By WSRCA.

These individuals volunteer their time to make membership with WSRCA a worthwhile investment, and the roofing community a better place!

For decades, the Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA) has served the roofing industry through sharing education, creating spaces for communication, hosting the Western Roofing Expo and more. All of these initiatives and programs are made possible through the support of our members and the work of the volunteers that make up our officers and board of directors. To highlight the incredible people who are dedicating their time to make our organization and industry a better place, we wanted to introduce them to you! 

WSRCA officers

• President: Stan Robinson, Pacific West Roofing LLC
• Senior vice president: Ron Lloyd, Kokua Roofing Service
• Immediate former president: Kris Hitesman, Capitol Roofing Service
• Vice president - 1 year: Hillary McPartlon, McPartlon Roofing
• Vice president - 1 year: Austin Barnhardt, Quality Roofing and Sheet Metal
• Vice president - 2 years: Stephanie Baird, Bliss Roofing, Inc.
• Vice president - 2 years: Scott Riopelle, Interstate Roofing
• Executive director: Joel B. Viera, Western States RCA

WSRCA board of directors

WSRCA committees

By Heidi J. Ellsworth.

This 2025 MVP winner has earned a reputation as a dependable professional and an exceptional leader who inspires those around him.

The Roofing Alliance’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards are among the most prestigious honors in the roofing industry. The program honors dedicated and reliable employees who are vital to a company’s success. These individuals consistently demonstrate a strong work ethic combined with leadership, initiative and resourcefulness. They maintain an outstanding safety record while supporting their coworkers and going above and beyond their daily responsibilities. Each year these awards recognize roofing professionals who lead with integrity, dedication and compassion both at work and in their communities. 

This year’s winner in Outstanding Performance and Leadership is Alex Garcia, superintendent at Bliss Roofing Inc. in Clackamas, Oregon. With more than 25 years of experience in the roofing industry, Alex has earned a reputation as a dependable professional and an exceptional leader who inspires those around him. His unwavering dedication, positive attitude and focus on safety and quality have made him a valued asset to his company and a respected figure on job sites across the region. 

Alex began his career as a crew member working his way up to crew leader. In 2022 he was promoted to job site superintendent. The promotion made clear just how essential Alex is to Bliss Roofing. As one colleague shared, “I didn’t even realize how much his position, rather, Alex himself, was needed.” Serving as the bridge between production and management, Alex ensures every project is completed safely, efficiently and to the highest standard. 

Coworkers consistently highlight his leadership and character. “He’ll do anything you ask him to do with a smile on his face,” said one teammate. Another noted, “He makes it easy for the estimators and project management because of his attention to detail.” Whether he is training crews on safety protocols or solving everyday job site issues, Alex is always ready to lead and support his fellow employees. 

His leadership is grounded in trust and teamwork. He is respected not only for his technical knowledge and skills but also for his genuine care for others. Alex continually works to improve performance and quality; he also brings a level of energy that motivates those around him. One colleague put it simply, “He’s the key to improving production and quality.” 

Alex’s personality shines just as brightly as his professionalism. Always smiling and willing to help, he creates a sense of camaraderie that helps the team thrive. One crew member reflected on the strong lasting relationships Alex builds with his team and joked, “25 years together, that’s more than most marriages." Alex is more than a superintendent. He is a true role model. His leadership, integrity and positive spirit set the standard for others. His impact is felt every day by those lucky enough to work alongside him. 

If someone like Alex is part of your team now is the time to honor them. The 2025-2026 Roofing Alliance MVP Awards are now open for nominations. The Outstanding Performance and Leadership category recognizes employees with strong work ethic, safety focus, initiative and the ability to inspire their coworkers. The Outstanding Community Involvement category honors those who dedicate their time and energy to bettering their communities through service and compassion. 

Nominations are due by Friday September 5, 2025. Visit the Roofing Alliance MVP page to learn more and submit your nomination. 

By Emma Peterson. 

Volunteers from NWIR, Bliss Roofing, Mountainwood Homes, Lennar and more come together to support Project Homeless Connect’s mission. 

Project Homeless Connect (PHC) began in 2006 with Kim Marshall Gordon and her mission of helping the unhoused populations in Washington County, Oregon. Today, PHC operates a street outreach team, an access center, year-round shelters, inclement weather sheltering, a variety of affordable housing programs and collaborative day one resource events. One of the individuals that went to PHC for help explained the power of this organization, saying, “Amanda (case manager) smiled at me and looked me in the eye; she treated me like a human being, not like an animal on the street. She saved my life. She helped me get into housing after years of struggling. I get to call this my home. I am happy here. I’m safe.” 

And the team at PHC recently got an upgrade to their organization’s home. They have been operating out of a bungalow in downtown Hillsboro, Oregon that was sorely in need of some upgrades. The yellow, cramped house’s roof was sagging, the front steps were broken and the yard a wild, unapproachable space. This is the location of their access center, where they provide up to 100 unhoused people with hot meals, counseling, showers, clothing and other services and making it accessible and welcoming is key to supporting their mission. Luckily, over the last year and a half, another local organization, HomeAid Portland, coordinated multiple crews of volunteers and companies to help them revamp their access center and help more unhoused people. 

The first key player was Robert Wood of Mountainwood Homes. He and his crews were able to bring out a mini excavator to clear the 20-foot-tall blackberries in the backyard and the bushes blocking the front of the building. They were also able to repair the broken steps and add a handrail to make it easier to enter the access center. Other crews of volunteers built PHC a new six-foot tall fence to give the people using the center privacy and the front porch was refreshed with a new coat of paint. In four hours, these incredible volunteers used some hand tools, hard work and hope to transform the access center.  

But this was just the start. Bliss Roofing, a general contractor in Clackamas, Oregon partnered with a team from the local National Women in Roofing (NWIR) chapter to tear off the broken, sagging roof and replace it. This work happened to fall on the Charitable Projects Day of the National Roofing Contractors Association’s Roofing Week and the women onsite and the companies backing them donated an estimated $40,000 worth of labor and materials. 

From there, word of the project spread and more community members came to do what they could. National homebuilder Lennar, who has partnered with HomeAid in the past, brought a professional landscaper and crew out to finish the yardwork by taking out the turf and re-mulching the garden beds. Others came to paint and haul away debris for free and some local high school students in a construction program built storage sheds, a trash enclosure, a clothing closet and picnic tables for PHC. 

The cherry on the top for the project was a wheelchair ramp. Previously, the only way for disabled people to enter the access center was to be lifted up the broken stairs. Now, in addition to the fixed stairs, PHC has a wheelchair ramp thanks to Rick’s Custom Fencing’s donation. All of these donations meant that an estimated $250,000 of work was donated by volunteers to renew Project Homeless Connect’s space so they can continue to renew hope in the individuals seeking their assistance.  

Image source: HomeAid Portland 

Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) and MetalCoffeeShop have named installer Bliss Roofing and manufacturer Taylor Metals as winners of its Best Residential Metal Roofing Project competition for third quarter of 2023 for a metal roofing project completed on a new construction estate located in Wilsonville, Oregon.

The Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) and Metal Coffee Shop have selected a massive metal roofing project that provides the perfect crowning touch for a stunning custom home as the winner of the Best Residential Metal Roofing Project competition for the third quarter of 2023.

The metal roofing installer—Bliss Roofing based in Clackamas, Oregon—completed the award-winning roof on this gorgeous new 8,700 square-foot modern lodge style home in April 2023. The architects for the project had suggested a metal roof to help enhance not only the home’s beautiful exterior, but for the many performance benefits it would provide. The homeowners agreed that a quality metal roof would be the best choice due to its long lifespan, low maintenance and wildfire protection benefits. The roof also will provide long term energy efficiency and all season protection for the home, which is located on a 72 acre estate and includes a wine cellar, casita, pool room, study, gym and an outdoor living area.

With a 54-year track record of installing quality metal roofs, this winning project was Bliss Roofing’s largest residential project to date. The company used an astonishing 275 squares (or 26,000 square feet) of Cool Kynar 500 Dark Bronze Easy Lock Standing Seam Steel Metal panels for the new roof. Manufactured by Taylor Metals, the panels help showcase the impressive custom design and details of the one-story gabled roof home.

“This winning project really demonstrates how architects, builders, installers and manufacturers can successfully work together to ensure quality, not only when it comes to long-term performance and reliability, but also incredible style. With its stunning metal roof, this home is the very definition of beautiful design, both inside and out,” said Renee Ramey, MRA executive director.

With this phase of the competition now closed, the search is on for MRA’s Best Residential Metal Roofing for the final quarter of 2023. Open to U.S. and Canadian homeowners, contractors, installers and manufacturers, MRA officials will select one outstanding metal roofing project based on project appearance, performance and originality/use of materials. Interested participants may upload their project photo along with a 200-word or less description for why their metal roofing project is worthy of top honors online at metalroofing.com. Next quarter’s winner will be announced in January, 2024 and only residential metal roofing projects in the U.S. and Canada will be considered. MRA Contest Entry Link: https://woobox.com/j46etv

For more information about how to enter MRA’s “Best Metal Roofing” competition, visit www.metalroofing.com.

About Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA)

Representing metal roofing manufacturers in the United States and Canada, the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) was formed to help educate consumers about the many benefits of metal roofs. The main objective of MRA is to increase awareness of the beauty, durability and money-saving advantages of quality metal roofs among homeowners, as well as to provide support for metal roofing businesses and contractors. For more information, visit MRA.

By Evelyn Witterholt. 

Bliss Roofing and National Women in Roofing teamed up to fix the roof of the Project Homeless Connect building in Washington. 

For National Roofing Week, Bliss Roofing and National Women in Roofing (NWiR) worked together on a reroofing project for the Project Homeless Connect building in Washington state. The two partnered with the Home Building Foundation to complete the project by supplying labor and materials, much of which was also donated.  

Stephanie Baird, general manager of Bliss Roofing, played a large role in helping the project come to fruition. For the past year, she had been planning this major roof tear-off and reroof project and reaching out for donations and organizing the build day. Stephanie was also the recipient of the 2023 WORLD Award Veteran at NWiR day. 

The build took place during the National Roofing Contractors Association’s (NRCA) National Roofing Week on their day celebrating charitable projects. The project involved a two-layer roof tear-off, rafter and overhang replacement and a full roof resheet. 12 roofers showed up to help install the roof and many other volunteers attended to help with ground clean up. 

In a message sent to her NWiR council, Stephanie said, “What an amazing way to spend National Roofing Week by partnering with the Home Building Foundation to gift a new roof to Project Homeless Connect of Washington County!” 

The gifted roof was ultimately valued at $35,000 and the following companies also helped by donating materials and labor: 

• Owens Corning 
• Malarkey Roofing Products 
• Simply Affordable (SA) Roofing 
• Integrity Insurance & Bonding Inc. 
• Cool Roofs Rating Council (CRRC) 

Brenda Ketah, executive director of the Home Building Foundation had nothing but good things to say about the project. “Home Building Foundation-HomeAid Portland is thrilled to work with National Women in Roofing on another shelter project,” she said. “The volunteers are fantastic to work with and every detail is planned and organized. We are very appreciative of this partnership and can’t wait for the next one!”

Meet the new slate of officers and board of directors for 2023-2024.

We wanted to take a moment to announce the new slate of Officers and Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 year. Congratulations to these individuals who volunteer their time to make membership with the Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA) a worthwhile investment, and the roofing community a better place!

WSRCA Executive Committee:

• President: Mike Wakerling, General Roofing Company. Oakland, California.
• Senior Vice-President: Kris Hitesman, Capitol Roofing Service. Sandy Utah
• Immediate Former President: Andy Clarke, Tecta America Arizona. Phoenix, Arizona
• Vice President - 1 year: Brian Butler, Wayne's Roofing. Sumner, Washington.
• Vice President - 2 years: Stan Robinson, Pacific West Roofing LLC. Hubbard Oregon.
• Vice President - 2 years: Tyler Canaday, Madsen Roofing & Waterproofing. Sacramento, California.
• Vice President - 2 years: Ron Lloyd, Kokua Roofing Service. Kailua Kona, Hawaii.

WSRCA Board of Directors:

• Stephanie Baird, Bliss Roofing, Inc. Clackamas, Oregon.
• Austin Barnhardt, Quality Roofing & Sheet Metal. Bozeman, Montana.
• Chris Bowman, Collins Roofing, Inc. Lehi, Utah.
• Marcus Clinco, C.I. Services, Inc. Anaheim California.
• Dan Cornwell, CC&L Roofing Company. Portland, Oregon.
• Juan Delgado, Sustainable Living Builders, Inc. Santa Rosa, California.
• Leo Ibarra, Blue's Roofing Company. Milpitas, California.
• Jackson Johns, National Roofing Company. Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• Jake Magalsky, Ace Roofing, LLC. Missoula, Montana.
• Wendy Marvin, Matrix Roofing & Home Solutions. Vancouver, Washington.
• Hillary McPartlon, McPartlong Roofing. Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• Valorie Miller, JBS Roofing. Glendale, Arizona.
• Travis Nelson, Brown Roofing Company. The Dalles, Oregon.
• Greg Pender, Highland Commercial Roofing. Phoeniz, Arizona.
• Paul Reed, North-West Roofing. Denver, Colorado.
• Scott Riopelle, Interstate Roofing. Denver, Colorado.
• Pete Schmautz, Star Roofing, Inc. San Antonio, Texas.
• Wayne Sorensen, Top Line Roofing. San Diego, California.
• Severin Wolf, Wolf & Wolf Roof Services. Belcarra, British Columbia.

Accidental release of steam filled with tiny metal particles created rust stains all over the exterior of steel plant.

Watts Removal Products communicated directly with the customer to find a solution for their problem, which resulted in an order of a Watts Removal product called Cleansweep. Workers on-site were able to use the product as specified on its label to effectively remove all the rust stains on the building.

The customer thought they were going to need to re-side the entire building. The simple cleaning product and application saved them tens of thousands of dollars and countless man hours.

Watts Removal Products are exclusive to Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings and won’t void the warranty! This exclusive partnership ensures roofing and siding contractors, property owners and maintenance professionals have access to removal products designed to help revitalize and restore metal wall, roofing panels, manufactured products, extrusions and so much more.

RoofersCoffeeShop® contractors can enter to win a Metal Maintenance Sample Kit that includes the powerful Cleansweep that tackled rust easily for the steel plant. Each week, six kits will be awarded. Meet this week’s winners:

1. Stephanie Baird, Bliss Roofing Inc.
2. Kurt Schneider, Centimark
3. Dallas Mallory
4. Brittany Doerpfeld, Azalea Dwellings
5. Bianca Ramon, Johnson Roofing
6. Lydia Lane, Design Systems & Services Corp.

Common problems that the Metal Maintenance Sample Kit can handle include:

• Oxidation & chalking
• Removal of strippable film
• Graffiti
• Over-sprayed paint & adhesives
• Paint spills
• Surface rust stains
• Tiger-striping
• Dirt
• Smog
• Mildew & other biological growth
• Smoke damage
• Exhaust staining

Enter for your chance to be one of six winners every week!

Learn more about Sherwin-Williams in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www,coil.sherwin.com

About Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings

Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings delivers a full range of high-performance coatings in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), silicone-modified polyester (SMP), and polyester formulas, designed to meet the most demanding environmental requirements while providing protection against weathering and pollution. The Coil Coatings Division is part of the Sherwin-Williams Performance Coatings Group, which supplies a broad range of highly engineered solutions for construction, industrial, packaging, and transportation markets in more than 110 countries in the world. Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of paints, coatings, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. For more information about Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings, visit coil.sherwin.com.