This year, roofing professionals from throughout the world gathered in sunny Orlando, Fla., for NRCA's 125th Annual Convention, held Feb. 20-24, and Hanley Wood's 2012 International Roofing Expo (IRE), held Feb. 22-24. The IRE once again was a success and not only had a new location, Orlando—a departure from Las Vegas—it also experienced an increase in attendance.
Total attendance at the IRE was 8,382, a 3 percent increase from the 2011 show in Las Vegas. This was the second consecutive year the show experienced an attendance increase.
Discussing liability
The convention kicked off Tuesday, Feb. 21, with the National Roofing Legal Resource Center's Annual Breakfast Program.
The program, Contractors Beware: Technical Issues Posing Liability Risks to Roofing Contractors, focused on how roofing contractors can limit their liabilities and protect themselves from a number of legal and technical problems.
The panel of speakers included Rene Dupuis, president of Structural Research Inc., Middleton, Wis.; Mark Graham, NRCA's associate executive director of technical services; Dick Baxter, president of CRS of Monroe Inc., Monroe, N.C.; and Stephen Phillips, a partner with Atlanta-based law firm Hendrick, Phillips, Salzman & Flatt.
Game day
Also on Tuesday, 74 people participated in the annual golf tournament held by ROOFPAC, NRCA's political action committee, at ChampionsGate Golf Club. The tournament was sponsored by Johns Manville, Denver, and raised more than $15,000.
Charles Gay, branch manager for Interior Exterior Building Supply, Mobile, Ala., won first place in the golf tournament; Doug Lanier, president of Collis Roofing, Longwood, Fla., won second place; Dan Giese, vice president of general operations for Jim Giese Commercial Roofing, Dubuque, Iowa, won third place; and Mike McEnany, president of McEnany Roofing, Tampa, Fla., won the closest-to-the-pin prize.
ROOFPAC hosted its biennial silent auction sponsored by GAF, Wayne, N.J., Feb. 22-23. More than 150 participants bid on weekend getaways, sporting events, jewelry and memorabilia. The event raised more than $30,000 for ROOFPAC.
The combined funds exceeding $45,000 raised by ROOFPAC's golf tournament and silent auction will be used to support pro-business candidates for Congress in the upcoming November elections.
A helping hand
The IRE held its Community Service Day, a home renovation and revitalization project sponsored by Sika Sarnafil, Canton, Mass., Feb. 21. The IRE, NRCA's Disaster Relief Committee and Rebuilding Together® Central Florida partnered with 40 volunteers to help renovate the homes of Robert and Katherine Washington; Gwen Zackery; and Lenzo and Geraldine Murrell.
Robert Washington is a disabled Army veteran. His wife also is disabled. Volunteers painted the Washingtons' home and built a handicapped ramp. Zackery is a 62-year-old disabled Orlando resident, as well as a single mom whose daughter is away in the military. Volunteers painted her home's exterior and repaired the fence. The Murrells have been Orlando residents since 1980 and now are unemployed. Volunteers repaired, primed, sealed and painted their house. The Murrells' roof system also was replaced with asphalt shingles donated by Owens Corning, Toledo, Ohio, and labor donated by Springer-Peterson Roofing & Sheet Metal, Lakeland, Fla.
Tecta America Corp., Rosemont, Ill., also participated and donated products and services on a transitional house for homeless and/or abused women in the Orlando area.
Eventful expo
The expo opened Feb. 22 with a keynote address, "What a Ride: Life, Family, Community and the Race Track," by one of NASCAR's most respected drivers, Kyle Petty. Petty discussed his life as a businessman and philanthropist. He also discussed striving for excellence; living up to promises; teamwork; helping the community; and commitment to family. To complement Petty's address, the tradeshow floor featured a NASCAR Experience booth with a NASCAR simulator car. Attendees sat behind the wheel and watched a flat-screen monitor while the car shook and tilted to simulate the experience of driving on a raceway.
The Technology & Business Services Pavilion debuted on the tradeshow floor this year. The pavilion provided education and resources regarding the latest business and technology products and services, as well as a two-day series of 30-minute vendor presentations and demonstrations.
The expo's educational conference featured 43 sessions, including technical and workplace safety classes. Sessions addressed a myriad industry issues such as leadership and management; green building; legal and human resources; money matters; sales and service; and general business. A total of 3,826 sessions were sold during the three-day show.
Overall, the show featured 932 booths, a 6 percent increase from 2011, and of the 415 exhibiting companies, 99 were first-time exhibitors or companies that had not exhibited in several years.
Receiving recognition
On Thursday evening, NRCA recognized all award recipients at its awards ceremony and cocktail reception.
Each year, NRCA presents the J.A. Piper Award, the roofing industry's most prestigious honor, to a roofing professional who has devoted constant, outstanding service to the association and roofing industry. This year, NRCA named former NRCA President Bennett Hutchison, president of Tip Top Roofers Inc., Smyrna, Ga., recipient of its 65th annual J.A. Piper Award.
In addition to serving as NRCA's president from 1995-96, Hutchison has served on NRCA's board of directors, Executive Committee and PAC Advisory Committee. He also is a founding member of The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress.
"He is the consummate salesman, responsible for recruiting more NRCA members than any living NRCA member," John Miller, the 2011 J.A. Piper Award recipient and founding chairman of Rosemont, Ill.-based Tecta America Corp., said as he presented the award. "He continues to work on behalf of ROOFPAC; he is a constant presence at NRCA events; and he simply never says 'no' when he's asked to help."
NRCA also presented its Charlie Raymond Award to an NRCA individual contractor member and a manufacturer member company for their efforts to recruit NRCA members. This year's individual Charlie Raymond Award winner was former NRCA President Allen Lancaster, president of Metalcrafts Inc., Savannah, Ga., and the manufacturer award winner was GAF, Wayne, N.J.
The Charlie Raymond Award is named for former NRCA President and J.A. Piper Award winner Charlie Raymond, who first became chairman of NRCA's Membership Committee when the association had only 328 members and is responsible for recruiting many more, including the 1,000th member in 1973. Each year, the Charlie Raymond Award honors contractors and associate members for their efforts to recruit NRCA members.
NRCA also announced the winners of its Gold Circle Awards, which are presented to NRCA members that make significant contributions to the roofing industry in the following categories: outstanding workmanship (low-slope), outstanding workmanship (steep-slope) and innovative solutions (reroofing).
Following are this year's Gold Circle Award winners:
Additionally, Empire Roofing received a Gold Circle Safety Award for demonstrating superior safety measures during its work on the Muskogee Power Plant. And Greenwood Industries received the Gold Circle Platinum Award for presentation of its work on Massachusetts State House. The Gold Circle Safety Award is awarded to accident-free projects where public protection challenges were in the forefront of the job elements and dominated the scope of work, demanding creative safety solutions, implementation of safety procedures that were uniquely challenging or extensively involved multiple trades. The Gold Circle Platinum Award honors companies whose Gold Circle Award submissions excel in all facets and surpass all other entries.
Also during the cocktail and awards reception, The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress announced the winners of its 12th annual Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards. The MVP Awards program recognizes and honors outstanding roofing workers from various U.S. regions. Winners are chosen based on their significant contributions to one or more of the following areas: outstanding on-the-job performance; on-the-job safety performance; contributions to a team effort; community service and volunteerism; and other noteworthy contributions and activities. For a complete list of the Alliance's 2012 MVP Award winners, see Briefings, March issue, page 51.
The Alliance also presented David Baytosh, superintendent for Advanced Roofing Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with Professional Roofing's Best of the Best Award, a category of the MVP Awards, co-sponsored by OMG Roofing, Agawam, Mass. To read more about Baytosh, see "Committed to excellence," page 22.
Leading the way
During the convention, NRCA members voted to approve the association's leadership for 2012-13. Bruce McCrory, co-owner and secretary and treasurer of Kiker Corp., Mobile, Ala., was elected NRCA president, and Nelson Braddy, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of King of Texas Roofing Co. LP, Grand Prairie, Texas, was elected senior vice president. McCrory and Braddy will begin serving their one-year terms June 1.
Additionally, Jim Barr, president of Barr Roofing Co., Abilene, Texas; John Embow, president of Grove Roofing Services Inc., Buffalo, N.Y.; Robert Willis, vice president of The Wehner Roofing & Tinning Co., Dayton, Ohio; and Richard Nugent, CEO of Nations Roof LLC, Bridgeport, Conn., were elected vice presidents.
NRCA also elected 15 new directors. For the list of new directors, see Briefings, page 47.
What's to come
The 2011 convention and expo realized an 18 percent increase from 2010. That increase, coupled with this year's 3 percent increase from 2011, is a sure sign the 2013 show will be just as big. Be sure to mark your calendars for Feb. 3-7, 2013, when NRCA's 126th Annual Convention and the 2013 IRE head to San Antonio.
Beth Wang is Professional Roofing's editorial assistant.
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