With the economy showing faint signs of recovery and business owners looking ahead to a brighter future, innovative business ideas may be more important than ever. Held in conjunction with Washington, D.C.-based Hanley Wood LLC's 2010 International Roofing Expo (IRE), NRCA's 123rd Annual Convention is an excellent place to gain those big ideas. This year's convention will take place in New Orleans Feb. 20-24 and offers roofing professionals a unique opportunity to share ideas, discover new products and knowledge, and learn from industry experts.
Convention events
The convention kicks off Saturday, Feb. 20, with NRCA's Executive Committee, affiliate executives and board of directors meetings.
Legal lessons
The National Roofing Legal Resource Center's (NRLRC's) annual breakfast will take place from 7 to 9 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 21.
During the breakfast, Rene Dupuis, president of Structural Research Inc., Middleton, Wis.; Mark Graham, NRCA's associate executive director of technical services; and Stephen Phillips, a partner with the Atlanta-based law firm Hendrick, Phillips, Salzman & Flatt, will discuss how attendees can limit their liability and protect themselves from numerous legal, technical and business concerns.
The panel will address such topics as condensation problems related to white single-ply membranes; complying with new energy codes when they conflict with building codes; responsibility for building code compliance for photovoltaic and vegetative roof systems and how liability can be shifted; managing risk inherent when using fume-emitting products and responding to the claims; and complying with the Employee Free Choice Act.
Excellent education
Also Feb. 21, NRCA University will offer several educational courses: CERTA Train-the-trainer Authorization; Roofing Safety: 10-hour Program; For Foremen and Superintendents Only; and Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z.
Through classroom instruction and hands-on torching activities, CERTA Train-the-trainer Authorization addresses how to teach torch safety. After successfully completing the 10-hour accreditation program, participants will be authorized to conduct Certified Roofing Torch Applicator (CERTA) training and receive training materials, including an instructors guide and English and Spanish editions of the CERTA student manual and training video. The course is designed to benefit roofing professionals at all levels who wish to implement and expand their torch safety programs.
Roofing Safety: 10-hour Program is the only Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10-hour construction program designed to help participants identify and avoid common roofing-related hazards. Designed to benefit roofing contractors, safety directors, superintendents, foremen and roofing workers, the course includes video segments of job-site scenarios demonstrating typical hazards and their remedies. Participants receive an OSHA 10-hour safety training completion card upon successful course completion.
Designed for field managers, For Foremen and Superintendents Only provides ways to improve communication and management skills needed to effectively manage roofing crews. The interactive program helps participants recognize and improve their communication styles and increase their crews' productivity.
Participants in Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z will learn OSHA's fall-protection requirements and understand fall-protection system components. The course also features demonstrations of equipment and techniques used for self-rescue and relief of suspension trauma.
You can register for the NRCA University courses taking place during the convention at the IRE's Web site, www.theroofingexpo.com.
ROOFPAC events
On Sunday, Feb. 21, ROOFPAC, NRCA's political action committee, will hold a sporting clays tournament. Sponsored by Johns Manville, Denver, the tournament will be held at High Point Shooting Grounds in Belle Chasse, Louisiana's oldest sporting clays range.
After receiving instructions from a certified instructor, tournament participants will shoot 50 targets; the top three finishers will receive Cabela's gift cards. The facility will provide participants with guns, ammunition, and eye and ear protection, and NRCA will provide lunch at the facility and transportation.
ROOFPAC events continue Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 22 and 23, when NRCA will hold a silent auction to benefit ROOFPAC at NRCA's booth 2827.
Sponsored by GAF Materials Corp., Wayne, N.J., the auction will allow participants to bid on a wide array of items, including vacation packages, sporting events, jewelry, political memorabilia and more.
ROOFPAC is dedicated to supporting pro-business candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. ROOFPAC contributes money to pro-business candidates' campaigns during election cycles.
Awards ceremonies
On Tuesday, Feb. 24, NRCA will hold its annual luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Morial Convention Center. Luncheon attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Steven Strong, president of Solar Design Associates Inc., Harvard, Mass., which focuses on the design of environmentally responsive buildings and the engineering and integration of renewable systems to power them.
Also during the luncheon, NRCA will present its J.A. Piper Award—the association's highest honor—to a roofing professional who has demonstrated outstanding service to NRCA and the industry.
The J.A. Piper Award was established in 1947 and is named after former NRCA President J.A. Piper in appreciation for his service during the Great Depression. Piper had the unique challenge of holding the association together during the tumultuous time.
The awards ceremonies continue Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 5 to 7 p.m., when NRCA will host its annual Cocktail and Awards Reception featuring a special awards program that formally recognizes recipients of NRCA's Gold Circle Awards and 2010 Charlie Raymond Award, as well as The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress' Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards and Best of the Best Award.
NRCA's Gold Circle Awards recognize NRCA members for contributions to the roofing industry in the categories of Outstanding Workmanship—Low-slope, Outstanding Workmanship—Steep-slope, Innovative Solutions—New Construction, Innovative Solutions—Reroofing, Service to the Community and Service to the Industry.
The Charlie Raymond Award—named after former NRCA President and J.A. Piper Award recipient Charlie Raymond—is awarded annually to the NRCA member who has recruited the most members during the calendar year.
The Alliance's MVP Awards honor roofing workers who act as role models for their co-workers and demonstrate work-related and personal goals to which others aspire. Sponsored by Professional Roofing and Agawam, Mass.-based OMG Inc., the Best of the Best Award honors one MVP Award winner with a prize awarded by OMG and special recognition in Professional Roofing.
Expo highlights
The IRE is expected to feature more than 420 exhibiting companies displaying their products, materials, equipment, tools, services and technology at more than 900 booths. The event will include a New Products Pavilion, Green Pavilion and Metal Marketplace, as well as live demonstrations and exhibitor product clinics.
Community service
On Sunday, Feb. 21, NRCA's Community Service and Disaster Relief Fund Committee, Rebuilding Together® and the IRE will host Community Service Day, an event that allows convention and expo attendees to give back to the New Orleans community.
Community Service Day participants will help renovate the home of a family that is elderly, disabled or financially unable to support the renovation. Participants can volunteer to help with the renovations or donate money, products or materials to the project.
A powerful presentation
On Monday, Feb. 22, the IRE will host a Power Panel that will discuss strategies and solutions to help roofing professionals recover from a tough economy.
The Power Panel will feature the following roofing contractors representing various company sizes and specialties: Nelson Braddy, general partner of King of Texas Roofing Co. LP, Grand Prairie; Alex Hernandez, vice president of Clark Roofing Co., Broadview, Ill.; Rob Kornahrens, founder and chief executive officer of Advanced Roofing Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Jamie McAdam, president of F.J. Dahill Co. Inc., New Haven, Conn.; and Lisa Sprick, president of Sprick Roofing Co. Inc., Corvallis, Ore. Tom Swartz, owner of J.J. Swartz Co., Decatur, Ill., will moderate the panel.
The panel will address the state of the roofing industry in the current economy, selling emerging roofing technologies, economic trends, issues facing the roofing industry, future growth, sales and marketing strategies, and more. Attendees can submit questions when they register for the IRE, as well as during the panel discussion.
Sponsored by Professional Roofing, the Power Panel is free and included with registration. Registration is required and can be completed at www.theroofingexpo.com.
An incredible opportunity
NRCA's 123rd Annual Convention and the 2010 IRE are sure to provide attendees with an incredible opportunity to connect with other roofing professionals and gain great ideas to carry their businesses into a brighter future.
Kaylee Alberico is Professional Roofing's editorial assistant.
Contact information
To register and/or make hotel reservations for the 2010 International Roofing Expo® (IRE) and NRCA's 123rd Annual Convention, contact the IRE's Customer Service Department at (866) 860-1970 or visit www.theroofingexpo.com.
For more information about NRCA events, contact the following:
NRCA: Bennett Judson, NRCA's associate executive director of meeting services, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7513 or bjudson@nrca.net.
ROOFPAC: Bethany Field, NRCA's manager of public affairs, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7594 or bfield@nrca.net.
NRLRC: Alison L. LaValley, NRLRC's executive director, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7573 or alavalley@nrca.net.
The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress: Bennett Judson, the Alliance's executive director, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7513 or bjudson@nrca.net.
NRCA University's educational courses: Janice Davis, NRCA University's manager of education and risk management, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7505 or jdavis@nrca.net.
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