By Dani Sheehan.

Award-winning, innovative keynote speaker and author, Chris Czarnik, joins Roofing Talent America as the newest board advisor.

Roofing Talent America has taken another major step forward in redefining recruitment in the roofing industry. The company is proud to announce that Chris Czarnik, a nationally recognized expert in talent acquisition and workforce development, has joined as a board advisor.

Chris brings decades of experience in recruitment strategy, employee retention and leadership coaching. As the architect behind The Human Search Engine® and author of "Winning the War for Talent: Recruit, Retain and Develop the Talent Your Business Needs to Survive and Thrive," his innovative approaches have helped countless businesses refine their hiring processes and build stronger teams. He has worked with organizations across multiple industries, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Department of Labor, to transform how companies attract and retain top talent.

Luke McCormack, CEO and founder of Roofing Talent America, boasts the significance of Chris’s addition to their company. “As we continue to scale Roofing Talent America and cement our position as the go-to talent partner for the roofing industry, having Chris onboard is a game-changer,” he shared on LinkedIn. “His mentorship will not only sharpen our team but also push me to become a stronger CEO.”

Roofing Talent America continues to transform how commercial roofing companies attract, retain and grow top talent. His experience will help roofing contractors not only find the right talent but also implement sustainable hiring practices that lead to long-term employee success.

As the roofing industry faces ongoing labor shortages and increasing demand for skilled professionals, Roofing Talent America is committed to providing solutions that make a difference. With Chris now advising the team, the future of roofing recruitment looks brighter than ever.

By Dani Sheehan.

From rethinking recruitment to leveraging the right partnerships, Chris’s approach will help you take a step toward winning the war for talent in the roofing industry.

Labor shortages are a pressing challenge across industries, and roofing is no exception. In a recent episode of our Contractor Outlook Newscast, workforce development expert Chris Czarnik shares invaluable insights into recruiting, retaining and developing talent in the roofing industry. Chris’s depth of experience and actionable strategies offers a roadmap for navigating this critical issue.

With over 20 years of experience in workplace development, Chris is no stranger to the challenges of matching workers with industries that need them most. He explains, “I’m not a guy from the ivory tower in New York telling you what theories might happen. Before I taught companies how to find people, I was a career coach for some 8,000 people, whether they were high school students, college graduates or mid-career professionals... I taught people a project-oriented way to figure out how to go to work and how to find it.”

He taught them a process he called Human Search Engine, which later became a topic in his book Winning the War for Talent, that he wrote for the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) but which has now been used by over 4,000 organizations. His approach emphasizes tangible solutions tailored to the roofing industry, an often-overlooked sector as a rewarding career.

Our industry faces a fundamental issue: most people don’t know the roofing industry exists as a viable career path. “When you’re seven years old, you can look at a fire truck and say, ‘I want to be a firefighter.’ You see a police officer and say, ‘I want to be a police officer.’ But we don’t see commercial roofing in our daily life,” Chris highlights. With an average second-year salary of $50,000 and lifetime earnings surpassing $2.5 million for commercial roofers, this field offers opportunities that are too often overshadowed.

Chris doesn’t shy away from the hard numbers: “We’re 8.5 million people short in the workforce for the next ten years. My generation [the baby boomers] are retiring at a rate of 2,500 people per day, and the generation replacing us only has 1,500 people per day entering the workforce.” However, he’s quick to offer a solution-focused perspective. Roofing companies don’t need to solve the national labor crisis to succeed – they need to focus on finding a few great employees at a time.

He asks, “Are you working as hard to find your next great employee as you are your next great client? If not, then the numbers are against you.”

Want to hear his practical advice and wake-up call for the roofing industry? Read the transcript, Listen to the newscast or Watch the webinar for Chris's solutions concerning workforce development and how you can apply them to your business.

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of an live interview with  IRE Keynote Speaker Chris Czarnik, Kelly Van Winkle, Roofing Alliance president, Luciano Perez, safety director at KPOST Roofing and Waterproofing and Jason Stanley, president of IB Roof Systems. You can read the interview below, listen to the podcast here, or watch on Youtube.

Heidi Ellsworth: Good morning, everyone. My name is Heidi Ellsworth and this is Coffee Conversations from RoofersCoffeeShop. We're so happy to have you all here today. Welcome 2023, this is our first Coffee Conversations of the year. We are so excited and, of course, we had to start it out talking about the International Roofing Expo. There is so much going on, I can't wait for the first week of March and we want to share that excitement with you today. We have an amazing panel.

We're going to share all of the hot, fun, educational, great things that are going to be happening at this year's IRE. But before we get started, I want to remind everybody that this is a chat, this is a conversation. I already see people chatting, so please get into that chat. If you have comments or questions, don't wait till the end. This is all the way through, so we're going to want to hear what you think. If you have questions as we go along, this is being recorded and it will be on demand within the next 24 hours.

Feel free to share that with the rest of the industry, because we want to get the largest attendance at the IRE ever, so let's work that out. Please share this out because this is where the roofing industry all comes together and it's going to be in Dallas, Texas this year. Let's get started. First of all, I would like to say thank you very much to IB Roof Systems. They are the sponsor of this Coffee Conversations today. I tell you what, an amazing company and I'm not just talking about their products.

I'm talking about what they do for the industry. We are so honored to have Jason Stanley on this panel with us today, the CEO of IB Roof Systems. Thank you, Jason, for sponsoring and for everything you do for the industry.

Jason Stanley: Thank you, Heidi. Proud to be here and proud to be a sponsor.

Heidi Ellsworth: We are proud to have you. Let me tell you, we have so much fun working together, doing the great things on this. You are not going to believe, everyone, what you're going to hear is going to be happening. A lot of that is coming from great manufacturers like IB Roof Systems. As we get started, first of all, I would like to introduce our panel.

I'm telling you, this is really great. This gentleman, our first panelist, I was actually lucky enough to be able to see pre-COVID at a Roofing Alliance meeting. I was blown away by his insights and his wisdom when it comes around recruitment and just the labor workforce. Chris, welcome to Coffee Conversations.

Chris Czarnik: Well, gosh, good morning. I'm so grateful to be here and it's important for everybody on this call to know that I am specifically connected to the roofing industry. I travel the world teaching companies how to recruit, retain, and develop talent with process-oriented solutions that they can implement and start enacting tomorrow. But the vast majority, the beginning of my work started with the roofing industry. A very good friend of mine, who many of you I'm sure know, Reid Ribble, was my congressperson.

Reid is the one who identified my work and got it in front of Congress. Then, when he left Congress as the president of the National Roofing Contractors Association, actually asked me to write the book, Winning the War for Talent, which is the book that is currently being sold all around the world in a way I was never prepared for. Anyway, he said, "Chris, you've been helping jobseekers find companies for the last 20 years. Can you teach my companies to actually go out and find people, and bring them into the organization?"

He hired me to write the book, Winning the War for Talent, and that was the beginning of all of this. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be here, and blown away by the opportunity to keynote this presentation.

Heidi Ellsworth: I tell you what, we're going to introduce Brandi in just a second, but I have to give huge kudos to Informa and the IRE to bring you in, Chris, because this is the type of conversation we need to have.

We need to be talking about the labor shortage and what's happening, so really excited. We're going to get back to you because we're going to talk all about your keynote, so I'm really excited. Thank you for being here.

Chris Czarnik: You bet. My pleasure.

Heidi Ellsworth: Next needs very little introduction, but I would like to introduce Kelly Van Winkle, who's going to be here talking about all the great things that are going to be happening at IRE around The Roofing Alliance. Kelly, can you just introduce yourself real quick? That would be great.

Kelly B. Van Winkle: Yes. I'm Kelly Van Winkle with King of Texas Roofing Company right outside of Dallas. I'm also The Roofing Alliance president for this year. We have an exciting organization in the alliance and we're going to be very active at the IRE.

I think this is going to be one of the best IREs we've had in many years. We have a lot to tell you about, and thanks for coming to our webinar today. Thank you, Heidi, for having me as a panelist.

Heidi Ellsworth: Always an honor, Kelly. I always love it. We introduced you just a little bit before, Jason, but Jason Stanley with IB Roof Systems, a huge advocate of ProCertification. Jason, if you could introduce yourself and your company, that would be great.

Jason Stanley: Certainly. I'm the youngest of the second generation of the Stanley family. I'm running a family-owned business called IB Roof Systems. We're a PVC, single-ply roofing manufacturer, and also the founder of a company called Labor Central. There seems to be three major issues in our industry today, and they are labor, labor and labor. If anyone's attended Roofing Day, there's three different talking points. We all come together with one voice, but they all center around labor.

I'm a huge advocate for the worker on the roof. Growing up in the roofing industry and being on the roof in my teens, I know far too well the hard work that it is to install roofing materials. I have a bleeding heart for these guys that are up on the roof killing it every single day. When I became a board member of the NRCA, I learned about ProCertification. This is it, this is our ticket to share this credential. The first time we've really had any credentials in the roofing industry.

It's there for the taking. We need to get this out to the community. I've become very passionate about the benefits of ProCertification. Actually, having an installer or roofer say, "I'm not just a roofer. I'm a card-carrying, pro-certified, single-ply installer or a standing seam installer, or a comp shingle installer and actually have some certification, some authorization that says I'm capable and confident to do this." But then it also has a level of safety.

At every one of these ProCertification starts, there is a safety component that goes with it, which is so neat in our industry. It's a hard and also dangerous industry if you're not safe.

Heidi Ellsworth: Okay. Jason, thank you. I know you're going to be back, just a little bit of a slow internet there.

Jason Stanley: I froze.

Heidi Ellsworth: I know. Thank you, Jason. We're going to go on and I'd like to introduce Luciano Perez with KPost Roofing & Waterproofing.

Luciano, thank you so much for being here. You are going to bring so much amazing information about safety, and the Latino community and roofing. Please introduce yourself and your company.

Luciano Perez: Yes, thank you. Thank you for having me. I'm Luciano Perez with KPost Company in Dallas, and I've been in the industry for about I think 31 years now. Started out in the roofing industry, and then I moved into the safety side of the business. We're going to be talking, we're going to be focused on the IRE. By the way, this is the first time that we are navigating in this area, who are the Latino community or Hispanics.

Jason, you mentioned the word safety, I am the safety, OSHA training and everything in between, communication and everything. We're going to be talking the traits of a good safety leader or manager. If you are leading people within your company, we're going to be talking in a group of panelists in the areas of communication and culture. Again, it is going to be nice. [inaudible 00:08:55].

Heidi Ellsworth: That's excellent. Yeah, we're going to talk more about that. I'm so excited for that class and for everything that is going on at the IRE. Really no introduction needed, but I would like to bring Brandi on to talk about everything that's going on.

Brandi is everything you see that is amazing with the IRE, is going to be coming because of the classes and the work, and the time that this lady puts in to really making this event truly phenomenal. Brandi, if you could introduce yourself and your company. Then let's get right into talking about what's going to be happening at IRE.

Brandi McElhaney: Okay, sounds good. Thanks, Heidi. I'm Brandi McElhaney and I'm the senior conference manager for the show. I do the conference program as well as the keynote, as well as the Community Service Day. Getting back to Chris, because labor is the critical issue in the industry, we thought the industry would be better served to have instead of this generic, inspirational, motivational talk for the keynote. We're like, "Hey, let's talk about the real issues and try to gain momentum in this initiative."

We're very thankful for Chris to share his knowledge with us. Gosh, all things IRE, we probably would be an hour just me chatting about everything that's going on. But briefly, we have our 14th Annual Community Service Day that takes place the day prior to the show. Sika Sarnafil is sponsoring that as well as GAF. Gosh, there's so many, OMG Roofing, SupplyPro, Carlisle, CentiMark, there's just so much excitement around this event. We're adopting three homes, and GAF is helping us replace roofs on several of the homes.

We're very excited about this initiative, so we would love for you to join us. It's truly an amazing, amazing day. That's the day before the show and then we kick off Tuesday morning with some conference sessions. We have 45 conference sessions over three days. Then prior to the show opening, we will hear Chris talk about the labor workforce initiatives development. Then that evening we will have our welcome party at House of Blues. Yes, House of Blues, sorry.

Prior to that, we have our first-timers reception prior to the welcome party, so we welcome those folks. Heidi, I know RoofersCoffeeShop has sponsored that event. We welcome our new timers to the show and help them navigate.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah.

Brandi McElhaney: It's amazing. The welcome party is super fun as well. Tuesday and Wednesday we have more educational programs. As Luciano said, he's going to be doing a talk on the Hispanic workforce and communicating with them about safety. Speaking of that initiative, Jason and I spoke the other day about his Labor Central platform.

And bringing in more Hispanics in the industry and introducing them to the show, because historically we haven't been able to capture that audience. We're super excited about that initiative. Gosh, there's so much more, but I don't want to take up all the time.

Heidi Ellsworth: Well, there is so much more. Brandi, thank you for all you do. Really, I can't say it enough how much you do, and the quality of the education and everything. I do want to please, everybody ask questions. We've already got some chats going on. As we go through, if you have any specific questions, we are going to cover the whole week.

But we're getting each one of our panelists to help with that. We're going to get started, first of all, and talk about the amazing keynote speaker that we have this year. Chris, talk to us, give us just a little teaser, so everybody out there, make sure that they're sitting in that audience for that keynote.

Chris Czarnik: Sure. Well, again, I'm grateful to be there, but we're not just going to talk about the problem. Everybody knows that there's a problem. I don't have to convince anybody that there's a labor shortage. Again, the math is absolutely certain. It is a mathematical certainty that across America, we are eight million people short for the next 10 years. Yeah, for the next 10 years. But specifically for roofing, I want you to think about for a second this idea that when people don't come to us.

In the past for the last 40 years, we posted a job ad, a line form, and we got to choose. Now when that's not happening, we start to blame the jobseekers. We start to say, "Well, nobody wants to work and everybody's lazy. All those darn millennials went to school for their French art degree, and now they're living their parents' basement delivering pizzas to each other through GrubHub." Just please stop. The example I use all the time is if you went fishing and you didn't catch any fish.

And you walked around blaming the fish, people would laugh at you. We would never in a million years, not have enough sales and blame the potential customers who weren't coming to us. For 40 years we posted a job ad, people came and we got to choose. Well, I hope you enjoyed that. For the next 10 years, we have to compete. The good news is we're really good at competing. Roofing companies know how to compete because you have been winning new roofing customers your entire business career.

What I'm going to teach you is to use some of those ideas that you are already very, very good at and apply them directly to recruiting. Remember, the image I want everyone to have this morning, when you start seeing all those things that are on the news, nobody wants to work, everybody's lazy. Two things are really important for you to understand. Number one, nobody sees commercial roofers. Why? Because they're four stories up. People go to Taco Bell because they go to Taco Bell and they see a now hiring sign.

They go into Kohl's and they end up folding sweaters because they shop at Kohl's. We go to work at places mostly because my jobseekers have never been taught ever how to figure out where they belong in the world of work and how to find it. Normally what happens is people go and apply for jobs that are right in front of them. Now tell me the last time that people saw a roofing crew? They don't, they're four stories up. Second of all, show me one TV or movie that shows roofing or manufacturing as a whole in any positive light.

See, it's up to us, if we don't change that view and the ProCertification thing is an enormous leap forward. I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of this industry to coming to that, because I was the career services manager for the largest technical college in the state of Wisconsin. People came to my college to get certifications to hold up and say, "Look, I have value. Look, I can solve problems. Look, I'm worth talking to and really worth hiring for your organization."

For the first time ever, you guys are taking that step, which is enormous. What I want to teach everybody in that office is how to get great people by their personality type, by creating personas of the person that wants and needs this job, by their hobbies. By their personality type, what jobs that they're currently in today that they're probably unhappy in. I want you to be able to go market to them the exact same way that you market your products and services to companies around the country.

Once you realize that your company's already good at it, this light will go on and you're like, "Wait a second, we got to stop waiting for people to come to us. It's time for us to go to them."

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah. Chris, I just love that. Did you see all of us? We were all like, "Yeah, keep going." We're all going to be in the front row.

Chris Czarnik: People are literally going to walk away with two lunch and learns that they can recreate in their conference room the next day if they choose, in order to start this process. But I want to move on to the rest of it, because I super want to hear what's going on with everybody else. But just if you ever wonder whether there are great people out there who will show up for this great opportunity, remember that this morning in your hometown, some 20-year-old male or female.

Some 20-year-old got up and got on the back of a hot tar truck to go seal parking lots and driveways for $14 an hour, 20 hours a week with no benefits, no health insurance, no development opportunities. They get burned every other day. They're doing work that is hard, that is laborious, that has them in danger every day. Ask yourself, "Why is that person in that job? Do they want to be in that job or would they much rather?" Listen, we have way better jobs, whether better pay and better benefits.

If that person is showing up for a job way worse than ours, what would they do for us? But we got to put it in front of their nose.

Heidi Ellsworth: I think, Chris, as you're talking about that too and this is something that we are seeing has totally, I don't want to say changed because it's always been the most wonderful industry, but it is becoming more and more inclusive. To really look at, like you said, put it in front of people, invite them in, come be with us.

This is a great industry. I think that's probably more so than ever in the Latino community. Luciano, you're going to be doing the same thing, talking about the workforce, about safety. You're going to be leading, I think Brandi, isn't it one of the first panels of this kind, right?

Brandi McElhaney: It sure is. Yes.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah, this is groundbreaking. Tell us about your panel, about the people who are going to be doing the education, and the overall how we are embracing and inviting the Latino community.

Luciano Perez: Yeah. Thank you, Heidi. Chris, as far as bringing the people, once we have them in the house and then not the challenge, but the process. I guess part of the process is to get them to working safe, because the roofing industry nationwide has been in the eyes of OSHA for many years. I see more, and more and more wiring lines and safety-related items up on the roofs. But still we have a number one cause of incidents and injuries is for protection.

The panelist session is not a training class, but we are going to cover things like communication skills. You are the safety leader. What are the traits of a highly effective safety leader or professional? One of them will be communication. Okay, how do you use communication in an effective way? One of my panelists, it will be a panelist, he said, "I worked throughout the United States and the people in Texas or North Texas is different. I went to open a branch in New York and we had people from Central America, Columbia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other countries and Vietnam."

He said, "Imagine the challenge to communicate?" Yes, they're going to be productive and we want it to be productive, but also we want it to be safe. Safety or the risk management is part of all this conversation. Yes, we want the manpower in the industry, but we need also to work to provide the training and everything education toward safe. We're going to cover they listen and how important is the listening skills?

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah, listening and communicating.

Luciano Perez: Listening and communicating, that type of, like you say, Heidi, this is a conversation, this is not we're going to grill all the panelists, we're going to put them on the spot. No, this is the challenges. One safety professional here in Dallas said to me, "I speak Spanish with the guys, but I don't feel that I connect." I don't feel is keyword, feel. "I tell them, but I just don't feel that they connect with me or I connect with them."

What do you do? That's a million-dollar question. We're going to be talking that type of conversation is going to be related of culture. Heidi, I mentioned with you when you were [inaudible 00:22:00], I talked briefly with you about people from the north of Mexico versus people from Mexico City. Same country, just one country, but the approach is just different.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. Well, when we look on the United States, all we have to do is look inward, it's no different. People from the Pacific Northwest compared to Florida, we do things different. We have different terminologies, but we're all together. We just have to listen and learn the different cultures.

I think it's just amazing that you're going to bring all these people to have that conversation. This is one of the mini classes, what I think Brandi said 45 classes that are going to be there. But everyone who's on this, and as you're talking to people, you want to get registered for these classes because they're going to sell. Luciano, your class will be packed.

Luciano Perez: Yeah. Well, another point also on the same topic, he'll say, "Well, I tell them and tell them, and they don't listen. My people, I tell them. How do I make them to listen?" Well, that's a good question.

Well, go to talk to them. I already talked to them. I talk Spanish, I tell them, and I just don't know what else. We're going to get the tips from different panelists in this session. We're going to network with each other and it's going to be a good conversation.

Heidi Ellsworth: That is excellent. Chris, you're seeing this across the country too in all industries, right?

Chris Czarnik: Well, I definitely have. And not only that, but Luciano's really onto something here is that once we get people into the industry, they want to learn and they want to grow. We've got to be able to have education, experience and hand down knowledge that allows people to become a crew leader, that allows somebody to become a safety leader in the organization.

Those skills of convincing people why something's important, don't do it just because I, as your boss told you to do it. Do it because it's good for your safety and we want you to go home with 10 fingers and 10 toes tonight to your family. Those are the skills that we can develop inside our employees, to get them to grow in the organization so they stay in the industry.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yes. Yes. That is what this is all about. We started talking at the beginning of this part about inclusiveness.

Last year, was the first year that there was a full pavilion on the show floor, Para Latino brought to by SRS. It was amazing. Brandi, that's happening again this year also, right?

Brandi McElhaney: Yes.

Heidi Ellsworth: There's going to be a number of opportunities to listen and to mingle, and to have conversations, whether it's in Luciano's class or at the lounge.

Brandi and Jason, you mentioned right at the beginning, about this initiative out through Labor Central to also communicate and invite. I always say people need to be invited. How's that working, Jason?

Jason Stanley: Well, this platform that we have, Labor Central, has nearly 1,500 crews across the country, and we can text them and connect with them in both English and Spanish. The intent here is to try and bring this group, these laborers that work so hard that do a large part of the installations today, to bring them into the roofing industry. It seems as if they all learn on the job, and they learn from the person before them and the person before them.

But there are so many incredible tools that have been prepared. Millions of dollars that have been spent by manufacturers, the NRCA, The Roofing Alliance in both English and Spanish that are there for the taking, but we can't deploy the content because they don't even know it exists. For the first time really, we want to make a huge push to bring people to the IRE that actually work on the rooftops. Maybe they're not bilingual, maybe they only speak Spanish, but make them feel comfortable.

SRS has done an incredible job with this Para Latino booth for the first time, or maybe it's the second show. But the first time in Dallas, having a place where these people can go and can feel at home, can share their stories and their history, and feel some comradery in the industry. I believe they will be amazed when they get there to see this incredible industry that is there for them with open arms that they really don't have access to.

My hope is that through Labor Central, we can start to connect with these folks and bring them out of the shadows, and truly into the industry where they can get all this amazing content, whether it be safety, whether it be installation training. Whether it's just about just being a better worker and understanding how to progress. Again, hats off to SRS, they're putting their money where their mouth is. They have Julissa Chavez there who is traveling around the country speaking, trying to bring these people up.

What she's finding is some of them don't want to own their own roofing company. Many of them want to just be more productive. Hopefully through Labor Central and partnerships with SRS and the Para Latino push, we can accomplish that, and truly empower these people and educate these people so that they can be happier, more productive, and more successful.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. I'm so glad you called out Julissa because she is just talk about a leader in our industry, she is phenomenal. I do want to also say, Theresa, thank you for this great comment. She said, "Empathy is one of the best feelings you can have with your workers. The diversity in the Hispanic community is huge. We have many different cultures." This, again, IRE is going to be right on topic. This is exactly the conversations that we're going to be having while we're there. On that note, let's talk about the next generation.

We have the next generation that we want too. Here is the Para Latino lounge. I just want to make sure everybody saw that. But the next generation is all about our young folks coming in to the industry. I have to tell you every day, I'm so proud that Megan Ellsworth is part of the roofing industry, who I don't know if she ever thought she was really going to be, but she is. We're bringing young people in every single day. Kelly, The Roofing Alliance has been doing the student competition.

I think this is the ninth year. It is absolutely one of my favorite things. Let's tell everybody and see if we can get them into that room.

Kelly B. Van Winkle: Yes. Well, first I wanted to commend all the other panelists on everything that they're doing to bring in new people to our industry. It is so important, all the things that we're talking about here today. The Roofing Alliance highly believes in bringing in the younger generation, a diverse generation, bringing in fresh, new ideas. One thing that we've always done historically, is have scholarship programs for younger folks to go to trade schools, vocational schools, college and university.

In the last few years, what we've been doing also is partnering with construction management schools at universities across the United States. So many of the top construction management programs and really partnering with them to develop curriculum to have these opportunities for contests. At the IRE, we'll be having the student competition. It's on March 8th, and I hope you all will join us at the convention center. What this is we have the different construction management schools from across the country receive a project.

This year's project is Globe Life Field in North Texas. It was actually a project completed by Luciano's company, KPost. What we do is we pick a big, prominent project in the same town that the IRE is in. The students have an opportunity to research this project, to learn about it, to estimate as they would if they were a true roofing company. They make a proposal, both written and oral, on how they would bid this project if they were doing it.

How they would arrange for the safety, and the labor and all of the important factors that goes into a big job of that magnitude. They really get an opportunity to try it out. What is it like to be an estimator, project manager, a safety director? It gets them very, very interested in our industry. It also shows them that our industry is a professional organization that they want to be a part of. I really think it's a win-win for both the students and the contractors. We get to meet people that have brilliant energy and really think it's important.

If we all can come out and support the students, as you might guess, no one wants to present to an empty room. The more that we have, the merrier. Let's greet them, let's welcome them into our industry. March 8th at the convention center, the student competition. You can sign up to attend the student competition when you sign up for your IRE pass. The super pass or your day pass, you can sign up to attend this actual specific session. Please come out and join us. Let's get the younger people into the roofing industry.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. Kelly, no one wants to present to an empty room. Honestly, we have Tim Ellsworth, my husband, many of you know, this is his favorite thing of the year. He'll go and sit and he watches all the presentations.

Then he goes up and he talks to each one of the schools and the kids. It is just such a phenomenal experience. Then the winners are announced at the NRCA dinner. Right, Kelly?

Kelly B. Van Winkle: Yes. That will be announced at the NRCA award ceremony, and they will announce the winner. It starts with about eight or nine schools, but I think four or five make it to the IRE, do the actual presentation, and then they get to go and walk on the show floor. They get to meet other contractors. They get to see the booths and meet the manufacturers, see all the vast variety of roofing products out there. It just blows their mind. You would never believe, they have big eyes like a deer in the headlights.

They've never seen anything like it. They end up walking away, whether or not they stay in roofing when they graduate, they walk away with a great experience and an appreciation for the sub-trades. Many people want to go work for a general contractor when they get out of construction management school, but now we have many of these students that are joining the roofing industry. They're more interested in a career in the sub-trades.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. Chris, you're nodding. I can see because it goes right back to what you just said, that we need to get in front of them.

Chris Czarnik: Well, it sure does. Think about in a normal high school education, when would a high school student even be aware of the roofing industry? We don't talk about it. It's not on TV, it's not on movies. I hope we do have TikToks eventually about it, and maybe we already do that I'm not aware of. One of the questions I ask people all the time, no matter where I am in the world, the first question I ask people when people say, "Well, we posted a job ad and nobody applies."

My question is, do you know if people are unwilling or unable to apply for your great job? Let me define terms if I could. Unable would mean that they don't know the industry exists, don't know your company exists, and don't know that the opportunity or the job ad exists. They didn't see your job ad and don't know your company exists. Or are they unwilling? They saw your job ad, they know your company exists, and then they made a value-based decision not to come.

Well, what we have done in lots of manufacturing and in roofing I'm afraid for too long, is when we posted a job ad in a line form, in the back of our own mind say, "Well, see, I saw it on the news. Nobody wants to work and nobody wants to swing a hammer." What's interesting about that, by the way, is it's amazing that people have found us. The tens of thousands or 100,000 people who are in roofing today, the fact that they did find us is a miracle because we don't talk about it, we don't promote it.

Unfortunately, we allow the world to shape their opinion around it. You have heard it, unfortunately, "Well, I guess if I can't do anything else, I'll do roofing." We can never allow that to be the conversation. We are the ones who should be shaping that going forward. If you wonder if great, talented, young people who are smart and have a great future want to see a place like roofing as an opportunity for, look at the screen in front of you. Look at that picture. Those are the people who want this industry. We got to get in front of them first.

Heidi Ellsworth: Chris, to your point, you brought it up earlier, I've really seen exactly what you're saying, and I'm just going to do a shout-out to Reid Ribble. When he took over the NRCA, he talked exactly what you're saying. He's like, "If we don't show, if we don't make the narrative of what roofing is, we're going to let other people do it for us."

I think when you look at the people who are on this panel, everything that's happening, what you've done with your book and being part of roofing, it really has changed the narrative over the last, what, eight years? I don't know, how long it goes but it's so incredible. I think we're changing it even more as we move forward.

Kelly B. Van Winkle: Heidi, I want to mention one other thing on this same topic of getting in front of the students and interacting with them. There's mentors, The Roofing Alliance members mentor the student teams. It's usually someone in that same state, a roofing contractor volunteers to be a year-long mentor for a particular construction management school.

What's exciting about that is they're not just taking guesses and they're not trying to self-educate. They get to learn from actual real roofing professionals and they interact for at least a year. I have seen many occasions where these students keep in contact, keep in touch with their mentor from the industry for years after the student competition, even after they've graduated from college. I think those are invaluable connections too, and it's a way for us to stay in front of the younger generation.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. Well, and Kelly, it just all circles around, but we do have to call out that also at the award ceremony, we're going to be recognizing those roofing professionals who right now are doing amazing things in the industry through the MVP program. The winners' going to be announced that night too. You're on mute, Kelly.

Kelly B. Van Winkle: Sorry. That's something that we're really looking forward to. It's a long-standing program at the alliance, the MVP. These are very, very well-respected men and women. They're nominated. There's a lengthy process of evaluation.

These winners and all the contestants, even those that don't win, are top notch. They're people that have brought real value to not only their companies, but their families and their communities so they're all to be commended. I hope you'll all attend the award ceremony and celebrate these folks with us.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. The student competition because you'll be on pins and needles waiting to see who wins. It is so good. Luciano, you were part of the Globe Life Project, so these kids have some work to do, right?

Luciano Perez: Yeah, absolutely. Very, very interesting project, huge project. A lot of challenges with wind, weather, weather-related and the logistics, the steep of the roof also. That's another one.

Yeah. It is very, very, very interesting project. They have to put a lot of thinking into the process, especially the logistics and the risk management and safety.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah.

Luciano Perez: Safety side.

Heidi Ellsworth: Which you're going to be talking about. They're going to be competing to make sure, because safety is a huge part of that competition. I do want to just make sure, Tony Raider, thank you so much for commenting.

He wanted to say Luciano is being entirely too humble. He is teaching a class for roofer apprenticeship here in Dallas. He's an awesome leader. You've got your fan club out there.

Luciano Perez: Funny.

Heidi Ellsworth: Then Theresa just coming back, what Kelly is doing is amazing. Competition is what our young people need in order to achieve. Alison, thank you so much for being on, Alison LaValley. Everyone, there is a link in the chat where you can go register and you can find out more about the student competition. Again, as you're registering for IRE, even if you're registering for classes and they're at the same time as the student competition, register for both because it's all right.

You can sneak in and out of the student competition, because we don't want you to miss some of the educational classes. But trust me, there's plenty of time and you need to go. It's just so awesome. Eric Carlisle, "Awesome stuff. Bring on the growth and training for roofing." John Van Beek also on, "I was at GAF training event yesterday in Tampa, and one of the GAF is providing roofing training to inmates and alert their contractors."

Wow, okay. By the way, we have a Coffee Conversations coming up at the end of February on Restored Citizens, so thank you, John. More coming your way. Thank you, Tracy, for being here. Everybody, before we're going to hop to the next one, but I do want to let you know that the students always come to the soundstage, RoofersCoffeeShop Soundstage on the floor at IRE. We interview all of them. Those interviews are available on the RoofersCoffeeShop YouTube. They're also available on The Roofing Alliance page.

The other thing that's really cool if you want to do some homework before you get to the IRE, is all of the past, not all of them, but a number of the past competitions have been recorded and are available on The Roofing Alliance page also. You can just get that excitement going and see some of the teams that are coming back, like Clemson and San Louis on San Luis Obispo, or no, Cal Poly, sorry. That's where it's at. Okay. Obviously, you can see the topic that's going here.

It's all about celebrating people, getting them into roofing, being part of it. No better way right now that we are seeing is then with the ProCertification program from NRCA. Jason, you are such a huge advocate. You are doing something very cool with IB Roof Systems helping to get installers certified. Please share what you're doing and how that's going to be, how people can get involved with the IRE.

Jason Stanley: Yeah. Let me just speak first to ProCertification is not a training program, it's a certification. It's the capstone to your training program. I think many people believe that ProCertification was going to compete with Sutter or Brad Beldon, or KPost, amazing training program that they put their people through. It is not any way to compete with that. It is the capstone to that training, that is a certification that says, "I am certified by the NRCA."

That I have credentials in either some form of steep slope roofing, like standing seam, clay tile or shingles, or in the low-slope aspect, thermal sets or thermal plastics. They are working on an asphalt portion, but the asphalt for low-slope is a lot to unpack. But there will be certifications for all these different disciplines and many of them are available today. You can get your entry into ProCertification by being pro-foreman.

There's no exam that has to do, it's a hands-on. It's strictly all online, has a huge emphasis on safety. We would love everybody and invite everybody to become Pro-Cert Foreman, to learn what it takes to truly be a foreman. On a job site at IB Roof Systems, we may start driving this home by requiring it for NDL warranties. That when my sales guy shows up or my tech guy shows up, that the person they're meeting on a job site, has some credential, has some sense of understanding of safety and how to work with manufacturers, how to truly manage a project.

These ProCertification credentials are available in English, Spanish, and they are incredibly well done. I would love to see more and more people take advantage of them. Something that Chris mentioned earlier was people don't know. Roofing is out of sight and it's truly out of mind. But even when you go to a trade school or you go to SkillsUSA, for the last decade or more, it's truly been out of sight and out of mind, it didn't even exist. Through the work of Clemson University and with the help of The Roofing Alliance, we now have curriculum that exists at trade schools and at universities for roofing.

For the first time ever last year, roofing was part of SkillsUSA. The biggest trades competition in the world is SkillsUSA. If you can imagine for the last 20 some years, they've built these houses, done every sort of craft in SkillsUSA, and they've never put a roof on top of it. The most important facet that keeps the entire investment, the entire house, the entire building safe and dry, it didn't even exist until last year.

Kudos to The Roofing Alliance, kudos to the NRCA and all those that are working hard to try and actually make roofing a viable option. To get it in front of the people, so they can even have an opportunity to select roofing as an option.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah. There's so many great programs going on. I want to point out that when you come to the IRE and you're on the trade show floor, you can go to the NRCA booth or The Roofing Alliance booth and they're together, I'm pretty sure. Yeah, they're together in there and you can get all this information. You can find out what they're doing with SkillsUSA, you can find out more about the student competition, how you can get involved.

I think we talk about all these events that go on and we have a few more to get through. Man, this hour is going fast. But I think one of the important things that is the heartbeat of all of it is the trade show floor. We're going to be having our soundstage there. Again, we're going to be having interviews, people coming in. But Jason, from your standpoint, as a long-term exhibitor, how important is it for people to connect during that trade show between manufacturers and contractors?

Jason Stanley: It's incredible. It's called the International Roofing Expo, and it's rightly named. This is the world's largest roofing show. If you're in roofing, this is the show you go to. The ability to connect with leaders in this industry is like no other. The fact that it's not on the West Coast or the East Coast this year, but it's centered in Dallas, Texas, my hometown, where we love to be. We would love everyone to be there and have this be the greatest attendance of all.

But there is so much to offer from the classes, to the trade show floor, as you mentioned. The things you see and can experience in such a short period of time, it's incredible. I invite everyone who's listening now live or will listen to this later, come to the show and invite everybody around you. This show is not for salespeople or your estimators. This show is for everybody who works in roofing. If you come, you will be amazed at everything that's there for you.

All the crazy content that's been created in both English and Spanish that they want to share with you, but you need to be there and it's amazing.

Heidi Ellsworth: It is so true. Okay. Alison, thank you. Booth 3319 is NRCA and Roofing Alliance. Megan or someone from my team can put our booth in there. I'm not sure what our booth is, but Brandi, how many exhibitors are going to be on the show floor?

Brandi McElhaney: Heidi, I am not sure.

Heidi Ellsworth: Okay. It's hundreds, hundreds and hundreds, and hundreds.

Brandi McElhaney: Yes, absolutely. I want to say 550, but please don't quote me on that.

Heidi Ellsworth: Okay.

Brandi McElhaney: I'm in the education world, so sorry. Show floor is out of my realm, but a lot. It's amazing and you should be there.

Heidi Ellsworth: I love it. I love it. I just want to go back, a couple more things and then we're going to if you have any questions for Chris or Jason, or Kelly or Luciano, please put them in. I want to make sure we get those in. I do want to make sure we also mention the welcome party again, Brandi already mentioned it. If you're listening to this and you've never been to the IRE before and you're coming this year, that makes you a first-timer.

If you're a first-timer, you get a very special first-timer reception right before the welcome party. We are very proud to sponsor it from RoofersCoffeeShop. It is really fun. This is fun and this is where the networking part comes in. You're networking on the show floor, but all these events, the welcome parties, the hospitalities, all of these great items, the community service on the first day, all of these are so important to network and meet people.

You'll make friends forever. Our booth is 9309. Thank you, Karen. It's all in the chat, you guys, so everybody can grab that. Okay. But one thing we haven't mentioned that is of my heart that I have to bring out, and it goes back to what Chris had said, and everyone on this thing about welcoming, and that is National Women in Roofing Day. It is the Sunday before IRE. If you have not made your plane tickets or even if you have, it is open to everyone. We have had in the past, up to almost 500 women and men in the room. It is a full day of networking, mentoring, education.

It is phenomenal, and I am prejudice, but it is phenomenal. As you are signing up, you do sign up for National Women in Roofing Day through a different site. You can find all of that on RoofersCoffeeShop, where to register for National Women Roofing Day, and then where to register for IRE. Because you need to get registered and you need to get your hotel rooms because things are selling out. A lot of great items down there. Chris, I want to bring it back to you. What do you think of all this in roofing?

Chris Czarnik: Well, first of all, 100 things are going through my mind. One of the things I love about the roofing industry as a whole is I speak at a lot of conferences. Oftentimes, it's just firm handshakes and big smiles, and we eat fancy food and we go back. You don't go back with anything that you can use the next day. Think about what you've heard about over the next 40 minutes. Think of the tools that people have spent hundreds or thousands of hours to create for ProCertification.

Think about the tools that have been created to create teaching and training, and development for your crews to be better leaders and better safety leaders. Think of the tools you can walk away from with this that you can use the next day. Listen, if there's one thing I know after working with some 5,000 CEOs across the country, is heavy is the head that wears the crown, unless you are willing to share the weight of that crown with other people.

We are sitting here, this group is sitting here with tools and abilities that we're looking to hand you. All you have to do is meet us in a little place called IRE in Dallas, and you get to choose. Interact with 10 of us and take one thing back that can start improving your organization tomorrow. Whatever the biggest pain you have today, whatever the stone in your shoe is, whether it's safety or quality, or staffing, that's making you lose sleep every night.

This group of people on this call and dozens of other people have been working on that exact problems and have solutions to hand you. You just have to meet us there. It's funny, I don't want to dominate the rest of the conversation, but I'll give you a really good example. I worked with a commercial roofing company in Pennsylvania. My guess is you guys would know it if I said it, but I didn't ask them permission to use their name yet, so I'll just say they're somewhere around State College, Pennsylvania.

Anyway, I came into there in May, and I got the common place, common, "We can't find people, nobody wants to work." All that stuff that we see on the news. I taught them how to change that. I taught them how to sell their jobs the same way they sell other products and services. To get in front of sales, do sales in front of people, sell their job to create personas of them. I had a call with that person just at the end of September, and their biggest problem now is they have to bring on another salesperson because they are fully staffed with 11 new positions.

Of the 12 people they hired, 11 of them are still there nine months later, and it's giving them an opportunity to grow their business. Don't tell me that my jobseekers don't want to find roofing. They just don't know we exist and we've got to go to them.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah, that is so true. I can't wait for your keynote, Chris. It's going to be amazing. Wow, okay. Well, in the chat, there are all kinds of links for everybody. We have National Women in Roofing Day registration. We have the IRE registration. We have the RoofersCoffeeShop IRE page where we keep everything on there so that you can find things easily.

We have the community service registration. I do want to say from Joseph, thank you. He said, "Apprenticeship programs need to be promoted. These programs educate young men and women in the roofing industry." I know, Luciano, you're doing tons with apprenticeships, right? That'll be part of the conversation.

Luciano Perez: Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Like Tony said, in the CEA we have a group of students and we're working with them, and that's amazing. Most of the people that we have, the students that we have are bilingual, but the classes are in English, but they're very, very young generation. Like we covered earlier in the session, it's a new generation of people. They asking, for instance, what else? Where am I going to be in five years, in three years?

They want to see a ladder. It's not like my generation, I'm 50 something years old, but we just come to work. But they are asking different questions and we have to provide them the path of a career. It's not like you just have a job. In the roofing industry, you can be an estimator, you can be an assessor, you can work as a superintendent. How can I advance? They're asking those type of questions this generation, so very interesting.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. Go ahead, Chris.

Chris Czarnik: Heidi, I got to tell you, Luciano has hit on something really important here. If I'm known for anything around the country and the world, it's that when millennials and Generation Z stop learning, they start leaving. That is a classic example. It is a very different environment. Think about what we're building here. Luciano exactly, we're building ladders here and certifications here, so people can make roofing a career, not a default if they can't find anything else.

My people, my jobseekers, I've dealt with 25,000 of them over my career. They want to find an industry to stay in. They don't want to leave every 3.4 years, but when they stop learning, they start leaving. We have provided a ladder here, and I'm so proud of everybody who's been involved in creating the certifications and those training programs. You are on to something really important.

Heidi Ellsworth: That is so true. That's my nugget I'm taking away from both of you. That is really good. Okay. Last thought, Jason, why should everybody come to IRE?

Jason Stanley: Look, to learn more about this industry and to truly expose those people that work on the rooftops every day, this show is for you. This show isn't for the salesmen and the owners. They connect with manufacturers like us on a regular basis. We want to invite everybody that's in roofing to this show. I think you find if you come there, that the doors are wide open to you and there's so much possibility. The things that Luciano was talking about, he's just one person, but there are thousands of people like him.

You get companies like SRS and their Para Latino booth, they're making a focused effort. An entire booth that is carved out for Latinos to come and to feel comfortable at this show. I think that's the takeaway is come and see what there is, what the IRE offers and what this roofing industry offers. You want to see those ladders that Chris and Luciano talked about, come to this show and you'll see them in spades. They are everywhere.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. That's so great. Kelly, last comment.

Kelly B. Van Winkle: I would just wholeheartedly agree with what Jason said. It's all about showing everyone that we are interested. We are a warm and welcoming industry. We want to have you, please get involved with us, with the certification programs, with the alliance, with the Latino training programs.

Any type of program you have heard about here today on our webinar, we welcome you. Please come get involved. It's a fun industry to be in. Lots of upward potential, and let's get going to make the industry even better than it already is.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah, we're a little partial. We like it. We like it here. I want to also say to exactly what Jason said, everybody should come and I'm going to say that for National Women Roofing Day. Don't think this is just the owners or the senior management, it should be anybody and everybody who you can get there.

Because to Chris's point, I love that, they'll keep learning and they'll stay. That's what we need. We need the retention. All of you, thank you. What an awesome panel. Brandi, thank you for bringing all this together and all you do. I can't wait to see all of you in Dallas.

Brandi McElhaney: Thank you for having us.

Heidi Ellsworth: Great. Okay. One thing I want to make sure everybody's aware of, our next Coffee Conversations is January 26th, and this is going to be on recycling. I'm so excited about this. Certain things get sustainability, environmental, all of those great things. It is brought to us by our friends at Owens Corning, and it is going to be incredible. Joanne Rodriguez is going to be there with Mycocycle, which is actually mushrooms. Now, I know I'm not saying this correctly, but I'm going to give you the down-low.

It's mushrooms that are eating shingles, so you need to be there to check this out. It's going to be incredibly cool. I want to thank all of you for being here today. Please check out the directories on RoofersCoffeeShop for IB Roof Systems, for IRE, for The Roofing Alliance. KPost is on there, and we'll probably get Chris on there too because he's going to be on the IRE page. Check it out, check out the YouTube and all those student competitions. We will be seeing you next time on Coffee Conversations.

Expo agenda to focus on how to address labor challenges and elevating a charitable initiative to rebuild homes in Dallas.

The International Roofing Expo, the largest North American roofing event organized by Informa Markets, has announced its full schedule of events and the speaker lineup for March 7-9, 2023, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas. 

The IRE will showcase new and innovative products from more than 500 exhibitors from around the world, including Owens Corning, Polyglass, TennSmith and Tesla, aimed at addressing the growing industry, now estimated at $56.7 billion. The Exteriors Pavilion will host top manufacturers and suppliers like CertainTeed Siding, LP SmartSide Siding & Trim, Marvin Infinity Windows, the Vinyl Siding Institute and Westlake Royal Building Products. 

The IRE is set to deliver more than 60 educational sessions taught by industry experts and has a full conference program featuring 45 sessions. Industry professionals can gain insight on material sourcing, business practices and other information beneficial for the roofing and exterior industries. 

“The International Roofing Expo is an integral meeting place for industry professionals to come together to address the challenges and trends that the roofing and exteriors industries are currently facing,” says Rich Russo, IRE show director. “The roofing industry is a critical market in construction and the International Roofing Expo presents solutions to constant needs, including enhanced safety, sustainability and durability.” 

A focal point of the IRE, the 14th annual Community Service Day project will be back in Dallas Monday, March 6, before the expo opens, to support the local community. IRE, in partnership with Rebuilding Together North Texas, repairs homes for those in need in the metropolitan Dallas area, ensuring the health and safety of the community. Community Service Day is sponsored by Carlisle, Centimark, GAF, OMG® Roofing Products, Roofing Supply Pro and Sika Sarnafil (primary sponsor). 

“A key pillar of the International Roofing Expo is the annual Community Service Day that aims to serve local areas while also bringing together our roofing community,” says Kevin Thornton, senior vice president, construction for Informa Markets. “We invite professionals to volunteer their skills and expertise to rebuild homes, and there is a great turnout with palpable enthusiasm from the hard-working volunteers and dedicated sponsors who look forward to this each year.” 

Speaker and author Chris Czarnik will deliver the keynote address Tuesday, March 7, at 9:30 a.m. Czarnik will outline real-world strategies around employee recruitment, engagement and retention, providing insight on overcoming current industry challenges stemming from the national labor shortage. The Associated Builders and Contractors reports scarcity of more than 650,000 construction professionals. Czarnik, a former military officer with more than 20 years of experience as a human resource manager, career services manager and job search adviser, will provide advice regarding innovative approaches to job searching. 

A recent addition to IRE, the Exteriors Pavilion will return with demonstrations of new innovations and practices for exterior replacement projects. Educational sessions include: 

• The Keys to Rapid Growth and Profitability for Siding, Replacement Window, and Roofing Contractor and How to Hire the Right Personnel-And Avoid the Wrong One, presented by Dave Yoho Associates 
• The Basics of Vinyl Siding Installation and Tools of the Trade, presented by David W. Verbofsky and Rob Balfanz 
• Vinyl Siding Institute, How to Leverage your Distributor as a Partner for Success in Today’s Environment presented by Greg Bloom, Erik Zadrozny 

Register online at theroofingexpo.com to receive press credentials to meet with exhibitors of interest and report on the latest industry trends in roofing and exteriors. Press approved to attend the event with verified credentials are provided access to the Exhibit Hall, educational sessions and Community Service Day. 

About IRE

The International Roofing Expo^® is the premier event for both the commercial and residential roofing and exterior construction industries. The IRE brings the professional community together to help them stay current on trending knowledge and see the largest selection of products and services. The event helps professionals improve their businesses through education, exhibitions and networking. The International Roofing Expo is owned and operated by Informa Markets. The official show sponsor is NRCA, and the official show publication is Roofing Contractor. For more information, please visit theroofingexpo.com. 

About NRCA

Since 1886, the National Roofing Contractors Association has been the home for generations of entrepreneurial craftsmen and enterprises who shelter and protect America’s families and businesses and each other. Our vision is the recognition of our members as professionals and to unite the industry to that purpose. NRCA is one of the construction industry’s most respected trade associations and the voice of roofing professionals and leading authority in the roofing industry for information, education, technology and advocacy. It represents all segments of the roofing industry, including contractors; manufacturers; distributors; architects; consultants; engineers; building owners; and city, state and government agencies. For information about NRCA and its services and offerings, visit nrca.net. 

By Cayden Wemple. 

In a new Coffee Conversations episode, Heidi J. Ellsworth sits down with industry leaders to discuss the upcoming International Roofing Expo. 

With the International Roofing Expo (IRE) fast approaching, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with some of the industry's leading experts to discuss the upcoming convention. If you consider yourself to be a part of the roofing industry, you should really be thinking about attending the show. Jason Stanley of IB Roof Systems put it best. He told Heidi, “It's incredible. It's called the International Roofing Expo, and it's rightly named. This is the world's largest roofing show. If you're in roofing, this is the show you go to. The ability to connect with leaders in this industry is like no other.” 

The keynote address at this year’s expo will be given by Chris Czarnik, author of the book, Winning the War For Talent, and will be focused on the labor shortage crisis that the roofing industry has been plagued with for the last few years. Chris shared with Heidi, “For 40 years we posted a job ad, people came and we got to choose. For the next 10 years, we have to compete.” 

During his keynote, Chris will share how to take the ideas that you use every day to win new roofing customers and apply them directly to recruiting. 

Roofing is an industry that isn’t very well-known by the general workforce, and when it’s shown in the media, it’s hardly ever painted in a positive light. This makes members of the workforce feel more inclined to work in a field like customer service instead. Chris wants it to be known that these construction jobs pay better and have benefits. He is also advocating for these jobs to “be put in front of people’s noses” so that they know they exist.  

Another way to focus on the future of the industry is by engaging the next generation of workers and that happens through the Roofing Alliance Student Competition. Kelly B. Van Winkle, Roofing Alliance president, shared how they are engaging with that next generation. "In the last few years, we've been partnering with construction management schools at universities across the United States. So many of the top construction management programs [we are] partnering with them to develop curriculum to have these opportunities for contests. At the IRE, we'll be having the student competition. It's on March 8th, and I hope you all will join us at the convention center." 

Luciano Perez from KPost Roofing & Waterproofing was part of this conversation and will be leading a special panel geared toward the Latino workforce to ensure that communication and culture are included in every safety conversation. "The panel session is not a training class, but we are going to cover things like communication skills," explained Luciano. "You are the safety leader. What are the traits of a highly effective safety leader or professional? One of them will be communication and how you can use communication in an effective way." 

This is just a glimpse of what is in store for attendees, all information related to the show can be found on RoofersCoffeeShop’s Countdown to the IRE Page, sponsored by CertainTeed. And if you are a first-time attendee, be sure to join us right before the Welcome Party for the first-time attendees networking reception sponsored by your friends at RCS! 

Register for IRE 2023 here! 

To hear more about IRE and all of the exciting events that will be happening, you can listen to the rest of the conversation here.  

Learn more about IRE in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.theroofingexpo.com. 

About Cayden  

Cayden is a reporter for RoofersCoffeeShop, MetalCoffeeShop and AskARoofer. When he isn’t writing about roofs, he’s usually playing guitar or writing songs for his musical endeavors. 

The International Roofing expo will showcase new and innovative products from more than 500 exhibitors from around the globe.

The International Roofing Expo (IRE), the largest North American roofing event organized by Informa Markets, today announces its full schedule of events and speaker lineup for March 7-9, 2023 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.

The International Roofing expo will showcase new and innovative products from more than 500 exhibitors from around the globe, including Tesla, Owens Corning, TennSmith and Polyglass aimed to address the growing industry, now estimated at $56.7 billion. The Exteriors Pavilion will host top manufacturers and suppliers like LP SmartSide Siding & Trim, CertainTeed Siding, Westlake Royal Building Products, the Vinyl Siding Institute and Marvin Infinity Windows.

IRE is set to deliver more than 60 educational sessions taught by industry experts and has a full conference program featuring 45 sessions. Industry professionals can gain insight on material sourcing, business practices and other information beneficial for the roofing and exterior industries.

"The International Roofing Expo is an integral meeting place for industry professionals to come together to address the challenges and trends that the roofing and exteriors industries are currently facing," says Rich Russo, show director, International Roofing Expo. "The roofing industry is a critical market in construction and the International Roofing Expo presents solutions to constant needs including enhanced safety, sustainability and durability."

A focal point of The International Roofing Expo, the 14^th Annual Community Service Day Project will be back in Dallas prior to the expo on Monday, March 6, to support the local community. IRE, in partnership with Rebuilding Together North Texas, repairs homes for those in need in the metro-Dallas area, ensuring the health and safety of the community. The Annual Community Service Day Project is sponsored by Sika Sarnafil, OMG Roofing Products, GAF, Roofing Supply Pro, Carlisle and CentiMark.

"A key pillar of the International Roofing Expo is the Annual Community Service Project that aims to serve local areas while also bringing together our roofing community," says Kevin Thornton, senior vice president, Construction. "We invite professionals to volunteer their skills and expertise to rebuild homes and there is a great turnout with palpable enthusiasm from both the hard-working volunteers and dedicated sponsors who look forward to this each year."

Speaker and author Chris Czarnik will deliver the keynote address Tuesday, March 7 at 9:30 a.m. outlining real-world strategies around employee recruitment, engagement and retention, providing insight on overcoming current industry challenges stemming from the national labor shortage. The Associated Builders and Contractors reports scarcity of over 650,000 construction professionals. Czarnik, a former military officer with over 20 years experience as a human resource manager, career services manager and job search advisor, will advise on innovative approaches to job searching.

A recent addition to IRE, The Exteriors Pavilion will return for the second consecutive year with demonstrations of new innovations and practices for exterior replacement projects. Educational sessions include:

• The Keys to Rapid Growth and Profitability for Siding, Replacement Window, and Roofing Contractor and How to Hire the Right Personnel-And Avoid the Wrong One, presented by Dave Yoho Associates
• The Basics of Vinyl Siding Installation and Tools of the Trade, presented by David W. Verbofsky and Rob Balfanz
• Vinyl Siding Institute, How to Leverage your Distributor as a Partner for Success in Today's Environment presented by Greg Bloom, Erik Zadrozny

Register online at www.theroofingexpo.com to receive press credentials to meet with exhibitors of interest and report on the latest industry trends in roofing and exteriors. Press approved to attend the event with verified credentials are provided access to the Exhibit Hall, education sessions and Community Service Day Project.

About The International Roofing Expo

The International Roofing Expo® is the premier event for both the commercial and residential roofing and exterior construction industries. The IRE brings the professional community together to help them stay current on trending knowledge and see the largest selection of products and services. The event helps professionals improve their businesses through education, exhibitions, and networking. The International Roofing Expo is owned and operated by Informa Markets. The official show sponsor is NRCA and the official show publication is Roofing Contractor. For more information, please visit www.theroofingexpo.com.

Follow International Roofing Expo on social at Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter and use #IRE2023 for the most up to date information on the 2023 expo.

About Informa Markets

Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. We provide marketplace participants around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, targeted digital services and actionable data solutions. We connect buyers and sellers across more than a dozen global verticals, including Pharmaceuticals, Food, Medical Technology and Infrastructure. As the world's leading market-making company, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, please visit www.informamarkets.com.

By Evelyn Witterholt. 

The 2023 International Roofing Expo will be here soon! Here are some important updates about the world’s biggest roofing expo. 

In a little over a month, roofing industry members from all over the world will be attending the 2023 International Roofing Expo (IRE), the year’s largest trade event. Not only will RoofersCoffeeShop® (RCS) be attending, but we are also dedicated to keeping you constantly updated about the event through our Countdown to IRE 2023 page, sponsored by CertainTeed. There, you can learn how to register for IRE, find a place to stay and what new events have been added to the show. 

Here’s some important news about IRE you might have missed: 

First-Time Attendees Reception

If it's your first time to IRE, what better way to celebrate than by attending the First-Time Attendees Reception, sponsored by RoofersCoffeeShop®! Join us on Tuesday, March 7 at 5:30 p.m. for a networking reception specially catered to those who haven't attended IRE before. The reception will be held at House of Blues in Dallas and shuttles are available for select hotels. The IRE Welcome Party will commence immediately after the reception, all the more reason to stop by! The reception is free for all first-time attendees.

Roofing Alliance Student Competition 

During the show, the Roofing Alliance will be hosting their Construction Management Student Competition on Wednesday, March 8. There, teams of students from six schools will be presenting a proposal for a roofing project, this year’s project being the Globe Life Field in Dallas, Texas. The six schools competing are: 

• Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois 

• California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, California 

• Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 

• Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 

• Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 

• University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 

IRE Coffee Conversations 

Earlier in January, RCS hosted an episode of Coffee Conversations which was all about the upcoming show. We spoke with IRE keynote speaker Chris Czarnik as well as Kelly Van Winkle, president of Roofing Alliance, Luciano Perez, safety director at KPOST Roofing and Waterproofing and Jason Stanley, president of IB Roof Systems. On this episode, they discuss important events taking place at IRE, like the Student Competition and expanded Latino classes. 

MVP Award finalists and honorable mentions announced 

In January, the Roofing Alliance announced their 2022-23 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards finalists and honorable mention recipients. This annual award honors outstanding leaders in the roofing industry. The winner will be announced at the show during the National Roofing Contractors Association’s (NRCA) Awards Ceremony on March 8, 2023. You can see the full list of finalists, honorable mentions and nominees here. 

Check out our Countdown to IRE 2023 page for regular updates. 

Learn more about IRE in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.theroofingexpo.com 

About Evelyn  

Evelyn works as a writer for RoofersCoffeeShop, MetalCoffeeShop and AskARoofer. When she isn’t writing about roofing, she’s either at the gym lifting weights or curled up on the couch watching a movie.

By Heidi J. Ellsworth, RCS Partner.

Three days of education, networking and live presentations at the 2021 Virtual International Roofing Expo.

COVID-19 has changed our world, but roofing continues to protect structures across the country. The International Roofing Expo (IRE) also continues to provide what the industry needs with their upcoming IRE Virtual Show March 2-4, 2021.

The IRE website states, “Carefully selected. Conveniently delivered. On March 2-4, industry experts will come together to share their expertise and deliver exceptional education. Our sessions are separated into tracks to help you find the education you need. Starting on March 2 you can explore education at your leisure. But, we highly recommend getting a start during the show days. The sessions are available for you to watch on-demand through April 2.”

Here is a list of live and on-demand webinars that will help roofing business prosper through COVID-19 and beyond.

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. ET (Live Session) | Ask the Experts Live Day One: The Roofing Industry in a Post-Pandemic World
Description: 2020 was a year of tremendous disruption. A new disease left 330,000 Americans dead. The stock market had a roller coaster ride, first losing 1/3 of its value to reaching new heights by year end. 2020 brought levels of unemployment not seen since 2008. Yet, the roofing industry did well. What happened? And now what? Reid Ribble, NRCA’s CEO will walk us through this unprecedented period of history with an eye toward the future.
Speaker: Reid Ribble
Track: Business

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET | How The Roofing Industry Is Dealing With The Labor Shortage By Embracing Diversity, Technology And The Next Generation
Description: This one-hour industry update on what industry organizations are doing to help solve the growing labor shortage in roofing including diversity, technology and research initiatives. It will explore how these trends are helping roofing contractors and professionals create higher levels of professionalism and inclusion to attract and retain a stronger, more talented workforce from the rooftop to the boardroom. The team will share current roofing initiatives from the NRCA Diversity and Inclusion committee, Roofing Alliance, National Women in Roofing (NWIR) and Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3). Attendees will take away ideas for getting involved in key roofing industry organizations that can help roofing contractors in their recruiting and retention of the next generation of roofing professionals. They will also focus on how companies can build a culture of diversity that will help generate long-term branding and engagement with the general public, customers and employees.
Speakers: Alison LaValley, Heidi J. Ellsworth, Roscoe Green
Track: Business

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET | NRCA Technical Operations Committee: Steep-Slope Roofing Development and Issues 
Description: Mark S. Graham, NRCA Vice President, Technical Services and Maciek Rupar, NRCA director, Technical Services, will provide an overview of steep-slope roofing issues being discussed by NRCA’s Technical Operations Committee. Issues to be addressed include a brief overview of changes in The NRCA Roofing Manual: Steep-slope Roof Systems-2021, roofing-related changes incorporated in the 2021 I-codes, product standards applicable to steep-slope roofing and synthetic underlayments.
Speakers: Mark Graham, Maciek Rupar
Track: Technical

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET | Employee Retention and Development are as Easy as SME  
Description: In this presentation we show a process of creating Subject Matter Experts within your organization that will create growth, development and retention inside your organization.
Speaker: Chris Czarnik 
Track: Legal/HR

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET | Fall Protection Competent Person for the Roofing Industry
Description: Fall Protection violations remain OSHA #1 most cited standard in not only the Roofing Industry, but the Construction Industry as a whole. This course will provide both Contractors and Employees the tools they need to comply with OSHA and eliminate falls. You will learn to recognize the fall hazards associated with roofing operations, evaluate applicable OSHA standards for roofing operations., evaluate the use of fall protection equipment designed for roofing operations and recruit Fall Protection best practices for specific Roofing operations.
Speaker: Frank Marino, CSP
Track: Workplace Safety

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET | How to Create Sales Predictability by Transforming Your Team
Description: There is a problem that most companies are facing that holds them back from confidently investing in growth initiatives, and that is not being able to confidently forecast revenue. There are a few major causes to this problem and in this educational session, I will unveil these causes and shed light on how to solve them so that roofing business can forecast targets and win!
Speaker: Ryan Groth, Sales Transformation Group
Track: Business

5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. ET | Whiskey + Cigar Bar: A Tasting, hosted by SRS Distribution and Versico
Description: Join NBC’s Today Show wine/spirits expert and Emmy-Award winning host of PBS television’s 100 DAYS, DRINKS, DISHES & DESTINATIONS, Leslie Sbrocco, as she presents a whiskey and cigar pairing hosted by SRS Distribution and Versico. Whether you’re new to enjoying whiskey or a seasoned cigar smoker, Leslie will dive into a variety of whiskeys and bourbons and discuss tips for pairing them with the perfect cigar to match and intensify their flavor profiles. Grab a glass and your favorite cigar and enjoy Leslie’s entertaining learning style. The first 200 people to attend the session will receive a special gift from SRS Distribution and Versico that includes a pair of whiskey glasses and a cigar.
Speaker: Leslie Sbrocco

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. ET (Live Session) | Ask the Experts Live Day Two: Technical Q & A with a Panel of Experts
Description: Have you ever encountered a roofing issue and been given a response “We've never seen that before”? In this live program, a group of leading roofing industry technical experts will discuss current roofing industry technical issues raised by the audience participants. Attend and share your experiences.
Speakers: Mark Graham, Helene Hardy Pierce, Stephen Teal, Dane Bradford
Track: Technical

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET | Jumpstarting a Virtual Training System 
Description: What can we learn from those who did it well? How can we be more intentional and accurate with training new employees virtually? This presentation will share real-life case studies and share ways to train your staff even when they work in a different location than you.
Speaker: Anna Chapman Anderson
Track: Legal/HR

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET | How to Boost Revenue & Streamline Sales Workflows with Innovative Lead Generation Technologies  
Description: To become an industry titan, you have to sell like one. Learn how to boost revenue and maximize the value of your sales efforts by leveraging data & AI-driven technology. Advanced lead qualification techniques will help to focus your sales efforts on high-value leads that are most likely to convert.
Speaker: Josey Parks
Track: Business

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET | Growing Your Roofing Business with Another Product Line
Description: Expanding your business can help you achieve your dreams or become your worst nightmare. Many owners discover the strategies they used to grow their roofing business don’t ensure success when adding other product lines. Join us for this intimate “insiders only” session where three owners reveal secrets to their sustained success. One grew from $1M to $10M. Another grew from $5M to $15M. The third grew from $10M to over $35M. This is a rare opportunity to discover how you can achieve sustained growth, reduce your stress and have fun taking your business to the next level. Don’t miss it!
Speaker: Scott Siegal
Track: Windows & Siding

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET | Empowerment in the Face of Uncertainty: Empowerment Through Belief of Self 
Description: In times like these, so much falls on a woman’s shoulders. In times like these, we stand up. We rise. Life is always uncertain. Women are called to rise and to lead now more than ever. We see this in our industry, our businesses, our communities and our homes. In the face of uncertainty and fear, we must choose to pivot toward hope and possibility. This ultimately requires us to accept what we cannot change, and to see ourselves as the co-creators of our lives. You are the hero of your story. Shine!
Speaker: Presented by National Women in Roofing (NWiR)
Track: Business

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET | Selling Roof Maintenance To Secure Re-roofs In the Future
Description: Contractors get calls for "warranty leaks" a few years after the install but the issue turns out to be debris on the roof or some other non-warranty issue.
Speaker: Joel Johnson
Track: Business

Thursday, March 4, 2021

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. ET (Live Session) | Ask the Experts Live Day 3: Current COVID-19 Legal Issues 
Description: This seminar will be a panel discussion addressing current legal issues related to COVID-19 for roofers. Join Trent Cotney, CEO, Cotney Construction Law and his prestigious panel as they navigate these new legal issues.
Speakers: Trent Cotney, John Kenney, Ken Kelly, Michelle Boykin
Track: Legal/HR

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET | Win The Sale!
Description: Win the sale is a crash course in selling. John DeRosa will offer quick-fix solutions to the problems that challenge the sales effectiveness of almost every sales professional.
Speaker: John DeRosa
Track: Business

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET | The Wonders of Cirque du Soleil
Description: Las Vegas is known for their show-stopping entertainment, events and fun. Get ready to be dazzled by the best circus traditions and acrobatic performances of the world-renowned leader in live entertainment, Cirque du Soleil. Enjoy a special presentation of two of their must-see Las Vegas shows, Mystère and “O”, presented by Visit Las Vegas. Mystère combines the powerful athleticism, high-energy acrobatics and inspiring imagery that provides the ultimate discovery that life itself is a mystery. Inspired by the concept of infinity and the elegance of water, world-class acrobats, synchronized swimmers and divers create a breathtaking experience in “O”.

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET | NRCA Technical Operations Committee: Low-Slope Roofing Development and Issues
Description: Mark S. Graham, NRCA Vice President, Technical Services, will provide an overview of low-slope roofing issues being discussed by NRCA’s Technical Operations Committee.
Speaker: Mark Graham
Track: Technical

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET | Cash Flow Management Secrets your Accountant Never Shared
Description: Tom Shay knows it is because these businesses have failed to understand their future cash needs. With this session, participants will be able to accurately project their future cash and inventory needs. This is a most unique and very valuable session. Even those with little understanding of their finances will be able to implement these most necessary strategies.
Speaker: Tom Shay
Track: Business

3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET | Ways to Maximize Communication & Collaboration Tools 
Description: Improve communication while in the field using Microsoft Teams or Google Hangouts. Increase efficiency by sharing and editing documents at the same time with Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive. Create an auto sync with your mobile device to OneDrive or Google Photos save job site photos effortlessly.
Speaker: NWIR
Track: Business

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET | Low Slope Roofing Wind Design
Description: This presentation focuses on wind design requirements for commercial low-slope roofing. The presentation covers ASCE 7, US codes and standards related to low-slope roofing wind design, laboratory testing and agency approvals for wind uplift resistance for low-slope roofing.
Speaker: Darren Perry
Track: Technical

5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. ET | How to Attract and Hire Rockstar Staff
Description: The best way to retain great employees is to hire the right employees in the first place. Recruitment is the number one challenge facing the construction sector.
Speaker: Danny Kerr
Track: Legal/HR

Get your free pass to the virtual expo compliments of RCS and don't miss these great educational and networking opportunities.

By Lauren White, RCS Assistant Editor.

Simplifying ads, reaching out to local trade schools and providing a signing bonus are all tactics used by a Portland, Oregon roofing company to recruit and retain talent.

The roofing industry continues to face a labor shortage.  According to a study done by Arizona State University, Tempe, which was commissioned by the Roofing Alliance, 90% of roofing contractors in the United States faced labor shortages in 2019.  Companies within the industry are using creative methods to recruit and retain talent, and one company in Oregon has found some effective methods.

During a recent National Women in Roofing (NWIR) webinar, I had the privilege to connect with other professionals in the roofing industry, both men and women.  After the initial presentation, the conversation shifted to recruiting talent.  Melissa Hill, the social and digital media marketing manager for Roof Life of Oregon shared their successful effort of adding a signing bonus to their recruiting ad - simple, yet effective.  As she shared the company’s story, I watched as the other participants eagerly took notes.  

Knowing the struggle the roofing industry faces to engage and retain talent, it seemed like Melissa was onto something with the tactic used by Roof Life.  Melissa and I spoke more and she had additional advice to offer people as they continue their recruiting efforts, especially during these trying times.

Melissa has been working in the roofing industry for nine years, all of which she has spent at Roof Life of Oregon.  As a “Jill of all trades,” Melissa is in charge of the digital media marketing for Roof Life, which includes posting to social media, keeping the content up to date and helping with recruiting efforts.

After using CraigsList and Facebook job marketplace, Roof Life has found Facebook to be an effective means to reach potential employees.  The company also provides members of their sales team with fliers to hand out to people they encounter outside of work or to post at cafes and coffee shops they visit during the day.

Recently, Roof Life decided to make some changes to their previous advertisement, and on September 10, 2020, launched their latest ad that has received the most traction.  Melissa explained, “We used to outline what a typical day would look like for new hires, but with this new ad, we took out all the fluff and really simplified it.  It’s our most responsive ad.”  

They also used to include that they specialize in single-family home roofing and maintenance, but decided to eliminate those details because one of the most common remarks Melissa receives is, “I do commercial roofing, not residential.”  While someone might specialize in commercial roofing, he or she has the basic skills and can be trained by Roof Life to become a residential roofer, Melissa explained.  Taking out those details not only shortened the ad, but it also increased the advertisement’s exposure to both residential and commercial contractors.

In addition to simplifying the text, Roof Life added three words that helped set this ad apart from others, “...signing bonus offered.”  No monetary amount is mentioned, but after 90 days of employment, new hires receive a bonus.  This tactic worked, and shortly after the ad launched, a team that was working down the road from Roof Life stopped in on their lunch break to learn more about the job openings.

Even though roofing is an essential business, it has been difficult to fill positions during the coronavirus pandemic.  One of the biggest struggles Melissa has faced is people applying for jobs to maintain their unemployment status with no intention of working at the company.  “We’ve had a lot of no-shows recently,” Melissa said.  People will apply for positions or schedule an interview just to prove that they’re “looking for work” in order to continue collecting unemployment.

While it has been frustrating to have people take advantage of the system, that hasn’t stopped Melissa and Roof Life from finding more creative ways to recruit labor.  Everyday a “Now Hiring” sandwich board is posted outside of the office.  Melissa shared, “We always need workers and you never know who is going to see that and stop in.”

Prior to the pandemic, Melissa personally reached out to career counselors at local high schools to speak with students about careers in the trades.  Unfortunately this plan has been put on hold for now, but the presentations are all ready for when schools resume normal operations.  She has also posted an ad for roofing professionals on the job board of a local community college that has a large trade school attached to it, Portland Community College.  Melissa shared, “Trade schools are a great place to find new, young talent.  Many of the young people who have previously applied to Roof Life are good workers and we’ve hired them.”  Melissa is hopeful that their current ad will yield even more eager, young and hardworking applicants from the trade school.

Melissa’s recommendation for people wanting to improve their recruiting is to read “Winning the War for Talent” by Chris Czarnik, who spoke at the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association Trade Show and Seminars earlier this year.  This short book is filled with great ideas to help recruit, retain and train talent.  Melissa said some of the recruiting ideas Roof Life is currently implementing came from this book.

Using creativity and persistence, Melissa and Roof Life of Oregon have found ways to make their recruiting tactics current and appeal to younger generations.  By simplifying the details of their ad and offering a signing bonus, Roof Life has created their most successful ad, even during a pandemic.

Get more news and information like this delivered right to your inbox each week when you sign up for the RCS Week-in-Review e-newsletter.

By Lauren White, RCS Reporter.

Three full days of presentations on steep slope roofing safety, the importance of differentiation and mentoring, crisis management, and much more.

Come ready to learn at the 37th annual CRCA Tradeshow and Seminars at Drury Lane Conference Center in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.  There are three days full of seminars, panels, and speakers who are eager to share their knowledge and improve your business and the roofing industry.

On the first day of the conference Steve Ritter with Midwest Institute and Center for Workplace Innovation will share about the importance of mentoring, branding, and networking.  According to Pew Research, “More than one-in-three American labor force participants (35%) are Millennials making them the largest generation in the U.S. labor force…”  That being said, one of the key elements to retaining this generation of workers is through mentorship, as mentioned in the Hartford Millennial Leadership Survey.  This is especially important in an industry that struggles with finding laborers.   

Also on Wednesday, a panel of speakers will discuss the importance of marketing and finding ways to differentiate your company from others.  With the rise of social media use and consumption, it’s crucial to find ways for a business to stand out. Understanding your target markets and appealing to their language needs will help build more engaging customer relationships, help company’s gain a competitive edge, and expand the overall reach of your marketing messages and content.

Thursday’s presentations will cover steep slope roofing, minimizing air barrier and vapor retarder issues, and crisis management.  Jim Martinek from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Frank Marino with Safety Check Inc. will discuss the top ten OSHA violations and clarify OSHA’s directives.  Additionally they will provide information on fall protection practices. This presentation is a must for steep slope roofing contractors.  A panel of speakers will present on the common issues with air barriers, vapor retarders, and wall transitions, and how to prevent these issues from happening.  Finally, on Thursday, Cotney Construction Law will lead a conversation on preparing against construction crises, crisis management prevention, security protocols and how to create a crisis management plan for your business. 

The final day is packed with four different presentations.  The CRCA Safety Committee will be presenting on the effects of traumatic injuries on families, co-workers, and the company, in addition to accident reduction techniques.  From Career [Re]Search Group, Chris Czarnik will speak about recruiting quality talent and techniques to retain talent.  Attorney Jason Tremblay will present on the rights of employers and employees concerning recreational cannabis.  The final presentation covers technical issues in the roofing industry. Mark Graham from the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) will discuss the ever-changing building and energy codes, new materials, air barriers, and other technical issues in the industry.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

3-5 p.m. | Bringing the Pieces Together: Mentoring, Branding & Networking, with speaker Steve Ritter from Midwest Institute and Center for Workplace Innovation

3-5 p.m. | How to Differentiate When You’re Not That Different, with speakers Jackie Hart of Estimating Edge, Sarah Harweth-DeMarco of 6Side Marketing, and Jennifer Holsinger of Hunter Panels

Thursday, January 16, 2020

1-2 p.m. | Steep Slope Roofing - Keeping Roofers Safe, with speakers Jim Martinek from OSHA and Frank Marino with Safety Check Inc.

1-2 p.m. | Working Together to Minimize Air Barrier and Vapor Retarder Issues, with a panel of speakers including Sarah Flock with RRJ, Jason Wilen with Klein & Hoffman, and Corey Zussman with Pepper Construction

3-4 p.m. | Are you Prepared?  Crisis Management in Construction with two speakers Trent Cotney and Tray Batcher from Cotney Construction Law

Friday, January 17, 2020

7-9 a.m. | The Real Cost of Safety, with Frank Marino of Safety Check Inc., and Rick McElhaney with CSP

7:45-8:45 a.m. | Winning the War on Talent with Chris Czarnik from Career [Re]Search Group

9:30-10:30 a.m. | Working Through the Smoke, with Jason Tremblay of Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr

11:15 a.m-2:15 p.m. | Roofing Technical Issues - From Design, Compliance & Installation

Speaker, with Mark Graham from NRCA

For more information on the Chicago Roofing Contractors Association seminar and speakers, visit CRCA.