Expert Conversations
Manufacturer reps: More engaged than ever
By Jenny Yu. Two industry veterans discuss the evolving role of manufacturer representatives in today’s technological landscape. Manufacturer representatives have long served as a vital link between manufacturers, distributors and contractors. In a recent Roofing Road Trips® episode, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with Jim Rizzo of PermaBond and Randy ...
A roofing company built by people who stayed
By Jesse Sanchez. The conversation starts the way it always has, with memory before momentum and laughter before credentials. There is a particular sound to people who have known each other for a long time. It is relaxed. Unrushed. A little teasing, a little reverence. That sound opens this episode ...
When a roof starts to look like memory instead of material
By Jesse Sanchez. In the quiet evolution of synthetic roofing, the first change was not performance but perception. This Roofing Road Trips® conversation opens with excitement, but it carries something older underneath it: the long suspicion that if a roof is synthetic, it must be pretending to be something it ...
Setting the record straight on roof coatings
By Jenny Yu. Industry leaders explain why long-term success depends on treating coatings as a complete roofing system. In a recent CoatingsCoffeeShop® Coffee Conversations®, sponsored by H.B. Fuller, Megan Ellsworth spoke with Mike Kintop, senior product manager at H.B. Fuller, and Chelsea Oesch, marketing director for TRI-BUILT® at QXO, ...
From problem solving to industry standard
By Jesse Sanchez. A contractor-led idea grew into a widely trusted retrofit approach by responding to real-world challenges and validating performance through decades of testing. In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Karen Edwards sat down with Dale Nelson, founder of Roof Hugger, to trace how a practical field challenge ...
Silicone vs. acrylic coatings
By Jesse Sanchez. Industry experts discuss how chemistry, climate and roof conditions influence coating selection. In this CoatingsTalk, a representative from MuleHide addressed a practical question contractors and building owners face on recover projects: When does silicone make sense and when is acrylic the better fit? Led by Megan Ellsworth, ...
Field inspections anchor warranty confidence
By Jesse Sanchez. Field inspections are the key to shaping contractor accountability, quality assurance and long-term performance across commercial roofing. In this episode of La Voz de los Ruferos, host Jessica Bravo spoke with Alejandra Mahecha Bader, technical field representative for MuleHide, about daily inspection realities and their importance. Alejandra ...
Insurance pushes for high-performance roofs
By Jesse Sanchez. Growing collaboration between manufacturers and insurers could reshape roofing choices. In the storm-prone Southeastern United States, insurance companies are increasingly influencing what materials go on roofs and their push for durability is opening the door for synthetic products like those made by Brava Roof Tile to take ...
When service work starts feeling like a craft
By Jesse Sanchez. There is a moment when a room gets quiet, not because no one has anything to say, but because everyone is listening. This Roofing Road Trips® podcast begins the way many roofing stories do, with memory. Will Riley remembers being a kid, riding along while his father ...
Service, maintenance and repair efforts are helping roofers lock in
By Jesse Sanchez. Contractors who double down on service and maintenance now will own the customer relationship for years to come. Roofing contractors watching the surge in demand for service, maintenance and repair work are facing a simple choice: commit to it or get left behind. That is the message ...
