Briefings

Manufacturer news

Polyglass U.S.A. co-founder passes away

Zanchetta

Romano Zanchetta, co-founder of Polyglass U.S.A., Inc., Deerfield Beach, Fla., passed away in Ponte di Piave, Italy, in January. He was 88.

Zanchetta began his roofing career in Switzerland, where he gained roofing knowledge and experience before returning to Italy to help rebuild homes destroyed by the 1963 collapse of the Vajont Dam. While rebuilding, Zanchetta began using a new roofing product made by melding asphalt with atactic polypropylene, and soon he found a way to smooth and laminate the product, partnering with his brothers Antonio and Luigi to start producing the new material at Boato International, an Italian manufacturer, in 1968.

In 1972, the brothers opened their first manufacturing facility in Ponte di Piave before expanding to the U.S., establishing a Polyglass presence in Chicago and becoming active NRCA members in the early 1980s. Zanchetta remained an innovative presence in roofing manufacturing for decades, creating the first self-adhering roof membrane in 1996 and accommodating increased demand for roof tile underlayment products in the early 2000s. In 2008, he sold Polyglass to a new family, selecting the MAPEI Group, a global manufacturer of building adhesives, sealants and chemical products, as the new owner.

Zanchetta is survived by his loving family and friends in the U.S. and abroad, and he is remembered for his important contributions to the roofing industry.

Boral® Roofing introduces course

Boral Roofing LLC, Irvine, Calif., has introduced a new continuing education unit course, Engineering a High-Performance Roofing System for Steep Pitch Roofs. The course provides guidance and continued education for design professionals regarding materials and practices to enhance the performance of steep-slope roof systems.

Participants will closely evaluate steep-slope roof systems and explore best practices in detailing to mitigate water, ice and weather damage. After completing the course, design professionals will be able to identify key characteristics of roof systems that help prevent roof deterioration and damage, which also help provide protection to building occupants.

“Boral Roofing is committed to providing compelling roofing education to professionals in the design industry looking to enhance their knowledge base,” says Rob Anderson, technical manager for Boral Roofing. “This course is an important addition to our existing roofing offerings for architects.”

The course is available through Hanley Wood University at www.hanleywooduniversity.com. Participants who complete the course are eligible for one continuing education unit credit.

Contractor news

King of Texas Roofing receives certification

King of Texas Roofing Co. LP, Grand Prairie, has received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Council—Southwest, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.

WBENC’s national standard of certification includes an in-depth review of the business and a site inspection. The certification process confirms the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women.

By including women-owned businesses among their suppliers, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier diversity programs.

Commercial Roofers receives safety award

Left to right: Matt Lott, project manager for Commercial Roofers, Sean Howard, project manager for Commercial Roofers, and Michelle Draucker, sales administrator for Commercial Roofers, accepted the Safety Award from Virginia Toalepai, president and founder of World Wide Safety.

Commercial Roofers Inc., Las Vegas, received a 2020 Safety Award for commercial roofing during the World Wide Safety Fourth Annual Safety Awards event in Las Vegas Jan. 16.

This is the first time Commercial Roofers was nominated for the award. The company was recognized for its safety program, which includes a full-time safety director, and its low experience modification rating.

NRCA news

Former NRCA executive vice president passes away

Good

Fred Good, former NRCA executive vice president and J.A. Piper Award recipient, passed away May 18. He was 95.

Good spent most of his career in the field of association management, serving as executive vice president of NRCA from 1957 until his retirement in 1989. During that time, he was recognized as a Chartered (now Certified) Association Executive, part of the first class of association professionals so recognized. He also was awarded the highest honor in the roofing industry, the J.A. Piper Award, in 1981. When Good started at NRCA, the NRCA staff consisted of Good and a part-time secretary; the association had 300 members and a budget less than $100,000; and annual conventions had about 500 attendees and 70 booths.

Good is survived by his wife, Dorothy; sons, William (Sarah) and Carl (Victoria); daughters, Susan (William) Cashman and Sally Kucko; stepdaughters, Joan (Evan) Bauer, Barbara Dwyer (Tom Greenberg) and Karen Baehler (Jon Foley); stepsons, Robert (Lanie) Deist, John (Karen) Deist, Thomas Deist and William Deist (Leslie McLeod); 22 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.

Donations in Good’s name may be made to the Roofing Alliance earmarked for the Fred Good Scholarship. The purpose of the scholarship is to assist individuals seeking to further their education to pursue careers in the roofing or building construction industries. If you would like to donate, please contact Bennett Judson at bjudson@nrca.net or (847) 493-7513.

Other news

RT3 seeks award nominations

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), York, Pa., is seeking submissions for its 2020 Innovator of the Year Award.

The Innovator of the Year Award was created to nationally recognize a roofing contractor who has contributed to the advancement of the roofing industry through technical innovation and/or product development in one of the following areas: production/technology efficiency; safety innovation; client service/quality of delivery; employee recruitment/training/retention; or environmental impact.

To be eligible, a nominee must be licensed and bonded for a minimum of five years and have a minimum $5 million in annual revenue. The nominee also must be a member of a professional industry association and be able to cite community enrichment ties through support of nonprofits or company culture programs.

Award judging criteria will be based on innovation, results, design and strategy. The deadline for submissions is July 31, and the recipient will be announced in the fall. Additional information and award applications are available at www.rt3thinktank.com/innovator-award. There is a $50 nomination fee to cover processing and award costs.

In addition, RT3 has developed a new RT3 Community membership that allows roofing industry participants to join a special Slack channel with RT3 members, attend RT3 virtual meetups and Tech Talks, be invited to RT3 pop-up networking groups at industry events, access the RT3 Technology Innovators Facebook group, participate in the RT3 Technology Forum on RoofersCoffeeShop® and receive the SmartBrief e-newsletter. Individuals can join the RT3 Community at www.rt3thinktank.com.

AccuLynx launches new software features

AccuLynx, Beloit, Wis., has launched new features for its business management software platform for roofing contractors, including automated emails, texting, payment processing and homeowner financing.

AccuLynx software is designed to help roofing contractors manage every aspect of their jobs from a single, cloud-based application. The most recent features let contractors trigger automated notifications via email and text message to keep team members, insurance adjusters and customers informed throughout a project and reduce the need for in-person site visits. AccuLynx also introduced payment processing and an integrated point-of-sale financing option.

“Many roofing contractors are adjusting to COVID-19 by having office staff work remotely and keeping in-person visits to a minimum,” says Mike Stein, CEO of AccuLynx. “AccuLynx allows project teams to collaborate in real time and service customers without making unnecessary trips into the office or meeting with homeowners in person.”

MCA welcomes new executive director

Henry

The Metal Construction Association has welcomed Jeff Henry, executive director of the International Staple, Nail and Tool Association and the Synthetic Roof Underlayment Institute, as its new executive director. Henry assumed the role June 1.

As MCA’s executive director, Henry leads a team of professionals who strive to support industry members and elevate the use of metal in construction.

“Jeff’s past experience with our organization as well other industry trade associations will be valuable as we continue the renewed strategic direction of MCA,” says Jim Bush, MCA executive committee chairman. “His leadership will assist in our initiatives of continued membership growth, technical and code research, marketing, fiscal responsibility and industry outreach. I look forward to working with Jeff and his team.”

Roofing Alliance announces board of trustees

The Roofing Alliance has announced the members of its 2020-21 board of trustees. The trustees’ terms began June 1.

Kyle Thomas, vice president of Thomas Roofing, Mobile, Ala., is president; Dave Lawlor, national sales manager for ROCKWOOL Inc., Milton, Ontario, is vice president; and Jason Dark, national sales manager for Duro-Last® Inc., Saginaw, Mich., is secretary-treasurer.

Longtime NRCA member passes away

Dupuis

Rene M. Dupuis, co-founder of Structural Research Inc., Middleton, Wis., passed away May 23. He was 77.

After serving in the U.S. Navy, Dupuis obtained his engineering education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He briefly taught engineering at State University of New York before moving into private engineering practice. Dupuis and close friends from the University of Wisconsin Engineering Program founded Structural Research in 1978.

Dupuis quickly became well-known as a designer and researcher in the roofing industry and an expert in his field. He provided research, education and expertise to thousands of industry members with more than 100 published works and hundreds of technical presentations. Dupuis also received NRCA’s prestigious J.A. Piper Award in 2008.

Dupuis is survived by his daughter, Michelle Dupuis; sons, Justin (Marji) Dupuis and Mathew (Pam) Dupuis; grandchildren, Alexandra and Zachary Dupuis; brother, Andre (Jackie) Dupuis; sister, Yvonne Dupuis; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Rita.

Donations in Dupuis’ memory may be made to The Rene M. Dupuis Scholarship in Civil Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Civil Engineering at www.supportuw.org/giveto/dupuisscholarship or by mailing a donation to UW Foundation, U.S. Bank Lockbox 78807, Milwaukee, WI 53278-0807. Donors should reference the Rene M. Dupuis Scholarship in Civil Engineering Fund or Fund No. 132230021.

The industry online

OMG® Roofing Products has launched a comprehensive wind calculator to help users determine wind uplift requirements for commercial edge metal systems. When a user inputs project data such as building height, ZIP code and wind exposure category, the calculator outputs project design pressure information. The calculator is available at omgroofing.com/windcalculator and the OMG Roofing App in the Apple App Store or Google Play.

NRCA new members

ABC Institute Inc., Coconut Creek, Fla.
American Standard Coating, Vernon, Calif.
Atwell Exterior Services LLC, Greenville, N.C.
Barron Roofing and Home Improving, Port Byron, Ill.
Blue Eagle Corp., d/b/a Blue Eagle Roofing & Construction, Fort Worth, Texas
C&C Services LLC, Aniwa, Wis.
Carter and Gordon LLC, Little River, S.C.
City Roofing Inc., Inglewood, Calif.
CMAC Roofing, Haslet, Texas
Copper Nail Roofing, Dallas
Danner Construction and Roofing, Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Dezigns Construction Inc., Williamstown, N.J.
Dynasty G Roofing LLC, Galivants Ferry, S.C.
EcoTrue Roof Systems, Fort Worth, Texas
EXP Services Inc., Calgary, Alberta
Falcon Roofing & Construction, Cedar Park, Texas
FM Roofing and Construction, St. Louis
Foster Lyons Building Science LLC, Trumbull, Conn.
Homcertin, Trenton, N.J.
M&M Roofing & Repair LLC, Noxapater, Miss.
Michael Copeland, Owensboro, Ky.
Monumental Roofing Services, Seguin, Texas
Northern Pacific Roofing Inc., Petaluma, Calif.
Perfect Gutters & Home Remodeling, Danbury, Conn.
ProNail Roofing and Construction, McKinney, Texas
Quality Construction Solutions, Wylie, Texas
Reliable Roofing and Restoration Inc., Westminster, Colo.
Renova Energy, Palm Desert, Calif.
Rhino General Contracting Inc., Plant City, Fla.
Rock Roofing LLC, Jenks, Okla.
Roofing Sales Hub, Gilbert, Ariz.
Rooftech LLC, Floyds Knobs, Ind.
Southern Home Restoration & Roofing LLC, Conway, Ark.
Stayton Roofing & Contracting LLC, Cincinnati
Texas Roof Consultants, Dallas
Tip Top Sheet Metal Inc., Houston
Triton Advanced Commercial Roof Systems, Saint Charles, Mo.