Astute readers—that is to say, readers of this magazine—understand those of us involved in planning conventions always refer to them as being the "biggest and best ever." Guilty as charged.
Having that out of the way, the 2014 International Roofing Expo® (IRE) held earlier this year in Las Vegas was indeed the biggest ever—with 9,568 in attendance—and I'll leave it to you to determine whether it was the best. However, there are a few things worth noting.
For one, nearly 10 percent of attendees came from outside the U.S (from 49 different countries). That is almost double the number from 2013. The event truly has become international, and it's now pretty clear NRCA has made its mark on the worldwide roofing community. This can only be a good thing.
The exhibit floor itself was not, in fact, the biggest ever, but it was the biggest since the Great Recession of 2008-09, and it signals a rebound for the industry. Most important, every major roofing material manufacturer exhibited—something we haven't been able to say for a few years. That's a great show of industry solidarity, and I'm happy to report all those manufacturers will be back for the 2015 IRE.
At NRCA's Cocktail Reception and Awards Ceremony, we recognized a lot of folks for the good work they do. The process has become increasingly challenging because the level of entries we receive for the Gold Circle Awards program, NRCA/CNA Community Involvement Award and Most Valuable Player Awards are simply amazing. The industry boasts incredible work done by incredible people with enormous hearts. Need proof? Visit www.nrca.net/Community-Involvement-2014-winners and look for the video about Oklahoma Roofing & Sheet Metal's Horseback Heroes program. It's compelling and heartwarming.
Attendance at educational programs was up about 80 percent (!) from a year ago. Despite all the distractions of Las Vegas, attendees understood the value of learning and networking—even the 7:45 a.m. educational sessions were sold out. This is an industry hungry for knowledge and full of information to share.
Keynote speaker Frank Abagnale, a convicted felon made famous by the movie "Catch Me If You Can," enthralled a packed house with his life story of disappointment, crime and redemption. It was told in a straightforward manner with the important message that families matter even more than we might think.
The challenge, of course, is to make NRCA's 128th Annual Convention even bigger and better.
That's difficult. But if all our astute readers are there, as they should be, it will become a reality.
Bill Good is NRCA's executive vice president.
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