An engaged leadership

On May 31, we said goodbye to Chairman of the Board Dennis Conway, principal of Commercial Roofers Inc., Las Vegas, as he ended his term. And what a chairman he was! He had the responsibility of leading the association during the transition of former NRCA CEO Bill Good to my leadership—two men with quite different styles. Dennis managed the transition with his normal softspoken demeanor and striking sense of humor. All of us at NRCA appreciate his work.

Our current Chairman of the Board Jim Barr, president of Barr Roofing Co., Abilene, Texas, did not waste a minute before taking on his responsibilities. On June 5, Chairman Barr found himself at NRCA headquarters discussing volunteer responsibilities with first-time board members. Then he, I and Chairman of the Board-elect Kent Schwickert, senior vice president—national business unit for Tecta America Corp., Mankato, Minn., spent a day with leaders of the Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association discussing some common opportunities, such as government relations efforts and NRCA's new ProCertification program. Next, we headed to the Western States Roofing Contractors Association convention followed by the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association Inc.'s convention.

During this busy stretch, I was struck by how much volunteer time our members (and especially our volunteer leaders) donate to the industry. Not once during our time on the road did I hear a word of complaint from either Jim or Kent or any members who regularly serve on committees and task forces. The roofing industry is an amazing place to earn a living. I am proud to be a part of such a generous group of business leaders. I wish the entire country could watch them work!

I will tell you what else strikes me at NRCA. I am amazed at how involved our past presidents and past chairmen are (in 2014, NRCA changed the title of its highest volunteer position from president to chairman of the board). Recently, former President Dane Bradford volunteered to teach a roofing course in Dubai. Former President Rob Therrien continues to offer his time on behalf of our members who install solar energy systems. And former Chairman of the Board Rich Nugent works as hard today on our worker certification program as he did when he was chairman. And these are only a few; there are many others.

What is it that makes these men and women so committed to service? Why are they still so involved years after serving in our association's highest office? I suspect we would get a different answer from each one. Having served as NRCA president more than a decade ago, I understand the importance of NRCA and its broad, positive effect on the industry and my life. I am thankful for the service of each of you.

I understand there always will be those who have not yet seen or simply choose to ignore the value of a leader's time and efforts devoted to NRCA. I invite you to join our cause. Come see what being part of this great family can do for you and your business. If you are like the nearly 3,000 contractors who are in already, you will want to stay.

Stay tuned.

Reid Ribble is NRCA's CEO.
@NRCA_CEO