The board supports the RT3 mission and leads the organization in its efforts to educate and advance technology in the roofing industry. 

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry, announced Brad Strawbridge, founder & CEO of Capital City Roofing and co-founder and CEO of BuilderLync as its newest board member.

“The roofing industry is at a technology inflection point, and most contractors are still watching from the sideline. RT3 is the room where that gets changed,” said Strawbridge. “As a new board member, I am excited to help shape the next three years of contractor technology, not just sit in on the conversations about it.

Karen Edwards, RT3 executive director, commented, “Brad is bringing his passion for technology and love of the industry to the organization. We are excited to have him be part of our leadership team.”

Other board members continuing their service include:

• Wendy Marvin, Matrix Roofing & Home Solutions, president
• John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group, treasurer
• Jon Gardner, Owens Corning, board member
• Rich Carroll, Carroll Consulting Group, board member
• Jeremy Dickmann, Apollo Primm Commercial Roofing, board member 

RT3 also extends its gratitude to Thomas Basch, Infinity Home Services, for his commitment to the organization during his term on the board.

Follow RT3 on social media for continuing updates and listen to the RT3 podcast on your favorite listening platform.

About Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3)

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) strives to find innovative technology solutions to be used within the roofing industry. RT3 provides insights from progressive thought leaders both inside and outside the roofing industry along with practical resources for implementing potential solutions successfully. The organization will encourage and enable contractors to embrace technology as they seek to grow their businesses. With a commitment to disseminate technology advancement information, RT3 will help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry. Learn more at www.rt3thinktank.com.

By Emma Peterson. 

Get industry insights, education opportunities and more this June in Rosemont, Illinois. 

The Metal Construction Association (MCA)’s annual summer meeting is returning to Rosemont, Illinois this June! Taking place June 23-24, 2026, this meeting is meant to help your team stay ahead with industry insights, practical education and high-value networking opportunities.  

This year, the keynote speaker will be Johnny Quinn, sharing a talk all about Unstoppable Momentum. There will also be a new dual-track education system that allows your team to “choose their own education adventure." One track focuses on the business and technical side of roofing with information about codes, standards and a report from the Metal Roofing Alliance.  

The other track is perfect for your marketing and sales specialists and features to sessions hosted by The Coffee Shops™ own Karen Edwards! In one, Karen will moderate a panel all about hiring and retaining talent featuring Amy Staska from National Roofing Contractors Association alongside Mandy McIntyre and Maureen Greeves from Tremco WTI. The other session, a panel titled “Modern Marketing That Moves Metal,” will see Karen discussing how marketing has shifted from relationship-driven to relationship plus digital visibility with Sean McFarland and Mark Carlisle. 

These sessions are great examples of the type of expert insights you will have access to by attending the 2026 MCA Summer Meeting. And you will also have the opportunity to go beyond just listening to these experts speak, as MCA has organized powerful networking opportunities that allow attendees to “build relationships across the metal construction supply chain in a relaxed setting.” An example of these networking opportunities is the Chicago Dogs vs. Cleburne Railroaders baseball game outing on Tuesday, June 23 (additional $25 fee at registration). 

Ready to boost your professional development and set your team up for success in the second half of the year? Get registered to attend the 2026 MCS Summer Meeting (and take advantage of discounts when multiple attendees register from the same company).

By Emma Peterson. 

From storm protection to fire resistance and energy efficiency, learn about the benefits of working with insulated concrete forms. 

Over the years, we’ve seen a variety of changes in the roofing and construction industries as products and technology advance. One big example of this is the move away from traditional wood framing and towards Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs). To learn more about this transition, Karen Edwards sat down with Dave Marrs, co-host of HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous, for an episode of Roofing Road Trips® all about Tremco’s ICF product, Nudura. 

Dave talked about how he got introduced to this new way of framing buildings. He explained, “I've got a friend that works for Tremco, that has been telling me for years, ‘Hey Dave, you got to try ICF construction. You've got to try it.’ And so I dabbled on a small scale.” The turning point for Dave was when nine tornadoes hit his home state of Arkansas in a single night last year.  

For Dave, that night connected the dots between the tradition of building concrete safe rooms in case of storms and using ICFs. He explained, “For years we’ve built little concrete safe rooms that you have to get up and run to in a serious weather event. And I got to researching them and just looking at what Tremco, what Nudura, can offer as far as weather resistance. And I got thinking, 'if you're building new, why not build a safe house instead of a safe room?’” 

When Dave dove further into the logistics of building with ICFs, he realized that the benefits extend beyond the performance of the final product. He shared, “As far as timeliness goes, we put the entire exterior structure of a 2,000 square foot house up in a day and a half. Working with Nudura, it's like stacking eight foot long, 18 inch tall Lego blocks. Once you get that first foundation row down, it goes really, really quickly.” And once you have the blocks in place, he added, you just have to go around filling the forms with rebar and concrete.  

And the benefits don’t stop there. ICFs not only create more durable spaces, but they also create more energy efficient spaces. Dave elaborated, “Nudura has a two- or two-and-a-half-inch rigid foam on both the exterior and the interior that make up the block. So, when you use it on a frame, you automatically get around an R-30 for your R-value on the exterior of the home. And that foam is fire retardant so it won’t burn like lumber or traditional insulation will in forest fires.” 

At the end of the day, Dave has found that Nudura greatly improves on traditional wood framing. He put it simply, “Nudura create a home that can withstand a couple hundred miles an hour of wind. So, in a storm, instead of racing where you have seconds or maybe minutes at most to get into a safe room, my kids are now in a safe house. Honestly, after seeing it get tested, I won't go back to building that traditional way.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the full episode for more information about Tremco’s Nudura ICFs. 

Join MetalCoffeeShop (MCS) and METALCON as we bring a leading group of metal contractors to talk about the state of the metal industry.

Erectors, general contractors, roofing and siding professionals talk about the current demands for metal buildings and facades.

Karen Edwards, MCS COO leads the panel as they cover the increasing popularity of metal buildings, roofing and siding that are all driving the construction market even in uncertain times. 

Register today!

By Karen Edwards.

Networking tips, live broadcasting and meaningful awards made the 2025 MBCEA Conference one to remember.

The 56th annual MBCEA Conference brought together metal contractors, erectors and manufacturers in Charlotte, North Carolina for three days of learning and networking opportunities. The event included activities for two industry associations, the Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA) and the Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA).  

By working together, the conference presents a unique opportunity for the manufacturers of the materials to network with the contractors that build the structures. The two groups are integral to each other’s success and being able to spend time together is invaluable to identifying and understanding the challenges and needs of each of these audiences.  

MetalCoffeeShop was in the house, broadcasting live onto YouTube throughout the event. If you weren’t able to be there you can check out the full playlist on the MCS YouTube channel.  

Keynote for success

The conference kicked off with keynote speaker Caleb Campbell, a West Point graduate and former NFL player who shared his story, including why he hung up his cleats after just two years. He explains in his book, The Inner Advantage, “Despite reaching my goals, I felt overextended, disconnected and weighed down by the relentless pressure of expectations. I had to confront the discomfort I’d avoided for years – and in doing so, I discovered how to expand from within.”  

Caleb’s journey of growth and discovery was life changing and he shared with attendees how to recognize the expander (the thing we are afraid of), how to reframe it (change your perspective) and finally how to respond to it with a plan to move forward.  

Following the inspirational keynote address, the conference shifted into the awards ceremony to celebrate members’ achievements and craftsmanship.  

MBMA Safety Awards

The MBMA recognizes its members for outstanding commitment to safety in their operation. The awards were established in 2011 and since then 445 manufacturing plants have been recipients of a safety award. This year’s winners included:

BSM Superior Safety Award

• Cornerstone Building Brands - Atwater, California
• Nucor Building Systems - LaCrosse, Virginia and Lathrop, California
• Dean Steel Building  
• Package Steel Systems - Sutton, Massachusetts

BSM Safety Performance

• Behlen Building Systems - Columbus, Nebraska
• Cornerstone Building Brands – Elizabethton, Tennessee; Houston, Texas; Lexington, Tennessee
• Inland Buildings - Culman, Alabama
• Nucor Buildings Group - 5 plant locations  
• Red Dot Buildings - Athens, Texas
• Whirlwind Steel Buildings - Houston, Texas

Associate Member Superior Safety

• S-5! - Iowa Park, Texas
• Global Building Products - Elkhart, Indiana
• Sherwin-Williams - Garland, Texas; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• METALSPAN - 6 plant locations  
• Silvercote - 18 plant locations
• Bay Insulation Systems - 24 plant locations
• PSI Preferred Solutions Inc. - Cleveland, Ohio

Metal Industry Hall of Fame inductions

Metal Construction News started the Hall of Fame in 2012 to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the metal industry. Nominees are judged on five categories: unique contribution, body of work, legacy, integrity and longevity. This year’s inductees are:  

• Ken Gieseke  
• Ron Schell  
• Randy Haefli  
• Sasha Demyan  

MBCEA Building Awards

• Commercial Award of Merit: Bahnmiller Construction, Inc. West Harbor Project, San Pedro, California; Manufacturer: VP Buildings
• Commercial Award of Excellence: Red Dot Buildings Athens, Texas; Circuit of the Americas T11 Car Condos (Carbondale, Colorado); Manufacturer: Red Dot Buildings
• Community Award of Merit: Schlosser Steel Buildings (Hatfield, Pennsylvania); Project: Sawmill Sports Hub (Willowbrook, Illinois) Manufacturer: Chief Buildings
• Community Award of Excellence: Sure Steel Inc. (South Weber, Utah); Western Sports Park (Farmington, Utah); Manufacturer: American Building Systems
• Manufacturing Award of Merit: Steel Work Solutions (Groveland, Florida); Blue Oval Ford, Gemini Building (Stanton, Tennessee); Manufacturer: VP Buildings
• Manufacturing Award of Excellence: H.A. Dorsten, Inc (Minster, Ohio); Rode’s Meats (Delphos, Ohio); Manufacturer: Chief Buildings
• Building of the Year Winner: Ironhide Construction Inc (Lincoln, Nebraska); Advent Health Sports Park at Bluhawk (Overland Park, Kansas); Manufacturer: Chief Buildings

Robert & Beverly Ketenbrink Service Award (Oil Can Award)

This award gives recognition to the recipient for their service to the metal building industry and their contributions to MBCEA and MBI. This year’s winner was Wes Young, product innovation manager, Behlen Building Systems. He is active on the AC 478 committee, Marketing and Membership committee and the Metal Building Curriculum Committee.

Student design competition

Finally, the MBMA shared the results of its undergraduate and graduate student design competition where architecture students were tasked with designing a sports recreational facility that featured a climbing wall. This year’s undergraduate winner for the second year in a row was Maya Westbrock from Cal State Sacramento and the graduate student winner was Pragathi Chandramouli from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The MBMA is excited for next year’s design challenge which will be a botanical garden and event center. 

By Karen Edwards.

A sustainable approach to waste management.

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) members traveled to the Chicago area recently to visit with Mycocycle founder and CEO Joanne Rodriguez at her company headquarters to learn more about how they are harvesting the power of mushrooms to tackle the challenge of construction debris.  

Joanne shared that 11% of world greenhouse gas emissions derive from construction materials – from resource extraction to disposal. Traditional waste management methods often rely on disposal or recycling that can still be resource-intensive which is why Mycocycle is transforming the paradigm by employing nature's own recyclers — mushrooms.

“So why mushrooms?” asks Joanne. “There is a huge body of work around micro remediation as a form of bioremediation. We're not the first to do it, we're just the first to do it in an industrial application.”

Mushrooms are known for their remarkable ability to decompose organic matter, thanks to their network of mycelium — tiny thread-like structures that act as nature’s decomposers. Mycocycle taps into this biological power to upcycle debris that would otherwise be discarded.

How it started

After spending nearly 20 years in the commercial roofing industry and being tasked with leading a recycling program for the manufacturer, Joanne realized that recycling in the roofing industry was not even close. Once she turned 50, she realized she wanted to “do better” and do something about this issue so she set out on her own.  

“When I went independent, I went on a quest for knowledge, as well as to beef up my skills,” explained Joanne. “I took a course from Oregon State University, and I learned about fungi and their remediative qualities.”

“When I learned about the heavy hydrocarbons that they could cycle through, just like those we find in petrochemicals and bitumens that are going into our products, I connected with a mycologist, which is a specialist in fungi, and we put a handful of spores on some off-the-shelf asphalt roof shingles, and it grew within seven days.”  

Joanne formed a company and filed a patent for that process. After meeting our own Heidi J. Ellsworth in 2018, Joanne worked to secure funding and support from leading roofing industry players but was met with skepticism and doubt. Convinced that this process would work, Joanne incubated and accelerated the company in 2019 and launched through the National Renewable Energy Labs in March 2020. After receiving validation of the problem, the Covid pandemic shut everything down, slowing down her momentum.  

“I started to try to find people,” said Joanne. “I'm not a scientist, I'm just curious, trying to solve a problem.” Within a year of leasing her first space, they had outgrown it. “Today we're in over 10,000 square feet. We have another 10,000 square feet we’re expanding to in Georgia, and we have many installations via our Mycontainers. The whole goal for us is to upcycle waste from the built environment.”  

Upcycling old carpets  

The one industry where Mycocycle has gained traction is the carpet industry. “One thing I wanted to solve was how we could upcycle or reuse the waste more effectively and how we could get greener, cleaner chemicals to do that.”  

The carpet industry is seeing a lot of emerging regulations, says Joanne. “They haven't hit the roofing sector yet, but they are hitting the flooring sector very hard. Within the next three years. Things like commercial carpets must have at least 5% recycled content from their industry. It can't come from PET water bottles.”

“We're able to reduce the embodied carbon of materials by 98% for carpet specifically. We are coming from commercial carpet waste and producing a Nylon 6 replacement. Our products are competitively priced and outperform petrochemicals today. That's one of my very big points of pride that we're able to compete against virgin polymers and win. We are defining a new category of materials management.”

The process and result

The Mycocycle process begins with sorting and preparing construction waste. Materials are selected based on their compatibility with the fungi's decomposition capabilities. Once prepared, the debris is inoculated with specific strains of fungi that thrive on the chosen substrates. Over time, the fungi metabolize the waste, breaking it down into simpler compounds.

The end result is a transformed material that can be used for various applications, such as bio-based building materials, insulation or soil amendments. This innovative process not only reduces the need for landfill disposal but also creates sustainable products that can re-enter the construction cycle.

This summer an athletic field is being installed in South Carolina that will be the first carbon neutral athletic field. One of the largest suppliers of athletic turf is using MycoFILL, upcycled from old carpet, in the manufacture of their turf infill that not only keeps the field cooler and is safer for athletes, but eliminates the need for using rubber and microplastics in their manufacturing process.  

Implications for the future

Mycocycle's work represents a significant step forward in sustainable waste management. By harnessing the natural capabilities of mushrooms, the company is addressing one of the construction industry's most pressing problems in an innovative and environmentally responsible way. As the technology gains traction, it has the potential to revolutionize how waste is handled across multiple industries, setting a precedent for bio-based solutions to global challenges.

In a world where sustainability is increasingly critical, Mycocycle stands as a shining example of how nature and technology can work hand in hand to create a better, greener future.

By Anna Lockhart.  

Here’s what has been trending on the MetalCoffeeShop™ (MCS) newsroom this past month. 

In the month of October, our readers saw a variety of hot topics from across the industry covered in our articles. One such popular topic revolved around the coverage of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, and how contractors and civilians alike are handling the aftermath. The experts at Adams and Reese provided a breakdown of how businesses, in particular, are faring post Helene and how the historic storm has affected the recovery process for those impacted in its wake.  

Notably, October saw the beginning of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strike on the American East Coast. After months of failed negotiations, the strike began October 1 and impacted import traffic spanning the coastlines from Massachusetts down to Texas. Trent Cotney, of Adams and Reese, dived into the need-to-know facts and impact of this strike in his article, providing a closer look at just how this strike would impact the U.S. economy and business owners as a whole.  

Our most read article of the month of October highlights the patriotic metal roof created for veteran Si Robertson, of Duck Dynasty fame, and his home. This reroof project was led by the talented crew of Northeast Louisiana Roofers, a contracting company who wished to give back to the reality TV star for his dedication to serving his country and being a standout citizen and shining light on his love for America on the show. Through a partnership with Owens Corning, having provided the necessary materials, these talented roofers created a standout red, white and blue roof befitting Si’s patriotism.   

Read the top 5 articles:  

5 – Rebuilding after the storm 

4 – Free classified ads for Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton response  

3 – Price gouging hotline activated to protect hurricane victims 

2 – East Coast port workers on strike 

1 – A star-spangled makeover for Duck Dynasty star Si Robertson 

By Emma Peterson. 

You do not choose the roofing industry; the industry chooses you! 

Recently, The Coffee Shops’ crew members Karen Edwards and Megan Ellsworth had the opportunity to be interviewed about their journeys in the roofing industry. Karen didn’t plan on working in the industry. She shared in her interview that she started working in marketing and found herself at a lumber and building supplies company. That was her first taste of the contracting world, which would eventually lead her to meeting Heidi J. Ellsworth, and the rest is history.  

Megan, who is our multimedia manager, spoke about how her journey on the roof began in a baby backpack carrier, but she never saw herself working in the industry as an adult. But low and behold, Megan found herself returning to the industry as an editor when the first RoofersCoffeeShop podcasts released and has now fallen in love with the community.  

The interviews were conducted on the Roofer Reflections YouTube channel. Each video is hosted by Tats Nakagawa, Castagra’s CEO, and puts the well-deserved spotlight on roofing industry professionals. They interview people from all areas of the industry and discuss what drew them into the workforce, what they’ve learned over time, the trends they are seeing and everything in-between!  

Specifically, Karen and Megan’s interviews are a part of a specific series titled “Women in Roofing (Roofer Reflections).” This series takes the time to highlight the women who are pacing trails in a traditionally male-dominated industry. The guests are all passionate about their work and dedicated to making the industry more inclusive and accessible for all.  

Watch the entire interview with Karen to hear about how a marketing job turned into becoming g a leader in the roofing industry.  

Watch the full interview with Megan to hear more about coming into roofing and growing into her role as RoofersCoffeeShop’s multimedia manager.  

You can also check out the larger Women In Roofing (Roofer Reflections) playlist to hear from other women in roofing. 

240 roofers descended on Capitol Hill today to advocate for three key issues that affect our industry.

Editor’s note: The following is a transcript of a conversation the Coffee Shop crew had after Roofing Day 2024.

James Ellsworth: We started off the day with an intro from Representative Lisa McClain from Michigan. Right after that, we heard from David Wasserman of The Cook Political Report with Amy Walters absolutely wonderful, really great. Really funny and insightful, and he’s very bipartisan. I appreciated his intellect and his honesty.  

Then, we heard from the Chief of Staff panel which is always a hit. And this was very interesting. It was nice to hear from them because they talk about how stuff still gets done and there is still some bipartisan efforts and people working above partisanship. After that we took a quick bus ride to The Hill. And we then attempted took a group picture on the Capitol steps but a vote was happening so we had to move to the grass in front of the Capitol.  

So the first meeting we had was with Senator Merkley's office, absolutely wonderful staff. We talked about really good issues, she was aligned with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) issues. 

We went across The Hill to The House. We had three House meetings. We started with Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer office, met with her chief of staff, he was a good guy. She was also aligned with NRCA issues. After that, we had a chat with Representative Val Hoyle's office. A wonderful team represents Hoyle.  

Then we met with Congressman Bentz’s staffer — Christian from Bogota. And let me tell you, this guy was wonderful. And we did get to meet the Congressman briefly. Following that, we had a lovely meeting with Senator Wyden’s office. We discussed the tax legislation. Part of the tax legislation that we're backing he actually was the author of.  

Then we went to Congresswoman Salinas’ office, who I've known for many years and was very nice to see and she has a lovely staff and had a great time overall. And then Heidi and Karen did a dance in front of the Capitol. That's James signing off. 

Karen Edwards: I am representing the state of Pennsylvania, and I was disappointed that despite multiple attempts, the NRCA was unable to secure meetings with Representative Scott Perry and Senator John Fetterman’s offices.  

And that left me with Bob Casey, a meeting at the end of the day. So, I had the pleasure of accompanying Dani Sheehan from Arkansas to her meetings, and I did three meetings with the Arkansas senators and representatives. It was really very good and shout out to Marco from Polyglass for stepping out of Florida and into Arkansas to also help us with our meetings because nobody wants to be by themselves, especially when it's their first time. 

We had great conversations throughout the day. And overall, while it was a busy day and a long day, it was a really productive day. And I hope that we made an impact on those that we visited with, and we definitely need to follow up with a thank you email in a couple of days just to remind them of who we are. And it was really a lot of fun.  

I would love to hear from Lauren and Dani who are first timers so I'm going to pass this on to them and hear about what their experience was like. 

Dani Sheehan: I was highly anxious and excited all at the same time. And so huge shout out to our amazing Karen Edwards and Marco Sieber with Polyglass. Both accompanied me to three out of my five meetings. It was a fantastic experience. I have only been in Arkansas for about a year so getting to meet my congressman and my representatives this early on and start to develop these relationships means so much.  

It was so cool to see Roofing Day bring everyone together in the industry. I got to put faces with names and really started to see the difference that we can make in this industry. All the conversations I had were really engaging. I loved getting to talk with Representative Steve Womack in Arkansas, about where my mom lives and really find that personal ground. We found out he is looking for a new roof. And we got to talk about roofing materials and share knowledge about the differences in materials and the new technologies that have been developed. Really great experience, very positive.

I cannot thank Will Lorenz with General Coatings Manufacturing Corp. and NRCA enough. Will is fantastic and shared a lot of knowledge about spray foam that I did not know, and I'm excited to write about and follow up with him. It was great to have him in one of my meetings and learn about his personal connection to Arkansas through his daughter going to college there. 

Lauren White: This is also my first time, and I was lucky enough to be with Heidi and James and Rick from the Tile Roofing Institute. So, the four of us represented Oregon, which was great. And I got to be kind of a fly on the wall for most of the meetings which was also great because I was also like Dani, very nervous and excited to be here and didn't know what to expect even though NRCA preps you as much as they can.  

Going in there and meeting with the people who actually make the decisions is very intimidating. Whether you're meeting with the senator or the representative or their chief of staff or some other staffer. They are the ones plugging the information and taking in all the information we had to share. I kind of froze the first time that I was asked to speak, thankfully the NRCA crew prepares you and provides talking points, so it was nice to be able to look down and use those talking points and stats that everybody was given in their own folders.  

But we got to meet with six of our seven senators and representatives who are in Oregon and all very positive conversations. And it was just a full day of advocacy and leading up to this trip, telling people I'm going to Washington D.C., for work and they're asking, ‘What are you doing for roofing by going to Washington D.C.’ And they’re a little confused when I say I'm advocating for roofing. You know, it's one thing to read about it, write about it, talk about the issues, but it's another thing to actually sit down and that's why I was very thankful to have such seasoned veterans in the room with me because got to observe a bit and see what was happening and actually just experience what this advocacy means and to be a voice for the industry of these one million people is really special and powerful and very unique and I'm so I'm very thankful that this year I got to come. 

And the Ronald McDonald socks that the NRCA gave us to give to the people we met with were such a huge hit. They were gifts that were pre-approved to be given out and being able to share that story, which I just love so much about the Roofing Alliance committing to keeping those Ronald McDonald Houses safe and dry. Keeping these places for all of those families who need it in their time of grief and stress is so powerful and just speaks so much about the industry as a whole. And one of the chief of staff's was already wearing his socks from a previous year, which is so great. But, just seeing and hearing just how much these one-on-ones mean to them and hopefully when we get back in Oregon, we can meet up with them through National Women in Roofing (NWiR) and through RCS. Anyway, very unique experience and happy to be a small part of it.  

Heidi Ellsworth: So, I am proud of this moment after listening to our team from James Ellsworth to Karen Edwards, to Dani Sheehan, to Lauren White, who came to Roofing Day this year. The fact that RoofersCoffeeShop® brought five people and we represented four states. We represented Oregon, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Florida. We didn't even know we were going to meet with Florida, but that was an exciting opportunity. And today, from listening to the congresswoman speak to the industry analyst who gave us great information, David Wasserman, and then to the Chief of Staff panel, I thought it was amazing. I have to put out there the National Roofing Contractors Association, NRCA, did a great job prepping us between last night and this morning, really understanding what was going on so that when we walked into these offices, we really felt confident, and whether you're a first timer, or four to five, six years, veterans, we felt like we really had an amazing story to tell because roofing is so important to the fabric of our nation. Every building has a roof, and we need to be the ones advocating to get more skilled labor into our industry to help put those roofs on to help project managers, to help estimators, to help run roofing businesses.  

Today, we had several important issues. CTE being one of them to get more of our young people or transitional workers into roofing and we asked for funding for the Perkins Act, which was so important, but we also had some great conversations around immigration. And most people probably think immigration is not doing anything. Nobody's doing anything in Washington D.C. But from our meetings today, everybody wants to do something. They want to have legal immigration. They want to have unskilled visas. We want to make our immigrant nation friendly again, and I'm not saying everyone but I'm going to say a lot of the conversations we had overall today were part of that.  

And then we also talked a lot about our Main Street Tax incentives. Right now, our Main Street Tax incentives are going to run out at the end of 2025. Our roofing industry right now, many of us are pass-through companies. And so, we advocated for all those contractors out there to understand that we are hardworking, strong companies. We're not rich, but we want to make a good living and we want to take care of our employees. And we need the Main Street Tax incentive available, and if you don't know what I'm talking about, look on RoofersCoffeeShop, because we have articles on the Main Street Tax, immigration, CTE, innovation. And that is why it is so important that everybody who came here, 240 roofing professionals, came to Washington D.C. to talk about these issues to help all our roofing contractors out there. And my heart has never been bigger or prouder than from what we saw today with everybody taking care of the industry.  

Also, I'm going to say on a more personal level, check out our YouTube because we did go live from the Capitol. Very cool. You can see what we did, and I think our team and all the 240 roofing professionals out there rocked it today. We made an impression on the industry. We made an impression on the congressmen, and I'm just telling you, it was so great. So, thank you so much. Please come to Roofing Day next year. Please be a part of this advocacy. Whether you're doing it on your state level, your local level, please come Roofing Day next year. This is what matters. It really does for our future and for the roofing respect of the industry.  

James Ellsworth: I was grateful to see today how united it felt in the chambers, how it did not feel like how we see on television. It felt like people wanted to get good work done. The staff who's there every day, work hard because they believe in what they're doing. It's not a good paying job but they're there and they're doing good work and it was very gratifying to see how there are still people there who are making it happen, doing the work day in and day out, and that there is a desire to make this country continue to be better every day than it was the day prior. And that was very good to see.  

The Coffee Shop Crew is five members strong at the 2024 Roofing Day in D.C.  

Editor’s note: The following is a transcript of a conversation the Coffee Shop crew had after the prep day for Roofing Day 2024. 

Karen Edwards: We just finished day one of roofing day. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day. We went to the National Air and Space Museum. And then we had lunch and we went to the Roofing Day opening session where we learned about the issues that we're going to be speaking to our representatives about tomorrow, and some tips and tricks for making sure you have a good meeting.  

There were about 230 people in attendance. And it was very interesting and cool to see all our friends who we haven't seen in a while, and to sit with the folks from my state, which is Pennsylvania and figure out who has meetings when and who's going to be the lead and who is going to talk about what, because it's very important to share our message correctly with our representatives. Heidi, what did you think? 

Heidi Ellsworth: You know what? You really made me think there about the issues when I think about immigration when I think about career and technical education, CTE, and when I think about taxes, Main Street taxes specifically for LLCs, and for so many roofing companies that are out there, I really think about how important it is for us to be here and speaking to our congressmen and women, and really sharing their real life stories of the roofing industry because we are the heartbeat of America, and we are the ones who are working every single day.  

All the amazing people who work in roofing on all levels and we need to have a voice and NRCA does that so today showing up and being part of the education ahead of Roofing Day where we go talk to our congressmen and women. We saw all of our friends like Karen said, everyone is so excited to really share this great information. And one of the things I love the most is that it is bipartisan. And in a world that is so divided by politics today. You can bring a whole industry together in a bipartisan manner for the good of so many people to really do great things around immigration, CTE and taxes. And that makes me really happy that we can be part of that and really rise above the craziness of what's going on in Washington. D.C. even though we're here right now. And Lauren, what do you think? 

Lauren White: To go off of what Heidi was saying, just having 240 people from the roofing industry coming together for the same purposes, no matter where they vote, where they register. You know, there are three common goals.  

This is my first year coming. I haven't been back to D.C. since I was in eighth grade. So, it's very fun to be here and see the Capitol and walk through the mall like we did today and go to the Smithsonian museums. The Air and Space Museum was very fun.  

And the prep leading up to this, I've been so impressed and so I've felt very informed and very prepared for today for tomorrow. Even though I you know, I'm not in politics, I don't follow everything political. But the emails, the advocacy day app, the all their pamphlets, everything is so streamlined and so laid out for you that you don't have to know it all you don't have to be on Capitol Hill to understand what we're talking about, but you can go and you can share your story and relate it to yourself and make it personal so that the people that you're meeting with your senators, your representatives, hear it and understand it and understand your point of view, which I think is really powerful. 

Dani Sheehan: I just want to echo the sentiments that everyone's shared as my first time not only being at Roofing Day but being at any sort of roofing get together in the industry. There's been so much energy and really positive energy, and it's so great to see how many people are just so devoted to what we're doing and to improving where we are today and moving forward. As someone who also just moved out of state into a new state and is representing Arkansas, as this one entity, I think of RoofersCoffeeShop and I think of all of us, kind of in the industry together. And I didn't realize until today that having one extra person from a different state and being able to meet four additional representatives and senate members that maybe we couldn't have met because there weren't constituents there means so much and it really does make a difference who you talk to what you're telling them about. And to Lauren's point, I feel very informed and ready with the topics that are important for tomorrow. 

Heidi Ellsworth: I have to tell you, I am so impressed with Lauren and Dani being here for the first time and I think everybody, every company out there should think about bringing people to Roofing Day, whether it's from the field, from the office, from wherever. This is not just for owners, this is just not for CEO’s, this is for the industry as a whole. And so I'm really proud that we at RoofersCoffeeShop have brought five people and for a small company, we have really made a commitment to this because we believe in it and we believe in what is being said. But I'm going to go back and say again that this is because of NRCA and ROOFPAC because they make this such a bipartisan, I'm not gonna say easy, nothing is easy in politics, but they do it in a way that the industry can all stand behind it, no matter their political beliefs. And I think that is the power of what's happening. 

We can’t wait to meet with our representatives and senators tomorrow to talk more about and advocate for CTE funding, the Main Street Tax Act and immigration reform.  

Stay tuned for our recap from Roofing Day 2024!