Win big

Looking to win big? You can leave your lucky rabbit's foot at home when you attend NRCA's 121st Annual Convention, which will be held in conjunction with Washington D.C.-based Hanley Wood's 2008 International Roofing Expo (IRE) in Las Vegas Feb. 19-23. With more than 1,000 booths, 48 educational sessions and endless networking possibilities, this event will ensure every attendee leaves Las Vegas feeling like a winner.

The convention and trade show will take place at Caesars Palace, the Renaissance Hotel and the Las Vegas Convention Center.

At the convention

Convention events begin Tuesday, Feb. 19, with NRCA's Executive Committee and board of directors meetings, as well as NRCA's affiliate executives meeting.

On Wednesday, Feb. 20, the National Roofing Legal Resource Center (NRLRC) will hold its annual breakfast at Caesars Palace. Attendees will have a chance to meet Edwin G. Foulke Jr., the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, who will speak about improving workplace health and safety through educational programs and partnerships.

Also on Wednesday, ROOFPAC, NRCA's political action committee, will hold its annual golf, sporting clays and tennis tournaments.

The golf tournament will be held at Angel Park Golf Club from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the sporting clays tournament will be held at Desert Lake Country Club from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tennis tournament will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at ClubSport Green Valley. Each tournament will include transportation, lunch and prizes.

NRCA also will conduct its educational courses on Wednesday, including NRCA/MRCA CERTA Train-the-trainer Authorization and Reauthorization courses, Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z and a SpecRight Program training session. Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z will be offered in English and Spanish. (For more information, see "Educational opportunities," page 34.)

On Thursday, Feb. 21, NRCA's Future Executives Institute will meet. NRCA's National Roofing Council also will meet, and NRLRC will hold its board of directors meeting.

Also on Thursday, ROOFPAC will hold a silent auction at NRCA's trade show booth, No. 1335. The auction will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and continue Friday, Feb. 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Various items will be available for auction, including jewelry, electronics, vacations, and autographed political and sports memorabilia.

On Friday, NRCA will host its luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel. Sponsored by CNA, the luncheon will feature a keynote address given by Gen. James Jones, former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and the Commander of the United States European Command. Jones will discuss his 40-year military career and experience working with government, business and civic leaders to protect and advance U.S. and allied interests around the world.

The luncheon will include the presentation of The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress' Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, which are awarded annually to roofing workers whose commitment and reliability stand out from the rest. This year's MVP Awards ceremony also will feature the presentation of Professional Roofing's Best of the Best Award. Sponsored by OMG Inc., Agawam, Mass., and Professional Roofing, this special MVP award category will include a prize awarded by OMG and special recognition in Professional Roofing.

Also during the luncheon, the 2007 Charlie Raymond Award—an award honoring the NRCA member who has recruited the most new members during the calendar year—will be presented, and NRCA's 2008-09 officers and directors will be named.

On Friday evening, NRCA will host its banquet. Held at Caesars Palace from 7 to 10 p.m., the banquet will feature the presentation of NRCA's J.A. Piper Award, the highest honor bestowed in the roofing industry; Gold Circle Awards, which honor excellent roofing projects; and SpecRight Excellence in Design Award, which recognizes an environmentally responsible roofing project. After the awards are presented, entertainment will be provided by Hal Wakes and Atlantic Express, one of the top dance bands in the U.S.

In addition to its booth at the trade show, NRCA will have a desk at the registration area at the Las Vegas Convention Center. NRLRC will occupy booth No. 1334 and the Alliance will be in booth No. 1332 at the trade show. NRLRC will be offering $100 off membership and will have a roofing legal expert available at the booth to answer attendees' questions. The Alliance will have information available about programs and studies it currently is funding.

At the expo

IRE events begin Thursday, Feb. 21, with educational sessions from 7:45 to 9:45 a.m. A keynote address will be given by former NFL quarterback Archie Manning at 9:45 a.m. The trade show will open at 11 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.

Hanley Wood will host its 2008 Welcome Party at PURE Nightclub at Caesars Palace from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening.

Additional educational seminars will be held Friday, Feb. 22, from 7:45 to 11:15 a.m. and Saturday, Feb. 23, from 7:45 to 11:15 a.m. The trade show will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

This year, the trade show is expected to include 1,100 booths from 500 exhibiting companies. The expo will feature live demonstrations, a new products pavilion and numerous educational sessions focusing on various important roofing- and business-related topics.

A safe bet

NRCA's 121st Annual Convention and Hanley Wood's 2008 International Roofing Expo are sure to be a great success. With educational and networking opportunities, as well as a chance to enjoy Las Vegas, this is an event you won't want to miss.

Kaylee Alberico is Professional Roofing's editorial assistant.

Registration information

To register and make hotel reservations for the 2008 International Roofing Expo and NRCA's 121st Annual Convention, contact Hanley Wood Expositions at (800) 684-5761 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: Mary Mai, NRCA's manager of public affairs, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7596 or mmai@nrca.net

NRLRC: Alison 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@roofingindustryalliance.net

NRCA educational courses: Janice Davis, NRCA's manager of education and risk management, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7505 or jdavis@nrca.net

Educational opportunities

NRCA will offer educational courses during its 121st Annual Convention, including NRCA/MRCA CERTA Train-the trainer Authorization and Reauthorization courses, Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z and a SpecRight Program training session. All courses will be held Wednesday, Feb. 20.

The NRCA/MRCA CERTA Train-the-trainer Authorization course is a 10-hour program that focuses on best practices for torch-applied polymer-modified bitumen roof systems. Successful course participants will become NRCA-authorized trainers for the NRCA/MRCA CERTA program.

The NRCA/MRCA CERTA Train-the-trainer Reauthorization course provides an opportunity for authorized CERTA trainers to complete their CERTA reauthorizations, which is required every three years.

Roofing Industry Fall Protection from A to Z, offered in English and Spanish, focuses on increasing awareness of fall-protection hazards. Participants will become familiar with the specific equipment to use and work practices to employ to identify and avoid these hazards.

The SpecRight Program training session is designed to educate roofing contractors about conserving energy and protecting the environment through quality roof system design, installation, materials and maintenance. Participating roofing contractors will learn how to help their customers save money by lowering energy costs.

For more information about these courses, contact Janice Davis, NRCA's manager of education and risk management, at (800) 323-9545, ext. 7505 or jdavis@nrca.net.