For the first time, NRCA invites industry professionals to gather in Nashville to learn about the latest industry topics and trends and engage with peers during NRCA's 132nd Annual Convention Feb. 9-13. Held in conjunction with Irving, Texas-based Informa's 2019 International Roofing Expo (IRE), the event will take place at the Music City Center nestled in the heart of vibrant downtown Nashville.
"This year's convention and expo are poised for stunning success," says Reid Ribble, NRCA's CEO. "NRCA has a jam-packed convention schedule, the educational offerings are unmatched and the IRE show floor is on target to be one of the largest ever. All of us at NRCA are looking forward to seeing you there."
Convention opening
NRCA events begin Saturday, Feb. 9, with NRCA's Executive Committee meeting and lunch from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and NRCA's board of directors meeting from 1-4 p.m. NRCA's Affiliate Executives Council meeting and lunch will take place the following day from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. The meetings will be held at the Omni Nashville Hotel.
National Women in Roofing's (NWIR's) "Building Better Together" Education Day will be held Feb. 9 from 12-5:30 p.m. Female roofing professionals are invited to hear a keynote address given by Sherry Holmes, a contractor, designer and daughter of celebrity contractor Mike Holmes; attend presentations about business development, communications, career development, mentoring, recruitment and roofing technology; and engage in positive discussions with industry peers. NWIR's Education Day is sponsored by Johns Manville, Denver; the Roofing Alliance; SRS Distribution Inc., McKinney, Texas; TAMKO® Building Products Inc., Joplin, Mo.; and Tremco® Roofing & Building Maintenance, Beachwood, Ohio.
Take time to learn
Roofing professionals can increase their knowledge and skills by participating in a variety of NRCA educational programs during the convention and expo. The programs begin Sunday, Feb. 10, with NRCA's CERTA Train-the-trainer Authorization Program, which will be held from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. at Maxwell Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc. in Nashville (participants provide their own transportation). Through classroom instruction and hands-on torching activities, participants will learn about the latest best safety practices for torch-applied roof systems and develop the teaching skills necessary to train others about torch safety. Participants must have some experience training others, be proficient using a roofing torch, and be able to speak and read English. Upon completing the program, participants will be authorized to conduct CERTA certification training for roofing workers. Current trainers also may attend this program to be reauthorized.
On the same day, an NRCA Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z class will be held from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Students will learn about fall-protection systems and the most recent Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations and observe demonstrations of fall-protection equipment and self-rescue techniques. By the end of the class, participants will be able to recognize fall hazards present during roof system installations and repair; use appropriate controls for fall hazards on low- and steep-slope projects; and identify strategies for self-rescue and the rescue of others while on a job site.
On Tuesday, Feb. 12, Working Together to Recruit, Train and Retain, a program for contractors only, will be held from 9:30-11 a.m. A panel of speakers will discuss new initiatives to help roofing contractors produce and keep a great workforce during the ongoing construction workforce shortage. Panel speakers include Chris Czarnik, CEO of Career [RE]Search Group, Appleton, Wis.; Bill Good, NRCA's senior adviser and former CEO; moderator Bill McHugh, executive director of the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association; Rodney Petrick, president of Ridgeworth Roofing Co. Inc., Frankfort, Ill.; Ribble; Kinsey Robinson, international president of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers, Washington, D.C.; Kyle Thomas, vice president of construction and co-owner of Thomas Industries Inc., Mobile, Ala.; and Keith Vitkovich, executive director of the Roofers & Waterproofers Research and Education Joint Trust Fund for the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers.
On Wednesday, Feb. 13, NRCA will hold its For Foremen Only, Level 1, program from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Field managers and foremen will learn how to communicate effectively, work well with all types of people, handle tough situations tactfully, build rapport with crew members and motivate workers to improve job-site productivity.
In addition, NRCA University's Future Executives Institute—Class 8 (FEI-8) and Class 9 (FEI-9) will meet separately Sunday, Feb. 10, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and Monday, Feb. 11, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The FEI program teaches roofing professionals about leadership theory and practice and helps them develop management and communication skills so they are ready to effectively lead and manage thriving roofing businesses. Each group will attend classes addressing human resources, marketing, leadership, insurance and contract law, and strategic planning and coaching. In addition, all FEI students are invited to the annual FEI Alumni Reception held the evening of Feb. 11, where they can network with FEI alumni. FEI-8 students will complete their program and graduate during NRCA's Industry Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception Feb. 12.
Community Service Day
Everyone is invited to join in the spirit of service during IRE's 10th annual Community Service Day Sunday, Feb. 10, from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. For this event, sponsored by Sika® Sarnafil, Canton, Mass., and hosted by the IRE and Rebuilding Together® Nashville, volunteers are needed to help renovate the homes of Nashville residents in need. NRCA member Don Kennedy Roofing Co. Inc., Nashville, will donate and install a new roof system on one of the homes.
Roofing contractors, general contractors, carpenters, painters, tilers and anyone else possessing amateur to expert construction skills can volunteer to help with the renovations, as well as set-up and clean-up tasks. Volunteers will work under the direction of a crew chief and use equipment donated by Carlisle Construction Materials, Carlisle, Pa., to complete the projects. Financial donations also are needed, and all donors will receive tax-deductible receipts. Volunteers who register and pay a $25 fee will receive breakfast courtesy of ICP Building Solutions Group, Norton, Ohio, and lunch will be provided by OMG® Roofing Products, Agawam, Mass. Shuttle transportation will be provided by Damato Enterprises, Duluth, Ga. To participate in IRE's Community Service Day or make a donation, contact Brandi McElhaney, Informa's senior conference manager, at (972) 536-6392 or brandi.mcelhaney@informa.com.
Expo info
Entrepreneur Jesse Itzler will deliver his keynote address, "Ignoring the Tap on the Shoulder," Monday, Feb. 11, from 9:30-10:50 a.m. The co-founder of Marquis Jet, the largest private jet card company, and ZICO® coconut water, Itzler believes in abandoning the easy road and living fully throughout life's journey. Attendees will learn how to tap into an attitude of pure determination and exceed personal limits.
A welcome party sponsored by Tremco Roofing & Building Maintenance will be held at Nashville Underground, a 40,000-square-foot live music venue, restaurant and bar boasting the highest multilevel rooftop on Broadway in the heart of downtown Nashville, Feb. 11, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Owned by brothers Gavin and Joey DeGraw, the venue features unique Nashville cuisine, a dance club and multigenre music playing seven days per week. Guests are invited to mingle and dance with friends and peers while enjoying complimentary hors d'oeuvres, wine, beer and soda.
On Tuesday, Feb. 12, NRCA's Young Contractors Committee will hold an Emerging Business Technology in the Roofing Industry roundtable discussion from 9:30-11 a.m. Program participants will discuss the latest technology trends and learn how roofing industry peers are using technology effectively. Designed to benefit people who are new to the industry or have new management responsibilities within their companies, the program aims to provide participants with valuable ideas that immediately can be implemented upon each participant's return to his or her office. In addition, NRCA's Emerging Professionals, a group open to young roofing industry professionals interested in meeting their peers and/or getting more involved in the industry, will meet Feb. 12 at 11 a.m. in NRCA booth 2523.
During the trade show, you will want to make sure to visit NRCA booth 2523 to learn about the benefits of NRCA membership and speak with NRCA experts about NRCA ProCertification,™ Roofing Day in D.C. 2019, new educational offerings, a variety of technical topics, risk management matters and NRCA's latest resources, including the NRCA and Professional Roofing apps that enable users to access NRCA information and magazine articles on-the-go. Visitors also will find information about the 2019 edition of The NRCA Roofing Manual, the NRCA Bookstore's valuable technical resources and publications, Professional Roofing magazine, and more.
All visitors to NRCA's booth will have the opportunity to "Spin to Win" prizes, including a Yeti cooler, portable tailgate grill and free NRCA membership for one year, among other prizes. Expo attendees are encouraged to take advantage of special show discounts, including $100 off NRCA membership dues (new members only), 20 percent off an entire NRCA Bookstore purchase, and 10 percent off NRCA University public and customized training programs. And NRCA members can stop by the NRCA member lounge to relax and enjoy complimentary chair massages.
Legal luncheon
Immediately following Itzler's keynote address, the National Roofing Legal Resource Center (NRLRC) will host a luncheon program Monday, Feb. 11, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Luncheon guests will hear about pressing legal and technical matters, including falls from roofs, moisture-related problems associated with concrete roof decks, building code issues, and licensing observations and outcomes, from industry experts Dane Bradford, president of Bradford Roof Management Inc., Billings, Mont.; Mark Graham, NRCA's vice president of technical services; and Stephen Phillips, NRCA counsel and senior partner with Atlanta-based law firm Hendrick Phillips Salzman & Siegel P.C. Advance ticket purchase is required.
Benefiting ROOFPAC
ROOFPAC, NRCA's political action committee, will host a Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum Songwriter Extravaganza Sunday, Feb. 10, from 4-7 p.m. Industry professionals are invited to experience one of Nashville's premier attractions while networking with peers. Admission will include a concert, unique interactive songwriting experience, live auction, open bar and one museum voucher for use Monday-Wednesday during the IRE.
ROOFPAC's annual silent auction will begin Monday, Feb. 11, at 11 a.m. and continue through Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 4 p.m. Held in NRCA booth 2523, ROOFPAC's Silent Auction will feature stylish jewelry, vacations, electronics and other auction items. Participants also can view and place bids on silent auction items via smartphone, tablet or laptop by accessing www.roofpac19.givesmart.com. An open bar will be provided for registered bidders from 2-4 p.m. Feb. 12 during the auction's final two hours. All proceeds benefit ROOFPAC's efforts in Washington, D.C. Auction winners will be notified at 4 p.m. Feb. 12. Winning items may be picked up at that time or in NRCA's booth Wednesday, Feb 13, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For information about how to participate in either event, contact NRCA's Washington, D.C., office at (800) 338-5765.
Roofing Alliance student competition
An unprecedented number of student teams are competing in the Roofing Alliance's fifth annual Alliance Construction Management Student Competition. The competition is designed to challenge the roofing knowledge, construction management skills, time management, organizational and presentation skills of students pursuing careers in the roofing industry. The student teams were tasked with creating a bid to install a roof system on the Hilton Franklin Cool Springs hotel in Franklin, Tenn., which has a Carlisle Construction Materials TPO membrane roof system originally installed by NRCA member Rackley Roofing Co. Inc., Carthage, Tenn. Each team was required to research the project, review plans and specifications, and assemble a full estimate and proposal to submit a qualified bid package before preparing oral presentations.
The following schools are participating this year:
Four finalist teams selected by the judges will present their oral proposals at the Music City Center Tuesday, Feb. 12, from 7:45-11:15 a.m. Each team will make a 15-minute presentation to the panel of judges, followed by a 10-minute question-and-answer period. The winning teams will be announced that evening during NRCA's Industry Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception.
Honoring the best
Recipients of the industry's most prestigious awards will be recognized during NRCA's Industry Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception. Held Tuesday, Feb. 12, from 5-7 p.m., the event will begin with the presentation of the slate of officers for NRCA's 2019-20 board of directors. Voting will be conducted to officially install new officers.
Next, students from NRCA's FEI-8 will graduate, and the winning teams of the Roofing Alliance's Construction Management Student Competition will be announced.
The ceremony also will feature the distribution of the roofing industry's top awards: NRCA's J.A. Piper Award; the CNA/NRCA Community Involvement Award; the Roofing Alliance's Gold Circle Awards and Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards; and NRCA's Charlie Raymond Award.
Established in 1947 to honor former NRCA President J.A. Piper's extraordinary efforts to keep the association alive during the Great Depression, the J.A. Piper Award is considered the most prestigious award in the roofing industry. The award annually is presented to a roofing professional who has demonstrated outstanding service to NRCA and the industry. Previous winners have included NRCA presidents/chairmen of the board and other members who have dedicated their lives to advancing the industry.
The annual CNA/NRCA Community Involvement Award, a collaboration between NRCA and CNA Insurance Cos., Chicago, recognizes charitable works performed by NRCA contractor member companies between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2018. The winning charity will receive $7,500; a second-place winner will receive $5,000; and a third-place winner will receive $2,500. A People's Choice winning charity also will receive $1,500.
The Roofing Alliance's Gold Circle Awards program recognizes Roofing Alliance and NRCA members for their outstanding contributions to the roofing industry in the form of unique roofing projects, programs and services completed between June 1, 2016, and May 31, 2018. The 2019 award categories include Outstanding Workmanship; Innovative Solutions; and Safety Preparedness and Performance. Nine finalists have been selected, and the winners will be announced during the ceremony.
This year, the Roofing Alliance's MVP Awards received 28 nomination submissions. The awards honor roofing professionals for outstanding on-the-job performance/workmanship and outstanding performance/other noteworthy contributions outside the workplace. Award recipients often are role models who demonstrate work-related and personal goals to which others can aspire. One MVP Awards winner will be named Professional Roofing's Best of the Best—an elite recognition co-sponsored by Professional Roofing and OMG Roofing Products—and will be featured in an article in Professional Roofing magazine.
The Charlie Raymond Award is the most prestigious membership recruitment award NRCA bestows. Named for former NRCA President and J.A. Piper Award recipient Charlie Raymond, the annual award is given to an NRCA member who has recruited the most new NRCA members during the calendar year.
All convention and expo attendees are invited to help honor the 2019 award winners at the awards ceremony, which includes a cocktail reception during which complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks and hors d'oeuvres will be provided. The event is free; advance registration for this event is requested.
Join in
Everyone who attends NRCA's 132nd Annual Convention and the 2019 IRE will experience educational offerings, expo events and networking opportunities throughout the week. Make your plans now to swing by the biggest annual gathering of industry professionals in a beautiful city full of music. You won't want to miss it!
Sara Baldwin is Professional Roofing's editorial assistant.
Did you know? You can connect with the 2019 International Roofing Expo® (IRE) via the IRE app available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry devices, as well as all your favorite social media channels.
Registration Information:
For more information and to register for NRCA's 132nd Annual Convention and the 2019 International Roofing Expo® (IRE), contact Candice Grantham, IRE show coordinator, at (972) 536-6354 or candice.grantham@informa.com, or Lisa Allen, IRE senior show manager, at (972) 536-6452 or lisa.allen@informa.com. You also can visit IRE's website, www.theroofingexpo.com.
For more information about NRCA events and classes, contact the following:
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