Emma Peterson, Senior Content Developer
Finding the path to roofing
By Emma Peterson. How taking risks—and refusing to quit—launched Ian Davis into industry‑leading success. Recently, TopShield sponsored an episode of Stories From the Roof featuring Ian Davis, the founder of Cairn Contacting. Established in 2017, Cairn has quickly raised the bar on ethics, service and quality with recognitions such ...
Rebuilding roofs and hope
By Emma Peterson. Four roofing projects across the U.S. show the power of compassion, service and community. As the cost of living continues to increase, many homeowners struggle to gather funds for large home projects, like a reroof. This is especially true for our more vulnerable neighbors, such as ...
Building stronger roofs: RICOWI’s latest field investigation
By Emma Peterson. RICOWI’s 2025 Texas A&M University hail study reveals vital insights into modern roof performance after severe storms. Back in 1990, the Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues, Inc. (RICOWI) was formed as a non-profit with the partnership of the Department of Energy and Oak ...
Legal departments: Your best defense against risk
By Emma Peterson. Trent Cotney shares actionable steps to protect your business, reduce risk and strengthen your bottom line. Join Megan Ellsworth and Trent Cotney for a discussion about how roofing companies’ legal departments are more than just overhead in a new Read Listen Watch® (RLW) on March 31, 2026 ...
A standout cover board
By Emma Peterson. How Johns Manville’s ProtectoR® HD Cover Board maximizes long-term roof performance. There are many factors that can impact the long-term performance of a commercial roof—severe weather, foot traffic, wind uplift and hail can all compromise the membrane and lead to costly repairs. One of the most effective ...
Inspiring the next generation of roofers
By Emma Peterson. Learn how NRCA is supporting students like Shelton Horton’s interest in the roofing industry. The term “labor shortage” has become very familiar for professionals working in the roofing industry. There are reports that many companies are having to turn down jobs due to lack of labor and ...
Inside the Exterior Contractor Alliance
By Emma Peterson. How collaboration, mentorship and shared expertise strengthen individual careers and the industry on a whole. In a recent episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Keely Roberts, Lee Lipniskis and Jewels DeCorsey stopped by to chat with Megan Ellsworth about the Exterior Contractor Alliance (ECA). Lee and Jewels ...
Innovations from APOC at IRE 2026
By Emma Peterson. A look at APOC's new products and programs designed to strengthen contractor success. At the 2026 International Roofing Expo (IRE), our crew from The Coffee Shops™ had the opportunity to host a live soundstage in the lobby (shoutout to our friends at SRS Distribution who sponsored ...
Two industry-wide business problems
By Emma Peterson. Roofing veteran Ken Kelly shares the most common issues he sees limiting contractors’ growth. In a recent episode of People Make Roofing, Luke McCormack of Roofing Talent America and The Coffee Shops™’ own Heidi J. Ellsworth interviewed industry veteran Ken Kelly. Ken got his start in ...
Top February articles: Business strategy, industry advocacy and more.
By Emma Peterson. Your quick guide to this month’s biggest conversations across The Coffee Shops™. While February is the shortest month, that didn’t stop it from being busy here at The Coffee Shops™! Between the 10 different trade shows our team attended and the over 350 articles posted across our ...
