The Roofing Organization That’s Supporting Future Roofers

By Evelyn Witterholt. 

The Roofing Alliance has major plans for roofing education, including a roofing fundamentals course at Clemson University. 

Since 1996, the National Roofing Contractors Association’s (NRCA) foundation, the Roofing Alliance, has been committed to supporting future roofers. They have worked hard to create a welcoming environment for young people interested in roofing with educational courses and by offering an annual scholarship. In a recent podcast, we spoke with Greg Bloom, president of the Roofing Alliance, and Alison LaValley, executive director of the Roofing Alliance, about their organization and what they have planned for the next year. 

Greg, who is also the vice president of national accounts at Beacon Building Products, tells us that their organization has provided $6 million to over 50 roofing research, education and technology projects. He states that his current focus as the new president of the organization is to take things to the next level with adding members and impacting lives in the roofing industry. 

In regard to the roofing fundamentals course they helped create at Clemson University, Greg says, “We have additional courses coming down the road, there's going to be more programs coming. I have the Beacon training team actually taking the courses.” 

Alison, who is also vice president of the NRCA, highlights the Alliance’s annual student competition they’ve been hosting at the International Roofing Expo (IRE). For the past nine years, the Roofing Alliance has been hosting student teams from different schools in construction management programs who present a proposal for a roofing project.  

She shares, “To see their faces when they're making these presentations at the student competition during the International Roofing Expo, the work that they're presenting, a written report and then presenting at the competition. It's amazing to see the learning curve with these students, and the effect that it's having.”  

Listen to the entire podcast to learn more about the Roofing Alliance and its new leadership.