Briefings

Contractor news

Horch Roofing donates to food bank

Horch Roofing, Warren, Maine, has donated money to a local organization working to end hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Horch Roofing partnered with Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine, Auburn, and pledged to donate $200 from its Charitable Giving Fund every time a client signed a residential asphalt or metal roofing contract of more than $7,500 during June and July. Each $200 donation provided enough food to sustain a child experiencing food insecurity for more than two months or provided nutritious pantry staples for five senior citizens experiencing hunger. Horch Roofing’s initial goal was to donate a minimum of $10,000 for food assistance, but after 81 roofing clients signed contracts in June and July, the company was able to donate $16,200 to the food bank.

“The goal was not just to donate but to also raise awareness about Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine and its role in providing food assistance throughout the state,” says Peter Horch, president of Horch Roofing. “I was really moved by and proud of our team going out there, educating our clients, and in turn, pushing our donation total higher.”

On Aug. 21, Horch presented a check to Erin Fogg, vice president of development for Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine, via a Zoom call. According to the food bank, the company’s donation will allow the organization to purchase more than 50,000 meals.

Venture Construction Group of Florida gives back

Venture Construction Group of Florida, Boca Raton, has increased its charitable giving throughout Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Venture Construction Group of Florida sponsors numerous local and national charities each year through its corporate giving campaign but quickly increased donation efforts when the pandemic began in March.

Venture Construction Group of Florida sponsored the Treasure Coast Builders Association’s 34th annual fishing tournament, which helps provide scholarships for local students for college and technical training programs in the construction industry; raised funds for Habitat for Humanity and the Kids Cancer Foundation by sponsoring the Gold Coast Builders Association’s golf tournament; and supported Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse by hosting an online shopping event where 20% of the proceeds went to AVDA. Since the onset of COVID-19, the company also has purchased and donated truckloads of groceries and household supplies weekly to AVDA.

On April 29, Venture Construction Group of Florida staff donated lunch from local restaurant New York Pizza and Pasta to NCH North Naples Hospital for more than 150 nurses and medical personnel.

And in response to an urgent community need for youth summer camp sponsorships, Venture Construction Group of Florida staff and CEO Stephen Shanton and his family supplied donations to provide 150 weeks of camp for children and teens at five YMCA Treasure Coast locations, which reopened June 22. The company also was the Presenting Sponsor of the Palm City Chamber of Commerce Movie Night, which was a traditional drive-in movie for the community that benefited House of Hope; attendees were encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations for Martin County food pantries.

Tecta America^® acquires roofing company

Tecta America, Rosemont, Ill., has acquired Pro-Tec Roofing and Sheet Metal, Watertown, S.D.

Pro-Tec Roofing and Sheet Metal is a full-service commercial roofing company serving North Dakota, South Dakota and western Minnesota. The new operation will be known as Pro-Tec Roofing and Sheet Metal, a Tecta America Company LLC, and the company’s management team and workforce will remain the same going forward.

Longtime roofing professional passes away

Sprague

MacDonald Sprague Jr., president of MacDonald Sprague Roofing Co. Inc., Holbrook, Mass., passed away Aug. 19. He was 71.

After graduating from college with honors, Sprague joined his father, MacDonald Sprague Sr., and brothers in the roofing industry. He spent decades working for the family’s roofing contracting business.

Sprague is survived by his children, MacDonald Sprague III, Meredith and Michael; sisters, Mary Ellen and Susan; brothers, Gerald, Peter and Rod; and numerous nieces and nephews. Donations in Sprague’s memory can be made to the New England Wildlife Center, 500 Columbian St., South Weymouth, MA 02190 or at newildlife.org/donate.

Manufacturer news

SOPREMA^® awards student scholarships

SOPREMA Inc., Wadsworth, Ohio, has announced the recipients of its scholarship program.

The following received scholarships for the 2020-21 academic year: Dudley Moore of Tuscaloosa, Ala., who is studying mechanical engineering at University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa; Alex Sewell of Salisbury, Md., who is studying mechanical engineering at University of Maryland, College Park; Rhett Tinklenberg of Harrisburg, S.D., who is studying construction management at South Dakota State University, Brookings; and William Welch of Burbank, Calif., who is studying mechanical engineering at University of California, Los Angeles.

The scholarships are offered to students pursuing degrees in architecture, engineering, construction management or similar fields.

The industry online

GAF has launched GAF Roof Views, a blog intended to be an industry trend and innovation resource for residential and commercial roofing contractors and a source of general roofing information for homeowners. The blog is available at gaf.com/blog.

Up the ladder

Mule-Hide Products Co. Inc. has named Rob Keating regional director for the Northeast region and Ken Schultz regional director for the West and Midwest regions.

OMG^® Roofing Products has named Patrick Hanley solar sales manager and Jared Parli regional sales manager for the Mid-Atlantic region.

Owens Corning has named Kenneth Parks senior vice president and chief financial officer.

Other news

NERCA postpones convention and trade show

The North/East Roofing Contractors Association has postponed NERCA’s Convention & Trade Show to May 4-6, 2021, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.

NERCA’s Executive Committee and Convention & Exhibit Booth Committee made the decision in the best interest of preserving attendees’ health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional information is available at nerca.org.

Roofing Alliance announces scholarship recipients

James

The Roofing Alliance has announced the recipients of its Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship for the 2020-21 academic year.

This year’s new scholarship recipient is Jacob James, stepson of Raymond Orman, quality assurance and field trainer for Schwickert’s Tecta America, Mankato, Minn.

The Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship Program provides recipients with $5,000 per year for up to four years of enrollment at an accredited college, university or vocational-technical school. Employees of NRCA contractor and supplier members and their families, spouses and dependent children are eligible to participate in the program if they intend to pursue a career in the roofing or construction industries.

Eight Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarships were renewed for the 2020-21 academic year. The recipients include Davis Edwards, who is attending Huntingdon College, Montgomery, Ala., and was awarded the Dan Cohen Scholarship; Salvador Flores Garcia, who is attending the University of California, Berkeley, and was awarded the Beacon Roofing Supply Scholarship; Matthew Killgore, who is attending Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Ark., and was awarded an OMG Scholarship; Elaina Krumholz, who is attending the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, and was awarded the Fred Good Scholarship; Morgan Patterson, who is attending DePaul University, Chicago, and was awarded an OMG scholarship; John Paynter, who is attending East Carolina University, Greenville, S.C., and was awarded the Melvin Kruger Scholarship; Calvin Raymore, who is attending the University of Delaware, Newark, and was awarded the William Good Scholarship; and Cameron Tickerhoff, who is attending Penn State University, State College, Pa., and was awarded a Firestone Scholarship.

The Roofing Alliance awarded $40,000 for scholarship renewals and $5,000 for one new scholarship for a total of $45,000 for the 2020-21 school year. To date, 131 students have received $890,000 in scholarship awards.

In addition, the Roofing Alliance has announced the successful development of the first three-credit roofing course offered as part of Clemson University’s Construction Science & Management Department, Clemson, S.C.

Clemson University developed and implemented the college course to introduce construction management students to the basics of the roofing industry and expose them to potential career paths. Clemson University submitted a funding request to the Roofing Alliance to support the development and implementation of the roofing course in the spring of 2019.

In response to the growing industry concern over the lack of a qualified workforce, the Roofing Alliance provided the requested funding for the course. Working with Roofing Alliance members, Dr. Dhaval Gajjar, a professor in the Construction Science & Management Department, developed the curriculum to bring roofing knowledge to students in the construction management program.

Once the course was developed and the curriculum, syllabus and testing finalized, Gajjar invited Roofing Alliance members to participate in the class. The roofing professionals shared real-life scenarios and industry-specific knowledge with students. Student reviews for the class confirmed the success of the roofing course and the involvement of the roofing professionals.

“The study was successful with 21 students (both graduate and undergraduate) enrolled in the course for spring 2020,” stated Gajjar. “Sixteen Roofing Alliance member companies participated in the classroom as guest lecturers and more than 90 companies donated course material used for developing the content for this course.”

The three-credit roofing class curriculum now is available for other schools to implement. Initially, the Roofing Alliance will donate course materials to construction management schools that are members of the American Council for Construction Education. It will be available for purchase to all others.

MCA publishes environmental product declarations

The Metal Construction Association has released three updated environmental product declarations.

The documents provide key data regarding the manufacturing and use of metal composite materials, insulated metal panels, and roll-formed aluminum and steel cladding and discuss the life cycle assessment and environmental impacts associated from the use of metal cladding in construction.

Environmental Product Declaration for Metal Composite Material Panels discusses the product definition, basic material and its origin, product manufacture and processing, in-use conditions, life cycle assessment results, and testing results and verifications. Environmental Product Declaration for Insulated Metal Panels provides life cycle assessment-based information about the environmental aspects of insulated metal panels. Environmental Product Declaration for Roll Formed Aluminum and Steel Cladding for Roofs and Walls details the manufacturing process of roll-forming metal materials into a finished product.

The environmental product declarations can be downloaded at metalconstruction.org/epds.

NRCA new members

21st Century Roofing LLC, Luverne, Ala.
4T Partnership LLC, Celina, Texas
A-1 Contractors Inc., Great Falls, Mont.
Alabama Roofing Professionals, Trussville
All Clear Restoration of North Florida Inc., d.b.a. Triad Roofing, Williston
Allied Restoration Contractors Inc., Tinley Park, Ill.
American Commercial Roofing Inc., St Marys, Kan.
Bellock General Contracting, Long Beach, Calif.
Benci Building LLC, Hamilton, N.J.
C&N Construction, Hillside, Ill.
Cypress Roofing, Kerrville, Texas
Division 7 Reps, Petaluma, Calif.
Elite Roofing and Consulting Services LLC, Hinesville, Ga.
Giuffre Contracting LLC, Rensselaer, N.Y.
Global Roofing Solutions Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.
Heartland Roof & Construction Co., Sapulpa, Okla.
Jade Contractors LLC, Cranston, R.I.
LCO Co., Roy, Wash.
Mid-State Roofing and Coating Inc., Belleville, Pa.
Modtek Roofing Inc., Vero Beach, Fla.
Moriarty’s Roofing Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.
Nest Roofing, San Diego
Nimbus Roofing and Sheet Metal, Gresham, Ore.
Pcubed Associates, Los Angeles
Pinturas Thermicas del Norte S.A. de C.V., Monterrey, Mexico
Platinum Contracting LLC, Combine, Texas
Porter Roofing Contractors Inc., Milton, Fla.
Prime AE, Akron, Ohio
Pro Services Co. LLC, Montrose, Colo.
Quantum Roofing, Asheville, N.C.
RMC Group, Olathe, Kan.
RoofAdvisor LLC, Plymouth, Mich.
Russ Noyes Roofing Inc., Winter Springs, Fla.
Shepard Support Services, Plano, Texas
STC Safety Training & Compliance, Frisco, Texas
Structural Solutions, Silver Spring, Md.
Talon Roofing, Twinsburg, Ohio
Triangle Building Co., Garner, N.C.
Tulsa Roofing and Sheet Metal, Bixby, Okla.
WAC Roofing, Fallbrook, Calif.
William Vandrovec, Phoenix