In this MetalTalk™, sponsored by MBCEA and Western States Metal Roofing, host Karen Edwards welcomes Steven Hudgins of Rainwater Construction Company, Justin Willett of Fleming Construction Group/Fleming Steel Erectors, and Bryan Harshbarger of Briner Building, Inc. for a discussion on how artificial intelligence is making its way into metal building construction and erection. From project planning and communication to document management and operational efficiency, AI is a practical tool for contractors looking to improve workflows and make more informed decisions. The panelists share real-world examples of how they're using AI today, lessons learned from implementation, common misconceptions and challenges, and their thoughts on how AI may shape the future of the metal building industry. Whether you're already experimenting with AI or just beginning to explore its potential, this webinar will provide practical insights you can take back to your business.

Watch the webinar.

By Jesse Sanchez.

The Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association Job Board gives job seekers a dedicated place to explore career opportunities across the metal building industry.

Professionals looking to take the next step in the metal building industry have a dedicated resource for finding open positions through the Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA) Job Board. The online job board at jobs.mbcea.org connects job seekers with employers across the industry, including contractors, erectors, manufacturers and suppliers. Opportunities span a variety of career paths, from project management and construction management to skilled trades, crew leadership, sales and business development.

Job seekers can search available positions by keyword and location, as well as browse openings by category, city and state. The site also allows users to create a resume and sign up to receive new job postings directly by email, helping professionals stay informed as new opportunities become available.

Current listings demonstrate the range of positions represented on the platform. Recent postings include an assistant project manager position with Crane Tec Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio, a building systems project manager position with EDiS Company in Wilmington, Delaware and a project supervisor position with The Kaiser-Martin Group in Temple, Pennsylvania.

For employers, the MBCEA Job Board also provides a place to post openings and reach candidates who are specifically interested in careers within the metal building industry. This industry-focused approach gives companies and professionals a centralized resource for connecting around employment opportunities.

Whether someone is an experienced industry professional or looking to continue building their career, the job board offers a straightforward way to explore available roles, discover new career paths and connect with companies seeking talented professionals across the metal building industry.

Learn more about career opportunities in the metal building industry and search current openings!

The Metal Building Contractors & Erectors Association (MBCEA) is excited to announce a reimagined exhibitor experience for our 58th Annual MBCEA Conference.

For 2027, we are moving beyond the traditional ballroom tabletop format and creating a dedicated exhibit hall environment featuring 10' x 10' and 10' x 20' pipe-and-drape exhibit spaces, expanded exhibit hours, enhanced networking opportunities, and new Product Showcase Theater presentations. 

This updated format is designed to create more meaningful interactions between exhibitors and the contractors, erectors, fabricators, project managers, and business leaders who attend the MBCEA Conference. Attendees will have more scheduled time in the exhibit hall, creating increased opportunities for conversations, demonstrations, and relationship building.

In addition to traditional exhibiting, we're introducing the Product Showcase Theater, a new platform for exhibitors to highlight products, equipment, technologies, and services in a dedicated presentation setting within the exhibit hall.

While booth demonstrations remain an important part of the exhibit experience, Product Showcase Theater presentations provide enhanced visibility through:

• Dedicated presentation times promoted to all conference attendees
• Inclusion in the conference agenda, mobile app, and event materials
• Advance marketing and onsite recognition
• The opportunity to engage a concentrated audience at a scheduled time
• Positioning as a featured innovator and industry partner

Whether you're introducing a new product, sharing a proven solution, demonstrating equipment, or highlighting services that help contractors and erectors succeed, we encourage you to participate. We look forward to showcasing the companies and solutions helping shape the future of the metal building industry. 

Learn more about submitting a proposal for the Product Showcase and/or training!

Submissions are due by October 21.

Metal Influencers bring diverse expertise and real-world insight to help contractors navigate challenges, strengthen their businesses and shape the future of metal construction. 

The Coffee Shops™, the award-winning websites where the industries meet for technology, information and everyday business, announces the 2026-27 Influencers for MetalCoffeeShop® (MCS).     

MCS Influencers contribute their expertise to MetalCoffeeShop each month through interviews, videos and articles that explore important topics shaping the metal construction industry. Contractors, association leaders and service providers offer a broad range of perspectives, giving readers practical knowledge and a deeper understanding of industry challenges and opportunities. Their insights about emerging trends in metal construction, building a scalable management team and using AI to strengthen business are featured in the site’s dedicated MCS Influencers section. 

“Our MCS Influencers are helping move the metal industry forward by sharing real-world experience and forward-thinking ideas,” said Heidi J. Ellsworth, president and CEO of The Coffee Shops. “Their diverse expertise provides contractors with meaningful insights they can use to strengthen their businesses and prepare for what’s ahead. We believe in helping contractors, erectors and tradespeople from all parts of the metal construction industry.” 

We are proud to announce the following 2026-27 MCS Influencers: 

• John Kenney – Cotney Consulting Group 
• Jon Olsen – Malco Tools 
• Corey Lincoln – Metal Sales 
• Junny Lee – Sherwin-Williams 
• Lee Ann Slattery – ATAS International 
• Anthony Ortega – Viotell Metal Concepts 
• Sasha Demyan – Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA) 
• Randy Chaffee – Source One Marketing   
• Renee Ramey – Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) 
• Paul and Emily Marshall – Mr. and Mrs. Post Frame  
• Edward Montemayor – South Texas Metal Roofing 
• David Leinbach - Kaiser Martin Group, MBCEA president 
• Travis Sliger – 4Ever Metal Roofing 

For more information on the 2026-27 MCS Influencers, meet them here.   

About MetalCoffeeShop 

MetalCoffeeShop is committed to being an advocate and supporter of the metal construction industry.  With Sherwin-Williams and industry thought leader’s contributions, the site supplies consistent information, education and networking avenues for all metal construction professionals. Visitors to the site will not only find education and information but thought-leading editorial, multimedia and Influencer content that elevates the metal construction industry. Like RoofersCoffeeShop, MetalCoffeeShop is “Where the Metal Industry Meets!” For more information and involvement opportunities, visit www.metalcoffeeshop.com.  

About The Coffee Shops 

Award-winning websites and online communities make up The Coffee Shops. Starting with RoofersCoffeeShop, which launched in 2002, the growth of the sites has been explosive for the construction trades of roofing, metal, coatings and their customers. Currently featuring four sites, RoofersCoffeeShop, MetalCoffeeShop, CoatingsCoffeeShop and AskARoofer, all the sites are committed to advocating for the construction trades by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all contractors, while promoting positive growth, education and success of construction industries overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and overall construction information and education. The Coffee Shops are “Where the Industries Meet!” For more information, visit www.thecoffeeshops.online. 

Submission Deadline: September 30, 2026 

The Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA) is seeking dynamic presentations for the 2027 MBCEA Conference. Our members consistently rank peer-to-peer learning and practical business solutions among the most valuable conference experiences. For 2027, the Conference Committee is prioritizing sessions that help contractors, erectors, and business leaders build stronger organizations, develop their workforce, improve financial performance, and gain greater visibility into project success. We are looking for presenters who can share proven practices, lessons learned, case studies, tools, and actionable strategies that attendees can immediately take back to their businesses on the following topics:

1. Workforce Development, Labor Pipeline & Retention: The labor shortage remains one of the industry’s greatest challenges. We are seeking presentations that explore comprehensive strategies for attracting the next generation of craft professionals, building sustainable apprenticeship and career-development programs, developing field leaders and foremen, and strengthening the long-term labor pipeline. Topics may also address compensation and incentive programs, positive company culture, employee engagement, succession planning, and strategies for retaining top performers while preserving company values.
2. Financial Management, Project Visibility & Field Engagement: Successful contractors understand that profitability depends on more than winning work. It requires strong financial discipline, reliable project information, and alignment between the office and the field. We are seeking presentations that explore how companies manage cash flow, forecast project performance, maintain visibility into job health, and equip leaders to make informed decisions before problems impact profitability. Topics may include financial reporting systems, job costing, cost-to-complete forecasting, change order management, labor productivity tracking, billing and collections practices, and the key performance indicators that provide real-time insight into project success. We are also interested in sessions that address how organizations communicate budgets, productivity goals, and performance expectations with field teams, create accountability throughout the organization, and foster a culture in which employees understand how their daily decisions influence project outcomes and company performance.
3. Building Processes That Scale: As companies grow, the need for repeatable processes, consistent execution, and reliable information becomes increasingly important. We are seeking presentations that showcase how contractors have developed systems, workflows, and operational processes that create greater visibility, consistency, and scalability across the organization. Sessions may explore project startup and handoff procedures, standard operating procedures, project management workflows, technology and software implementation, ERP systems, reporting structures, artificial intelligence applications, and leadership practices that help owners and managers maintain a clear understanding of business and project performance. Presentations should focus on practical approaches, lessons learned, and proven strategies that improve decision-making, operational efficiency, communication, and sustainable growth.

 
Presentation Formats

We welcome:

• Educational Presentation: 45-minute presentation followed by Q&A.
• Panel Discussion: Owner, manager, and contractor panels discussing real-world experiences and lessons learned.
• Contractor Roundtable: Facilitated peer-to-peer discussion focused on challenges and solutions.
• Case Study Session: Project, operational, or business case study highlighting lessons learned and measurable results.

What We're Looking For

Preference will be given to presentations that:

• Share practical lessons learned
• Include real-world examples and metrics
• Avoid sales pitches
• Provide actionable takeaways
• Encourage audience participation
• Address challenges specific to metal building contractors and erectors

Proposal Submission Information

Please include:

• Presentation title
• Speaker name(s) and company
• Brief speaker biography
• Session description (200-500 words)
• Key learning objectives
• Preferred format (presentation, panel, roundtable, case study)

Questions to Consider

When developing your proposal, ask yourself:

• What process has significantly improved our business?
• What mistake did we learn from that others can avoid?
• What information do we review weekly to understand project health?
• How do we know if a project is succeeding before it is complete?
• What are we doing to develop and retain our workforce?
• What tools, systems, or processes have delivered measurable results?

Help Shape the Future of the Industry

By sharing your experience, you can help fellow contractors strengthen their businesses, develop future leaders, and build a stronger metal building industry. We encourage contractors, erectors, project managers, financial leaders, and business owners to submit proposals and contribute to the conversation.

Submission Deadline: September 30, 2026
Conference Dates: May 5-7, 2027
Location: Sheraton Crown Center, Kansas City
Submit Proposals To: Ginger Roberti, admin@mbcea.org

By The Coffee Shops®.

A decade of lessons that transformed a skilled tradesperson into a successful business owner.

Starting a company often begins with having confidence in your skill set and a deep understanding of the trade. Sustaining that company, however, requires an entirely different set of skills.

n a recent MetalCast™ episode, Karen Edwards sat down with Clinton Benn, owner of CMB Erectors in Brantford, Ontario, to discuss the company's 10-year anniversary and the journey from metal building erector to business leader.

Clinton said the idea for launching CMB Erectors emerged after he returned to Ontario from Alberta in 2016 and recognized an opportunity in the market. While larger erector firms had continued to grow, he saw a gap for customers looking for the services traditionally offered by midsized contractors.

Getting started, however, proved to be about more than assembling crews and finding projects. "The real turning point comes from recognizing everything that was happening behind the scenes that was keeping those companies alive that you were working for," Clinton explained. He pointed to branding, business development, insurance, certifications, training and cash flow as critical responsibilities that many skilled tradespeople underestimate.

That realization led to one of his biggest lessons as a business owner: understanding which opportunities to pursue and which to decline. "Being able to say no became essential," Clinton said, noting that identifying work and customers that align with a company's long-term direction is just as important as securing new projects.

He also reflected on the pricing challenges many contractors face in their early years. Looking back, Clinton believes contractors often focus too heavily on competing through lower prices rather than communicating value. "In hindsight," he said, "I should have been trying to increase my pricing and sell my value rather than, you know, trying to sell a cheaper price."

For Clinton, the first decade of CMB Erectors highlights a reality familiar to many contractors: technical expertise may open the door, but long-term growth comes from learning how to run a business.

CMB Erectors' journey demonstrates that successful growth often depends on embracing responsibilities that extend well beyond the jobsite.

Listen to the full podcast or watch the recording to learn more about building a successful metal building erection business.

September 16, 2026 - 2 p.m. ET | 11 a.m. PT

In this MetalTalk™, sponsored by MBCEA and Western States Metal Roofing, host Karen Edwards welcomes Steven Hudgins of Rainwater Construction Company, Justin Willett of Fleming Construction Group/Fleming Steel Erectors, and Bryan Harshbarger of Briner Building, Inc. for a discussion on how artificial intelligence is making its way into metal building construction and erection. From project planning and communication to document management and operational efficiency, AI is a practical tool for contractors looking to improve workflows and make more informed decisions. The panelists share real-world examples of how they're using AI today, lessons learned from implementation, common misconceptions and challenges, and their thoughts on how AI may shape the future of the metal building industry. Whether you're already experimenting with AI or just beginning to explore its potential, this webinar will provide practical insights you can take back to your business. 

Register today!

By Emma Peterson. 

This webinar offers real-world lessons from metal building contractors on how AI can improve your operations. 

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, it’s finding its way into more and more sectors of the roofing industry. To talk about where AI is cropping up in the metal building construction and erection market, we will be hosting a MetalTalk™ titled How Erectors Are Putting AI to Work. This webinar, which is sponsored by the Metal Building Contractors & Erectors Association (MBCEA) and Western States Metal Roofing, will be live on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 11 a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET).  

Meet the panel 

Joining MetalCoffeeShop host Karen Edwards for this conversation will be three incredible experts, Steven Hudgins, Justin Willett and Bryan Harshbarger. 

Steven is the president of Rainwater Construction Company. Prior to taking on this role, Steven worked in different parts of the commercial construction industry with roles such as vice president of sales, manager of business development and corporate accounts, and senior global corporate accounts manager.  

As for Justin, he boasts a career that spans more than two decades in construction. It began in sales at Butler Manufacturing and has given him extensive building retrofit and energy efficiency expertise. Today, Justin has taken the helm of Fleming Construction Group/Fleming Steel Erectors as their president. 

And last but certainly not least, Bryan is the president of Briner Building, Inc., a leading design-build general contractor. His career with the company began over 19 years ago as a project manager and estimator. Today, in addition to his work at Briner, Bryan serves as vice president and a board member of the MBCEA and as president of the Adams Wells Manufacturing Alliance. 

Putting AI to work 

These three experts will be sitting down with Karen Edwards for a discussion of how AI can be used as a practical tool for contractors in the metal building industry. They will open with the many different ways they have seen AI integrated into different operations and then dive into real-world examples of how they are using it to improve workflows and make more informed decisions.  

From there, the conversation will shift into implementation of AI as the panelists share easy entry points for contractors, lessons learned from implementation and how to overcome common challenges. Whether you're already experimenting with AI or just beginning to think about its potential, this webinar is a powerful resource for your team.  

The webinar is coming up on September 16, 2026! Make sure to register to attend live.

By Heidi J. Ellsworth. 

Funding quality craftsmanship and building the future workforce. 

One of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry today is finding and developing skilled workers. For metal building contractors, investing in training is essential not only for workforce development but also for maintaining quality standards and meeting accreditation requirements. A new funding opportunity from the Ketenbrink Education Foundation (KEF) is making that investment easier by helping companies offset the cost of training their teams.

The foundation is currently offering immediate mini grants for companies that enroll employees in the Metal Building Institute (MBI) Quality and Craftsmanship (Q&C) 101 training series. According to information shared by Jacqueline Meiluta, companies can receive $250 in grant funding for each employee who successfully completes and passes the testing portion of the training program, with grants available for up to five employees per company. 

The financial benefit is significant. While the Q&C 101 testing costs $110 per participant, contractors can receive $250 per employee through the grant program, creating a positive return on their training investment while strengthening workforce capabilities. 

The opportunity comes at a critical time as the industry continues to focus on workforce development, safety and installation quality. The Q&C training program is designed to help workers better understand metal building construction standards and best practices. In fact, completion of MBI Quality and Craftsmanship training is a required component of AC478 accreditation, making the program especially valuable for contractors pursuing or maintaining accreditation status. 

The grant funding is being provided through the Ketenbrink Education Foundation, whose mission is to help metal building construction workers and aspiring industry professionals acquire the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the field. The foundation also works to improve the availability of technical and practical training throughout the metal building industry. 

As noted in the foundation's materials, industry leader Bob Ketenbrink emphasized the importance of proper training, stating that one of the most important needs in the metal construction industry is ensuring workers are trained to safely and correctly install materials so building owners receive the highest quality results from their investment. 

To encourage participation, KEF has allocated $50,000 to the program, enough to support approximately 200 newly trained craftsmen across the industry. The grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis and will close once funding has been exhausted. Each company is eligible for up to $1,250 in total grant funding. 

Programs like this demonstrate how industry associations and foundations continue to invest in the future of construction. By helping contractors reduce training costs while improving workforce competency, the KEF grant program creates a win-win opportunity for employers, employees and the customers who depend on quality construction. 

Contractors interested in taking advantage of the funding should act quickly while grants remain available. Applications can be submitted through the foundation's online application process. 

Learn more about the grant opportunity and apply today through the KEF application portal. Investing in training today can help strengthen your workforce, support accreditation goals and position your company for long-term success. 

By Alex Tolle. 

In an industry built on relationships, the strength of an organization often comes down to the people behind it.

At the Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA), there is a focus on connection that shows up in how the team operates day to day. Leading the organization is Sasha Demyan, who has served as executive director for more than a decade. Her tenure reflects not just consistency, but growth, helping guide MBCEA through evolving industry needs while expanding its programs and partnerships. Recognition in the Metal Construction News Hall of Fame highlights the impact of that leadership, but just as important is the accessibility she brings to the role.

Another key member of the organization is Britain Graver. Britain is the member services and administrative coordinator, meaning their work focuses on keeping the member experience running smoothly, from managing the website to supporting registrations and day-to-day communication. Alongside Britain, is Ginger Roberti, a newer MBCEA team member who is their administrative assistant. In this role, Ginger serves as a first point of contact for many members, helping ensure questions are answered quickly and the right resources are easy to find.

Britain and Ginger's roles are a great example of how much behind-the-scenes work goes intobuilding a seamless, responsive and valuable membership for people at all levels of the association. And for the industry professionals that interact with the MBCEA, it is people like Sasha, Britain and Ginger, the humans behind the MBCEA, that make a meaningful difference in how members experience the organization. 

It is a prime example of how an association's values extend far beyond its events or program and into the people who make those experiences approachable and worthwhile. When members know who they are talking to and feel supported in those interactions, it turns routine touchpoints into real relationships.