Manny Oyola, Jr. - FRSA Expo 2025: A Roofing Tradition - PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with Manny Oyola, Jr., president of the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA). You can read the interview below or listen to the podcast.

Intro: Welcome to Roofing Road Trips, the podcast that takes you on a thrilling journey across the world of roofing. From fascinating interviews with roofing experts to on-the-road adventures, we'll uncover the stories, innovations and  challenges that shape the rooftops over our heads. So fasten your seatbelts and join us as we embark on this exciting Roofing Road Trip. 

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to a Roofing Road Trip from RoofersCoffeeShop. My name is Megan Ellsworth and  I am so very excited to be talking about the 103rd FRSA Convention and Expo. That's the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Convention and Expo and  I have the one and only President Manny here to chat with us. So, hi, Manny. I'm so glad you're here. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Thanks for having us. 

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely. So I'll have you just dive right in and introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about you. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: My name is Manny Oyola. I'm a third-generation roofing contractor. I'm fortunate enough to work for Eagle Roofing Products, which is a roof tile manufacturer and  it's a family-owned business with three locations throughout the country, two in California, one in Arizona and  one here in Florida. I've been with them for the last 19 years as their technical representative. 

Megan Ellsworth: Amazing. Incredible. Okay. So I've experienced firsthand the community and networking connections that the FRSA Convention creates. I would love to know how you have seen the convention and expo foster community and connections like that. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Well, I think it's a place where everybody comes to reconnect, also to gain new knowledge and see old friends. I think it's a community whereas you may be surprised who you come across there that you might have not seen in years. And the liveliness of the community and the growth that we've had is just totally magnificent. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. So you always have lots of educational trainings at the expo and convention. What are some that will be available this year, educational opportunities? 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Well, here again, we're offering over 30 hours of industry and specific seminars. 

Megan Ellsworth: Wow. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: For example, the FRSA-TRI installation manual, wind mitigation methods, documenting a roofing project, which is really important and  ASCE 7 wind calculations, which most times the contractors cannot do without that, as they have to pull their permits and they have to put it to pull the permits as per the current codes. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah, that's huge in 30 hours. And so many different options to pick from and different just really talented and educated speakers on these topics. That's huge. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Well, the classes are taught and developed through the industry by, I would say ladies and gentlemen who are professionals in their field. It really gives a lot of on-hand knowledge from people who've been there, done it or   either are researchers, engineers or   roofing professionals as the professionals that come to the association meetings and stuff like that. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah. So how would you say FRSA continues to support contractors in the industry through some of these challenges like hurricanes, labor shortages? What is FRSA doing to support their members? 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Well, one of the major things are that we are really involved with the Florida building code, developing of the code, adopting of issues in the code that aren't Florida specific, we fight against that. And we're also fighting against having contractors come to work in Florida from other states during these wind events that leave us in the lurch because they're not really ever have been familiar with our codes and the specific manner in which we need to do things because of the strength of our code. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. No, totally. That's such an important support that you give your members in making sure that Florida contractors are helping Floridians. Right? 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Right. Well, Florida's the only state that actually has a specific building code that not only is it implemented, but it's also regulated very closely. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah and  so many products go by that code nationwide and by the Miami-Dade approvals. So Florida is such a leader in that sense with products and manufacturing and  so the contractors are too, are leading the way. So that means FRSA is as well. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Well, the other thing you can think about is that the FRSA helps to safeguard the community at large, right? We're worried about the homeowners who have homes who will be ripped off, for lack of a better word, by contractors that aren't doing it the way the code is supposed to do it and  a lot of times they're not pulling permits for a lot of these jobs. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah. That's so true. Can you give us a little sneak peek on any special guests, speakers or   award ceremonies happening this year at the show? 

Manny Oyola Jr.: There's a lot of stuff going on at the show this year, but we have a lot of the Florida legislators, they've been drafting a lot of stuff that we're going to be talking about. We're going to be giving a lot of the information about the codes and legislation that a lot of the contractors are not aware about. 

We have the Business Lunch, which honors the life and honorary membership. And we'll include highlights and notable roofing projects throughout Florida, what we call the STAR Awards. 

We're also highlighting scholarship recipients, which we have. And through the educational foundation, we've been able to hand out a lot of money for young individuals for scholarships that are well-deserved and well-earned and needed. Needed. I was sad to think, the other day, my daughter was talking about how many scholarships every year throughout the nation go unused. Money that's there that people don't realize. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Yeah. So it's important that we keep in the forefront of a lot of this stuff because those individuals, after all, are our future. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah and  it's things like this that we're hoping to try to get that scholarship opportunity out into the world more because there are so many people trying to go to vocational schools, trade schools, colleges, universities, that, exactly like you said, have no idea that there's just all these opportunities out there for scholarship money and that can really make or break or change someone's life. And that's- 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Well, we're also working with different entities. There's a few programs called SkillsUSA- 

Megan Ellsworth: Oh, yeah. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: ... and EducateHigh. They educate high school students, options available for roofing industry. Florida has a state organization called CareerSource. One of our past presidents sits on the board and they are implementing trade skills back into the schools. 

When I was a kid, we had trade schools. You don't see that today. And the unfortunate thing is that these are honest trades that these young men and young women and  I'm seeing a lot more women involved in roofing than I have in many, many past years. So we're also working with the NRCA, which is National Roofing Contractors Association. The work that we do and the community that we bring together as the FRSA, as the largest trade organization in the country, I think it means a lot. 

Megan Ellsworth: It so does. It so does. And I think also just having that rich history of like this is your 103rd convention and expo and so much goes with that. You all have been doing this for so long and supporting this trade for so long. It's just something great to be a part of and to attend and see in person. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Yeah. 

Megan Ellsworth: I would love to hear a memorable moment or story from a past convention that stands out to you. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Well, actually, you almost bring a tear to my eyes on that because I think the most memorable moment in my career, my license goes back to 1981. 

Megan Ellsworth: Amazing. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: So it's been a lot of years. But to have the honor of having my four daughters on stage and having one of them swear me in as the president for the 103rd year of the FRSA, that was such an honor and a privilege. And it is a privilege to be the president of the association. There's so much to do and so little time to do it in almost. But the great part about being president, it doesn't stop the year that you stop being president. It goes on because of the amount of mentoring that you should be doing as a former president. 

Megan Ellsworth: Totally. Yeah and  helping the incoming president and helping new board members and association members, that's huge. So follow-up question to that, when does your presidency end? Is it at this year's convention and then you hand it off to the next person? 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Right. It ends at the end of the convention. 

Megan Ellsworth: Got it. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: And also, every president has a theme. 

Megan Ellsworth: Oh. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Creates a theme. For instance, my theme for this year, for this year that's almost gone now, is our legacy of sharing roofing knowledge. 

Megan Ellsworth: Love it. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Okay. There are so many specialized roofing systems and  as we get older, a lot of it is not being passed on, especially in the roofing trade of roof tile installation. You have your old barrel tile style, you have your old turrets and things like that, that a lot of that knowledge is not being passed on and  it's in a handful of people who are leaving the trade. So we've been trying to make an effort this year to do more education on things that haven't been passed on. And it's not just the tile industry, it's all the different types of the roofing industry, from low slope to steep slope. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah, yeah. Commercial, residential, absolutely. There's so many different types and  you should be very proud of those 30 hours of continued education time that you're offering people at this show. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: And we are. And also, what you have to realize is this is a volunteer organization. These individuals who come and spend their time and get there days early to prep and everything else are all volunteers. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. I think that's what's the coolest part about associations like FRSA, is just the amount people believe in it. And seeing your passion for it and the passion of all the workers there, working the trade show and getting excited about opening the floor and scanning people in at the classes, it's just it's infectious at the shows. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Yeah, especially when you figure education has always been a main focus. And that because the contractors need their credits for their license and things like that. It's big. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Okay. I am curious. I'd love to know, you mentioned SkillsUSA, how is FRSA working to engage and support the next generation of roofing professionals? 

Manny Oyola Jr.: So how we're doing that is that we just finished working on a roofing manual for the new trainees. That was part of the worker training manual. And what we're doing is we're finalizing it and  what that'll do is as a member, you'll be able to gain access to this manual and give it to your employees so they can gain knowledge or as much knowledge as you can put into a manual, that is, which we've worked diligently on this thing for the last four or five years, of a very tight group of volunteers. 

So through that manual, we'll be able to extend a lot of this knowledge and help these youngsters that are coming in that, you know what? It's unfortunate, but think about something. Sometimes you're in a room and you're afraid to ask a question. You don't want to be that one person that asked that question that everybody's going to stare over and look at you says, "Why'd he do that?" So it's important to give them some knowledge and  it's important to encourage the future contractors because I learned this through family. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah. It's so true. And having an association like FRSA providing that and that kind of almost feeling as though FRSA has your back. We want to give you the tools to better your career and your knowledge. That's huge to have an association backing its people so much. 

So are there any new, besides that, that amazing manual, are there any new initiatives or programs being launched at this year's show? 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Well, we're going to have a big party. 

Megan Ellsworth: I love a party. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: We're having a casino party. 

Megan Ellsworth: Love it. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: We're excited to host the event and the attendees where the new president will be sworn in. And we're going to be honoring quite a few people that night and  so we decided to have a casino party. A little bit of gambling, a little bit of socializing, a little bit of nurturing relationships that we haven't been able to see. 

This is a huge state. Not everybody's in your zip code per se, right? So it's great to have these conventions. It's also very important when we have our association technical committee meetings. And the meetings are composed of everything from legislation to codes to convention, stuff like that. There's a lot of things that go on and  again, a lot of people who volunteer a lot of their time to be there and help the association move to the next level. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah. That's huge. And the casino party sounds like a blast. Okay. And lastly, how can contractors, manufacturers, exhibitors get more involved with FRSA outside of the annual convention? 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Well, we do classes throughout the state, especially on years that their code changes. There's the affiliates, there's an affiliate in every sector. And Lisa can bring you up to date on where those affiliates are located throughout the state. And they have monthly meetings that they have guest speakers. The affiliates are like the foundation of the association where it all starts to happen and then it all comes together at the association. So they're part of the association. 

And through that, we're able to relate code issues, relate changes in the legislation, relate different things having to do with workmans' comp, liability insurance. We have these guest speakers that come in and share all this knowledge. And especially with the younger contractors that are coming in, that they need somebody to mentor them and they need to have somebody to say, "Hey. Come on, let's go to this meeting. You might find something there that you weren't sure about and gain some knowledge there." That's very important to mentor that person next to you so that they could be that next person in line. Maybe a future president. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. It seems like you know what your role is after your presidency. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Yeah. 

Megan Ellsworth: I love that. And congratulations on wrapping up your presidency after the show. And we're all very excited from the coffee shops to be attending the 103, the 103rd FRSA Convention and Expo this year. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Thank you. I hope I passed along a little bit of what we're about and the greatness that happens here at the FRSA, the many, many people. This is not one president, one person that does everything, this is an association of dedicated professional individuals. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. I couldn't agree more. We love going to FRSA. I can't even- 

Manny Oyola Jr.: We love having you there. 

Megan Ellsworth: I can't even count on my hands how many times I've been. It's a great show, so congratulations. And everyone can go to the FRSA directory on rooferscoffeeshop.com to learn more. And then they can go to your website as well, do you know the website? I believe it's just frsa.org. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: That's correct. Yes. 

Megan Ellsworth: Perfect. Go to frsa.org and you can learn more about maybe even signing up for this year's convention, getting involved the rest of this year and  seeing what other events are going on. So Manny, thank you. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Also, I wanted, the last little push. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yes. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Have everybody come and start bidding on some of our auction items. They go into the educational foundation, what we sell there and  we have all kinds of neat stuff. 

Megan Ellsworth: That's awesome. And when does that open? Do you know? 

Manny Oyola Jr.: That opens the day after convention opens. 

Megan Ellsworth: Okay, perfect. So I believe like June 4th it'll open and it's online as well. Anyone can bid, right? 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Yes. Yes, it is. 

Megan Ellsworth: Amazing. So if you aren't able to attend the show, but you still want to support, go to the silent auction online. You can find the information on the FRSA directory on rooferscoffeeshop.com and on their website, floridaroof.com. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: The educational foundation will appreciate it and so will the kids that gain the scholarships from it. 

Megan Ellsworth: Absolutely. I love it. Well, Manny, I hope the convention goes off without a hitch and everyone has the best time. And congratulations again on wrapping up your presidency. 

Manny Oyola Jr.: Thank you so much. It's been a privilege. 

Megan Ellsworth: You're so welcome. Everyone out there, thanks for listening. Make sure you subscribe and ring the bell so you get notified every time we upload a new episode of Roofing Road Trips. And I'll see you next time on Roofing Road Trips. 

If you've enjoyed the ride, don't forget to hit that subscribe button and join us on every roofing adventure. Make sure to visit rooferscoffeeshop.com to learn more. Thanks for tuning in and  we'll catch you on the next Roofing Road Trip.