Top influencer insights from our 2025 MetalCoffeeShop® leaders

By Jesse Sanchez. 

MCS 2025 influencers outline the ideas shaping leadership, culture and long-term growth across the metal roofing industry. 

Our 2025 influencers delivered a wide range of insight into the forces shaping metal roofing today, from workforce development and safety to ethics, technology and market growth. Each year, here at MetalCoffeeShop® (MCS), we recognize industry professionals as MCS Influencers for their ability to elevate conversations that matter to contractors, manufacturers and industry partners alike. 

These influencers represent many corners of the metal roofing world, including contracting, manufacturing, associations and leadership roles tied closely to field experience. Their perspectives reflect not only where the industry stands today but where it is headed next. 

Throughout the year, MCS Influencers respond to questions tied to timely industry topics, either through written contributions or interviews. Their responses consistently offer practical guidance, strategic thinking and thoughtful reflection on the challenges and opportunities facing metal roofing professionals. 

In 2025, those conversations spanned leadership philosophy, workforce readiness, safety culture, ethics, technology and representation. Without further ado, here are the top influencer insights from our 2025 MCS Influencers. 

Top 10 MCS influencer insights for 2025: 

10 – Balancing AI efficiency with human transparency – Robert Tiffin 

Robert Tiffin urges contractors to use AI for efficiency while setting clear ethical rules, checking for bias and keeping people in charge of critical decisions. 

9 – Breaking barriers: The influence of women in the metal industry – Jena Jackson 

Jena Jackson shows how women strengthen metal construction through detail-focused leadership and innovation and why their visibility is crucial in a tight labor market. 

8 – Organic growth on social media – Emily Marshall 

Emily Marshall recommends a simple, focused social strategy built on one platform, consistent posting and everyday jobsite content that builds long-term trust with future customers. 

7 – Thoughts on jobsite safety from MBCEA leadership, past and present – Robert Tiffin 

Drawing on MBCEA leadership, Robert Tiffin highlights safety as a shared culture supported by daily training, crew engagement and incentives tied to safe, high-quality project outcomes. 

6 – Standing up and standing out as a woman in metal roofing – Haley Iselin 

Haley Iselin shares how women can build trust, unify teams and serve customers in metal roofing while tapping into flexible, well-paid roles across office and field positions. 

5 – In order to succeed, you have to grow – Randy Chaffee 

Randy Chaffee encourages contractors to move into specialized metal services, hire ahead of demand and actively promote these capabilities to protect margins and expand revenue. 

4 – Women in the metal industry over the centuries – Holly Gotfredson 

Holly Gotfredson connects historic female innovators to today’s women leaders and highlights how industry organizations help women build networks, skills and lasting careers in metal. 

3 – Ethics, AI and roofing contractors? Is this a thing? – Thea Dudley 

Thea Dudley explores how contractors can integrate AI across operations while asking hard questions about data, privacy and bias to protect employees and customers alike. 

2 – Technology is changing communication in 2025 – Randy Chaffee 

Randy Chaffee explains how short virtual check-ins, multi-channel updates and simple video walkthroughs keep teams aligned and customers informed in an increasingly connected metal market. 

1 – The path to growth and prosperity in metal – Travis Sliger 

Travis Sliger calls on the industry to market metal careers as a lifestyle, using schools and social media to show young people the financial security and long-term opportunity the trade can offer. 

Together, these insights reflect an industry thinking beyond materials and methods and toward people, values and preparedness. 

Learn more about the MCS 2025 Top Influencers and the ideas guiding the future of metal roofing!