The 2005 International Roofing Expo and NRCA's 118th Annual Convention were held together for the first time Feb. 14-18 in Orlando, Fla. As part of its agreement with NRCA, Hanley Wood LLC, Washington, D.C., managed the trade show and educational portions of the roofing expo, and NRCA organized several events and awarded its traditional honors. Their efforts were met with approval from the 7,492 attendees and 380 exhibiting companies. Following are highlights from the events.
The honors
As in the past, NRCA recognized several roofing professionals for various contributions to the industry.
During the Member Breakfast, NRCA awarded its annual Charlie Raymond Award to Rosemary Oldham, marketing service manager for GAF Materials Corp., Wayne, N.J., for recruiting 13 new members. The award, named for former NRCA President and J.A. Piper Award Winner Charlie Raymond, is presented to the NRCA member who recruited the most members during the past year.
During NRCA's Awards Gala and Dinner, many more honors were bestowed, including the prestigious Gold Circle Awards. Created in 1995, the Gold Circle Awards recognize industry professionals for outstanding contributions in the roofing industry.
Following are this year's winners in their respective categories: Outstanding workmanship—low-slope—D.C. Taylor Co., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for a Cargill Oilseed facility, Sioux City, Iowa; outstanding workmanship—steep-slope—Wagner Roofing Co., Hyattsville, Md., for Robert F. Kennedy Justice Center, Washington, D.C.; service to the community—Empire Roofing Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, for All Saints Catholic School, Fort Worth; innovative solutions—new construction—Chadwick Technology Pty. Ltd., Forestville, Australia, for Second Bangkok International Airport, Bangkok, Thailand; and innovative solutions—reroofing—James Myers Co., Beltsville, Md., for Murray Building Storefront, Washington, D.C., and Mason Dixon Building Maintenance, Stewartstown, Pa., for Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital, Baltimore. Chicagoland Roofers' Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, Indian Head Park, Ill., received an honorable mention for service to the industry for its Roof Asset Management Seminar. (See "Golden opportunities," page 18, for more information.)
For the second year, NRCA presented its Excellence in Design Award to a company that demonstrated design of a long-lasting, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly roof system according to accepted industry practices. This year's winner, Prairie Technologies Inc., Rockford, Minn., won for its design and installation of a technologically advanced roof system. The roof system can capture 25 percent of rainwater that can be reused for irrigation; features a white PVC membrane and EPDM membrane coated with a reflective white acrylic coating, as well as a 5,000-square-foot (464.5-m²) prairie garden; has a 5-kW solar array between the two roof systems; and incorporates a weather station and Web camera on its south end.
One of attendees' favorite award presentations has been The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress' Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards. The awards annually recognize 10 roofing workers from throughout the United States who exhibit outstanding on-the-job performance; attract new roofing workers and help retain existing ones; contribute to a team effort; are involved with community service and volunteerism; and participate in other noteworthy contributions and activities. Nominees do not hold positions higher than foreman. Following are this year's winners:
Also during the Awards Gala and Dinner, NRCA presented the first graduates of its Future Executives Institute with diplomas for completing a rigorous three-year program designed to help future and current leaders of roofing companies prepare to take over their companies. This year's graduates follow:
Perhaps the luckiest winner of the evening was Gary Wolfe, chairman and chief executive officer of Wolfe Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Reading, Pa., who won the National Roofing Foundation's (NRF's) raffle for a 2005 BMW Z4 2.5i Roadster. Net proceeds of the raffle will be used to benefit NRF's scholarship endowment fund.
Significant speakers
During the 2005 International Roofing Expo's keynote address, sports personality Dick Vitale shared his unique story of success and urged attendees to follow their dreams to achieve their goals.
And NRCA's Member Breakfast and Annual Awards Gala and Dinner also boasted two accomplished individuals speak to attendees.
During the Member Breakfast, Indianapolis-based Firestone Building Products Co. President Mike Gorey discussed his experiences with Firestone's tire division. Gorey was in charge of the division when the company's tires inexplicably failed when used with certain Ford vehicles. He discussed how the company survived the crisis and the lessons he learned as a leader.
During the Awards Gala and Dinner, attendees welcomed former CIA Director George Tenet. Tenet described his terms in office and called his former occupation "the best job in government." He defended the United States' policies abroad and told attendees there are hundreds of clandestine operatives risking their lives to defend and protect U.S. citizens.
J.A. Piper Award
The industry's most prestigious honor—the J.A. Piper Award—was presented during the Awards Gala and Dinner. First presented in 1948, the J.A. Piper Award is named for former NRCA President Joseph A. Piper, whose extraordinary efforts kept the association afloat during the Great Depression.
Former NRCA President and 2004 J.A. Piper Award Winner Michael Beldon presented the 2005 award to former NRCA President Chuck
Bechtel, chairman of the board of Harold J. Becker Co. Inc., Dayton, Ohio. Bechtel, NRCA president from 1994-95, boasts extensive involvement in NRCA. Active in the organization since the 1970s, Bechtel has held numerous committee chairmanships, had several terms as a director, and been vice president and senior vice president.
"Chuck is a leader in every sense of the word and never has shied away from any controversial topic," Beldon says.
"I'm so proud to have won. It is such an honor," Bechtel says. "It's a great group I have joined."
Looking forward
The success of the 2005 International Roofing Expo and NRCA's 118th Annual Convention serves as a strong foundation for next year's events, which will be held Feb. 14-17 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Once again, Hanley Wood and NRCA will team to provide a valuable experience.
Ambika Puniani Bailey is editor of Professional Roofing and NRCA's director of communications.
The new leaders
During NRCA's 118th Annual Convention, the association announced its 2005-06 slate of officers, which was approved. Terms begin June 1.
Reid Ribble, president of The Ribble Group, Kaukauna, Wis., was named NRCA president. Ribble served as senior vice president for 2004-05 and as vice president from 1994-95, 1996-99, 2000-03 and 2003-04. He was a director from 1990-93 and has been chairman of the Asphalt Shingle QC Document Task Force, ASTM Coordinating Committee and Government Relations Oversight Committee.
Mark Gaulin, president of Magco Inc., Jessup, Md., was named senior vice president. Gaulin was a director from 1993-96, 1997-98 and 2000-03. He was vice president from 2003-05. In addition to his involvement with several NRCA committees, Gaulin has been chairman of the Architectural Sheet Metal Committee, Internet/Electronic Communications Committee and NRCA Retirement Committee.
In addition, the following contractors were named vice presidents for a two-year term: Luis Fernandez, president of Roof Decks of Puerto Rico Inc., Bayamon, Puerto Rico; T. Allen Lancaster Jr., president of Metalcrafts Inc., Savannah, Ga.; and William Taylor, chief executive officer and chairman of D.C. Taylor Co., Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
NRCA also elected new directors, who will serve a three-year term; they follow: Brad Beldon, president of Beldon Roofing Co., San Antonio; Billy Cone, president of Roof Tech, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Tom Dessent, secretary of corporation-estimator and sales of Dessent Roofing Co. Inc., Chicago; Sandy Farrell, president of Farrell Roofing and Sheet Metal Co. Inc., Houston; Douglas Fields, vice president of Certified Roofing Systems, Bladensburg, Md; Will Fort III, president of Fort Roofing and Sheet Metal Works, Sumter, S.C.; Thomas Furey, owner of Furey Roofing and Construction Co. Inc., Providence, R.I.; James Giese, president of Jim Giese Commercial Roofing Inc., Dubuque, Iowa; William Hamlin Jr., president of Hamlin Roofing Co. Inc., Garner, N.C.; Ed Lundin, vice president of Lundin Roofing Co. LLC, Port Allen, La.; and Kyle Thomas, vice president of Thomas Roofing Co. Inc., Mobile, Ala.
In addition, Robert Daly Jr., president of Kaw Roofing and Sheet Metal Co. Inc., Kansas City, Kan., was named director for a one-year term.
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