See you in Schaumburg!

By Emma Peterson. 

MRCA is hosting their annual conference and expo in Illinois this October! 

2025 marks the 75th annual Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA)’s conference and expo! This year, the show will be hosted at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Illinois from Tuesday, October 21, 2025, to Thursday, October 23, 2025. Designed for commercial and residential roofing contractors, builders, remodelers, consultants and more, this conference combines cutting-edge education and an innovative expo floor with fun networking and community-focused events! Keep reading to learn more about what to expect!  

Explore the expo floor 

The expo floor, which will be open Tuesday, October 21 and Wednesday, October 22, will feature countless manufacturers and suppliers from around the industry. From value-added services to innovative products and solutions, this is the place to be to stay up to date on roofing materials and technologies. The Coffee Shops will have a booth there, #504, so make sure to stop by and say hi!  

A lot of our industry friends will also be there, including but not limited to A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply (booth #530), Acculynx (booth #313), BITEC (booth #437), Brava Roof Tile (booth #337), Dataforma (booth #316), Estimating Edge (booth #608), Everest Systems (booth #219), KARNAK (booth #430), Polyglass (booth #412), Service First Solutions (booth #318) and Versico Roofing Systems (booth #421). 

You can explore the entire expo floor online!

Learn from industry leaders 

Education is one of the cornerstones of the conference and there are a wide variety of programs featuring industry leaders that will help you grow and build your business! Here are some highlights to pencil into your schedule: 

• How Smart Tech is Reshaping Construction & Business & Preventing Cyber Attacks: Kevin Fox of FoxWerx Group shares how AI and other technology can affect your business, both the good and the bad. 
• Mitigate Risk on the Roof: Lessons from Real-World Subcontract Agreements and How They Protect Your Company (Part 1): Taught by the MRCA legal counsel, Gary Auman (of Auman, Mahan and Furry), this is a crash course in the legal aspects of subcontracting with a focus on safety and compliance. 
• Mitigate Risk on the Roof: Lessons from Real-World Subcontract Agreements and How They Protect Your Company (Part 2): Part two of the previous session, this is a panel discussion on the same topic featuring Luke Haines (Roofmaster Roofing and Sheet Metal), Matt Smith (Fat Matt Roofing), Brett Tesson (Tesson Roofing and Exteriors) and Bill Seibert (Fisher Roofing of Kearney).  
• Assuring the Continuation of your Company in the New Tax Law World: In this session, Lee and Terry Resnick of the Resnicl Succession Group dive into practical tips for succession planning.  
• Health & Safety: This seminar, taught by Frank J. Marino of Safety Check, Inc, is perfect for attendees looking to learn more about developing and implementing a strong safety culture and plan. 
• Signatory contractor’s roundtable discussion: Less of a traditional seminar, this is a discussion focused on everything from ERISA fund trends to labor law updates and the changing regulatory environment. 
• Sheathing Under Stress: Engineering Insights into Moisture Effects: Last but not least, this informative session all about engineering when the environment may be less than ideal comes from Richard Koziol and Heidi Mase of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 

Learn more about the different sessions online!

Celebrate the industry 

And the MRCA Conference and Expo is not all work and no play, there are a variety of fun events that give attendees a chance to blow off some steam while making valuable connections with their peers. These events include things like Top Golf outings, the Welcome Reception and a Casino Night. Though, here at The Coffee Shops, we are especially excited for the annual Foundation Auction. 

The MRCA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to raise awareness and improve the industry through education and research. Last year, the auction raised over $137,000 for the Foundation, an incredible number that has been used to strengthen the future of roofing through academic scholarships, programming and technical research. 

This year, the auction will be happening Tuesday, October 21. The theme will be black and white and the night will feature both a silent auction (running 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.) and a live auction (kicking off at 7:45 p.m.). Not only is this a great way to support the future of the industry through the Foundation, but there are also some incredible auction items to bid on (including a one-year R-Club membership or standard directory and podcast valued at $2,500.00 from The Coffee Shops!).  

If you haven’t already registered, make sure to get your tickets and we’ll see you in Schaumburg!