homeowners, we didn’t really know what to expect - but we certainly didn’t expect it to be as easy and transformative as it was. Tony spent quality time with us upfront, ensuring we had the right samples / color options, and even went out of his way to research and acquire a product he didn’t previously have since he thought it would match our ideas best. That was really cool and unexpected. It was obvious that they take a lot of pride in their projects. During the installation the team was SO respectful - I assumed our landscaping would be destroyed and the noise would be impossible to work through - but it was honestly fine. The team cleaned up every day, protected our landscaping and furniture, and were so kind and considerate. Preston and Tony were both on hand to address any questions (& my crazy last minute changes - like wait can you go back and do a custom door frame?!?). The craftsmanship and quality exceeded our expectations in every way - and as a family with two dogs, I love that they give back to local dog groups!! We initially found this business because the company name was on a few sponsor lists for events at our local middle and high schools. I really loved the idea of supporting a local business, especially one who is so actively engaged with, and contributing to, our local community. The roof is perfection, the siding is beyond beautiful, and overall I cannot recommend this company enough. Also good to mention they were priced very competitively to other companies - and the quality of the product was chefs kiss.
So grateful to the Boxer Exteriors team for their help with my roof and siding this summer. Peyton delivered consistent best-in-class customer service throughout the experience, working closely with my insurance. Kept me well informed throughout the process, but never let it feel overwhelming. Was a nice plus that our dogs got along so well and would play while we talked shop.
The work to the house was handled over two days, one for the roof and another for the siding. No incidents and the end result was seamless. Really came together in the end and have gotten regular compliments on the final outcome.
Overall, couldn’t be happier with my decision to go with Boxer. Professional, trust-worthy, and just overall really good people!
This was my first experience dealing with a roofer on a insurance claim, and Boxer Exteriors I feel went above and beyond to insure we got a roof that was done right, and listened to our concerns and all the questions we had. I feel very confident in recommending them for your needs.
Boxer Exteriors did an outstanding job on our roof and siding. The team was friendly, easy to work with, and very communicative throughout the entire process. They kept everything clean and delivered excellent workmanship with high-quality materials. We are very happy with the results and would highly recommend them!
Great experience with Boxer Exteriors. Everyone was very professional, and they got the job done quickly and effectively! The roof looks great! Loved working with Preston and Tony!
Boxer exteriors did a nice job of repairing our roof after hail storm. The workers were polite and professional. They cleaned up after each phase of construction, and after the job was done. We would recommend them to anyone needing roof repairs.
The team at Boxer Exteriors was responsive, professional, and a pleasure to work with. They replaced two sections of our gutters and downspouts that solved the issue of our old gutters overflowing in heavy rains. Would recommend!
