Flashings

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NRCA gains management of Maryland association

On Jan. 1, NRCA assumed responsibility for the administration and management of the Associated Roofing Contractors of Maryland (ARCOM). NRCA will provide ARCOM's executive director and staff, and ARCOM's board of directors will continue to establish policies and programs, as well as maintain oversight responsibility.

NRCA is committed to working closely with ARCOM to establish a solid basis for communication and operations and ensure both organizations are comfortable in the partnership.

Do you dodge conflict at work?

Conflict never is fun, but it usually is best to address issues when they occur. Suppressed conflict has the tendency to build substantially, so if you avoid conflict at work, you might end up making a problem even bigger. As a manager, you need to take action by speaking up and tackling a problem before it explodes.

Unresolved conflict can be expensive for a company. It lowers morale among employees, causing productivity levels to drop. It results in lost work hours as employees spend their time gossiping about a conflict and swapping stories about how they have been wronged. Basically, conflict has the potential to result in a big waste of time.

To resolve problems, kick up communication levels a notch or two. Employees need to be able to speak openly and honestly about their disagreements. Teaching employees to speak to each other appropriately about problems will resolve pesky conflicts and keep them from turning into huge predicaments.

Source: Adapted from workplaceissues.com as cited by First Draft, March 2004 issue

Indiana attorney general refuses Tremco investigation

According to The Times, Frankfort, Ind., Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter's office has declined investigating allegations of illegal acts with regard to a roofing project in Rossville, Ind.

Diana Vice, a Rossville resident, contacted the attorney general's office in November 2005 on behalf of Taxpayers United For Fairness (TUFF) to ask Carter to investigate possible illegal acts with regard to public sector construction contracts. Vice, along with TUFF and resident Melissa Kingery, had filed a lawsuit in September 2005 against the Rossville school district and its superintendent, alleging it failed to bid properly for a roof system replacement project for a Rossville school building in 2002.

TUFF alleges Tremco Roofing Co., Beachwood, Ohio, the roofing contractor chosen for the Rossville project, failed to bid on the $700,000 Rossville roofing project; according to TUFF, bidding laws were not followed properly. TUFF also alleges Tremco Roofing has been involved in previous illegal conduct with other projects.

However, the attorney general's office did not see illegal actions committed.

"A review of the materials indicate that there has not been misappropriation of public funds or other wrongdoing which the attorney general could pursue," says Staci Schneider, chief communications officer and press secretary for the attorney general.

TUFF asked for a complete investigation into misappropriation of funds, missing funds, bidding violations and forged change orders, therefore proposing malfeasance. TUFF made the request after a State Board of Accounts audit of the district for July 1, 2001-June 30, 2003, said the district "could not provide bids or proof that plans had been approved by an architect or engineer." Although the attorney general can pursue civil recovery when the State Board of Accounts certifies an audit report that discloses illegal acts or wrongdoing, the Rossville audit did not do so.

"While the state audit does comment on the bidding process, there is no disclosure of wrongdoing against officials," Schneider says. "This review is limited to the attorney general's civil jurisdiction."

TUFF also hopes Clinton County Prosecutor Louis Evans will convene a grand jury to investigate the allegations.

"We believe there were many crimes committed, including malfeasance, misappropriation of funds and forgery, just to name a few," Vice says.

Vice and TUFF will continue to communicate their plea for an investigation to the attorney general's office.

"The attorney general has the responsibility to determine if laws were broken," Vice says. "We certainly hope he will not shirk his duty and leave taxpayers unprotected; otherwise, it sends a wrong message to the public, legislators and errant public officials."

The lawsuit is pending in Clinton Circuit Court, with no set hearing date.

A Valentine's Day staple

Chocolate has existed for about 2,000 years and gained many loyal followers during that time. In fact, it has become one of the most popular sweets in the world. Here are a few facts about this Valentine's Day favorite:

• Chocolate is by far the No. 1 selling candy on Valentine's Day.
• More than 20 million Hershey's Kisses are produced every day.
• Chocolate contains about 300 different compounds.
• The chocolate industry uses 2.5 billion pounds of sugar every year—that's 7 million pounds per day.
• A bar of dark chocolate has less caffeine than a cup of coffee.
• Americans consume 100 pounds of chocolate every second.

DETAILS

Amy Reeves Perry

Vice president of Reeves Roofing Equipment Co. Inc., Helotes, Texas

Why did you become involved in the roofing industry?
My father started our business in our front yard, so I grew up in the roofing industry.

What was your first roofing experience?
The first roof I went on was in California when I was about 19, and I was scared to death (but I didn't tell anyone). I was so fascinated to see the equipment we made being used.

What are your favorite items on your desk?
Photos of my family and of golf outings with roofing contractors.

What do you consider your most rewarding experiences?
Marrying my husband Rondi and having my four children.

What was your first job?
Filing and answering the telephone at Reeves Roofing Equipment when I was 16.

What is your favorite vacation?
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, without the kids.

What do you consider a waste of time?
Red lights.

What are your best and worst habits?
My best habit is making people feel special. My worst habit is procrastination.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
Arrogant people.

If you could invite any three people to dinner (dead or alive), whom would you invite and why?
Curtis Blackwell—he was my boss for four years, and I would enjoy hearing his thoughts about our industry; my father, who passed away 10 years ago; and Herb Kirby—he was my business dad, and I always enjoyed and benefited from our conversations.

What is your favorite stress reliever?
Working out.

What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
Trying to keep up with changes in the roofing industry and working with my two brothers.

What is your roofing industry involvement?
I am involved with NRCA committees, The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress board of directors and the North Texas Roofing Contractors Association board of directors.

People would be surprised to know...
I have a tattoo and smoke cigars.

Banish job blahs and yawns

Are you having trouble staying alert and motivated at work? Well, wake up! Following are a few ways to ditch the yawns and boost your work attitude.

• Actively seek out challenges. Go the extra mile, and take on a demanding task even if it will require some additional work. It will keep you vigilant and impress your supervisors.
• Don't chain yourself to your desk. Moving around every once in a while will wake you up, loosen stiff legs and keep you on the go.
• Take a day or two off after you finish a demanding project. You'll come back with a fresh attitude.
• Switch your typical morning routine with your afternoon one. Variety is the spice of life.
• Take a night class or online course to expand your knowledge and skills. Some employers offer tuition reimbursement, and it will make you a more valuable employee overall.
• Don't be afraid to ask for feedback or constructive criticism. Supervisors will be impressed by the fact you put forth your best effort and continue to look for ways to improve your work.
• Always try to do your best. You will feel good about yourself, and approval from co-workers and supervisors will motivate you.

Tidy up your e-mails

Although quick and easy online correspondence has been popular for quite some time, many people still don't know how to be courteous and effective when writing an e-mail. For a more polished and professional message, follow these tips:

1. Don't forget a subject. The subject line is there for a reason, and using it will make your e-mail stand out to the reader. When sifting through our mailboxes, we all use subject lines to decide what is worth opening. Don't let your e-mail be mistaken for spam; put a title or blurb in the subject line.
2. Avoid formatting flubs. Try to keep your text formatting simple. Even if your e-mail program allows you to underline, italicize, boldface and color your words, these features may not translate to the recipient. If you want to emphasize a word or phrase, your best bet is to type it in all capital letters.
3. Ditch silly e-mail addresses. Receiving an e-mail and not knowing who sent it is frustrating. To avoid confusion, do not use goofy or unclear e-mail addresses. You don't want to be deleted.