Empowering Midwest roofers

By Emma Peterson. 

MRCA leaders reflect on educational opportunities, contractor needs and the 2025 conference. 

Just last month, the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) hosted their 2025 Conference and Expo in Schaumburg, Illinois! Crew members of the Coffee Shops™ were in attendance and they had an amazing time talking to contractors, consultants and suppliers from across the Midwest! To learn more about this incredible event, Megan Ellsworth sat down with MRCA President Laurie Moore, MRCA Vice President Bill Seibert and MRCA Managing Director Rachel Pinkus for a special Roofing Road Trips® episode.  

MRCA’s initiatives and events are all driven by the goal of addressing the needs of contractors in the field. Laurie explained, “What MRCA tries to do is to focus on the needs of all the different classifications or types of contractors in the region. This conference is a great example of how we do that, as all our education topics come out of committees of MRCA members.” Rachel added, “Our committees do an excellent job of reviewing any issues that are out there, what the current needs are of the membership and then honing in on sessions that will help them find solutions.” 

A great example of this in action was the “Residential Steep Slope” speaker panel at this year’s conference. Bill explained, “Roofing is a high-risk industry, and there are a lot of people that don’t know how to navigate that. There’s a need for knowledge there. So, we found four residential contractors and hosted a panel focusing on topics like safety, labor laws and their personal, real-world experiences.” 

Having this type of experience, hearing from others and learning together in a collaborative environment, is a powerful way to boost both your business and your career. Bill explained, “When you sit in these committee meetings or go to show education sessions, you look around those tables and you realize you're with some of the best of the best. And those guys are there sharing their experiences, issues and all. Having that network to discuss your challenges with real world contractors that have been there, done that or are currently dealing with that is super helpful.” 

At the end of the day, MRCA’s annual conference is just one of many ways they meet contractors where they are and help them where they need it. Laurie shared, “We make a point to also have a diverse group of board members so that we have perspectives from different types of contractors and are able to focus on the areas that we see may be under supported.” 

To hear more from Laurie, Bill and Rachel, check out the full Roofing Road Trips® episode!