Join RCS host, Megan Ellsworth, for an open and uplifting conversation celebrating Pride Month, brought to you by Tremco. Megan and panelists will explore how roofing companies can create inclusive environments within their businesses and the industry overall. From recruitment and retention to mentorship, leadership and jobsite culture, the panel shares honest insights about the importance of visibility and allyship in the trades. The discussion also highlights how embracing diversity strengthens teams, drives innovation and helps build a healthier future for the roofing industry. Join us for this very special Pride Month Coffee Conversations!

Register today!

Join RCS host, Megan Ellsworth, for an open and uplifting conversation celebrating Pride Month, brought to you by Tremco. Megan and panelists will explore how roofing companies can create inclusive environments within their businesses and the industry overall. From recruitment and retention to mentorship, leadership and jobsite culture, the panel shares honest insights about the importance of visibility and allyship in the trades. The discussion also highlights how embracing diversity strengthens teams, drives innovation and helps build a healthier future for the roofing industry. Join us for this very special Pride Month Coffee Conversations!

Register today!

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. 

Learn how intentional training and care builds teams that grow and succeed in the long-term.  

As labor shortages continue and workforce expectations shift, companies can no longer afford to treat onboarding as a minor checklist or training as a one-time event. Instead, they must find ways to consistently care for the crew members and help their teams grow. To discuss this topic, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down for an episode of Coffee Conversations® with Amy Staska, Maureen Greeves and Mandy McIntyre.  

These women were the perfect panel to talk to about investing in your team. Amy is the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)’s VP of workforce development; Maureen is Tremco Roofing’s director of field operations; and Mandy is WTI's CM development manager. Out of the gate, one of the most important things they highlighted was that labor retention is not a one-size-fits-all situation. 

Amy explained, “Finding ways to retain talent is not going to be a one-size-fits-all conversation. Take training, for example. People like learning new skills that can help advance their careers. But the format of that training needs to be comfortable for each individual.” For example, some people love the convenience of online training, where others find it disconnected and hard to work with. If you truly want to retain talent, you need to invest in your people as individuals.  

And retaining talent really should be your goal. Not only does it make your team stronger culturally, but it is also important for your long-term finances. Maureen explained, “The recruiting process and the onboarding process can cost companies anywhere between $5,000 to $6,000 on the low end and up to upwards of $10,000 to $12,000 on a high end.  For one person. So, retaining talent long term isn’t just about keeping talent and expertise, though that is key, it’s also about avoiding turnover and the high expenses that come with that.”  

So, how do you start bringing this intentionality into your operations? It doesn’t have to be that complicated. Mandy gave some examples of how you can meet your team where they are, sharing, “Start with just basic conversations. Ask people how's it going, how the first week was, the second week, etc. Because if you're not having those conversations and they end up leaving, you’ll never know why or if you could have changed something simple and retained their talent.” 

Learn more about intentional, individualized retention strategies by listening to the whole episode.

By Emma Peterson. 

Dive into the key role that company culture plays in building and retaining top talent.  

At the core of the roofing industry are the people who represent and advocate for it. Our businesses are all about serving customers, and a strong, talented internal team is the key to success. But building that team can be hard in an industry that has a seemingly constant labor shortage. To learn more about building and retaining a base of reliable employees, Heidi J. Ellsworth hosted Amy Staska, the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)’s VP of workforce development; Maureen Greeves, Tremco Roofing’s director of field operations; and Mandy McIntyre, WTI's CM development manager for an episode of Coffee Conversations®. 

Retention is a key part of a successful business. Amy explained, “When people leave, you’re not only losing their specific talents, but you’re also losing money and having to spend more time and energy to recruit a replacement for them.”  

So, how do you build a company that people want to stay at? It’s all about building a company culture that is comfortable and supportive. Amy elaborated, “I'm a huge proponent of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and truly believe that when people feel like they're safe and secure, when they feel like they belong, they're going to be able to work better and they're going to stay.” 

A simple way to start building such a culture i by having individual conversations with employees. Mandy shared:  

A lot of building a culture that retains employees is having one-on-one, face-to-face time, where you touch base with new hires, get to know them as a person and see how things are going. It sounds small, but it really goes a long way to build that psychological safety, build that confidence and build engagement. That is the foundation for a strong culture.  

This is something that Maureen and the team at Tremco are working to implement in their operations. She explained, “Culture starts at the top, and our president James McDonald takes the time to have what he calls ‘James unfiltered calls.’ In these calls he talks to individuals in the company at the field technician/foreman level to hear what’s going on, to know them as people and build that culture that retain people.”  

Want to learn more about building a culture of retention? Tune in to the whole podcast with Amy, Mandy and Maureen!

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn about engaging and retaining new hires through intentional training. 

In a new episode of Coffee Conversations®, Heidi J. Ellsworth is joined by a panel of industry leaders to talk about the importance of contractors helping new hires engage and connect with their company. This panel included Amy Staska, the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)’s VP of workforce development; Maureen Greeves, Tremco Roofing’s director of field operations; and Mandy McIntyre, WTI's CM development manager.  

Amy has been with the NRCA for over 20 years, and bringing new talent to the roofing industry has been a top concern during her tenure. She explained, “Training’s not cheap and a lot of contractors worry about if new hires are going to stick around...” The problem with this is that it creates a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy where contractors hold new hires at an arm’s length to make sure they’re serious about the job, and new hires are unable to show their interest in the job because of that distance.  

So, how do you build a company that can avoid this pattern? Mandy shared, “I think the industry sometimes forgets about the human component of hiring. Those new people have emotions, they have goals, they have questions, they have fears and if you can cultivate people to be the best versions of themselves, that’s when you’re going to engage them and retain talent.” 

The key to cultivating them into the best version of themselves? Intentionality. Amy explained:  

At NRCA, we talk constantly about the idea of doing intentional training. It’s impossible to train all your new people to be experts immediately. But if you work towards conversational competence, so that someone can go up onto a roof and at least is going to understand a little bit of what's happening, and will be able to have better conversations with the crew there, they’re going to be more connected to your company and more likely to stay to keep learning. 

This is something that Maureen and the others on her team at Tremco have implemented over the last couple of decades. She shared, “We grew very fast, and one of the downsides of that is you can lose some of that intentionality that Amy mentioned. We realized that was happening, so we made changes.” Some changes were bigger, like hiring Mandy into her current role, but others were smaller, like opening conversations. Maureen elaborated, “We started simply talking to people and making sure they knew that they were a part of something bigger. And just that has been tremendous.”  

Mandy summed the entire conversation up well, saying, “At the end of the day, it's all about actions and feelings. If you're having a problem retaining people and recruiting people, take a good, hard look at what's going on and make some intentional changes to help people belong.” 

Watch the entire Coffee Conversation to hear more of Amy, Mandy and Maureen’s discussion.

In this Coffee Conversations®, Heidi J. Ellsworth is joined by industry leaders to discuss one of the most pressing issues facing roofing and construction companies today: how to successfully onboard, train and retain top talent. As labor shortages continue and workforce expectations shift, companies can no longer afford to treat onboarding as a checklist or training as a one-time event. This discussion explores what a strong first 90-days should look like, how mentorship and leadership shape long-term retention and what metrics truly measure success. From building career pathways to adapting to generational change, this conversation delivers strategic insight for contractors and industry professionals committed to building teams that stay, grow and lead. 

Register today!

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn about the differences and similarities between roofing in the U.S. and the UK. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with Mardee Billingsley, the executive vice president of the Tremco Construction Products Group. Mardee has worked with Tremco for over 28 years and is part of the team that has been expanding their operations into international markets. This unique position makes Mardee an invaluable resource for insights on the global market.  

There are a lot of considerations when it comes to moving onto a global stage. Things like environment and climate are obvious differences, but there are also distinctions that are less thought of – like regulation differences. Mardee used the UK as an example, “I find the roof systems in Europe to be simpler in a way. Take our FM requirements that must accommodate all the regions of the U.S. as an example. There are thousands of products and systems in there. Alternatively, I remember when I first started going over to the UK in 2004 and it's simply base and a cap.”  

This simplicity can be cited to a variety of reasons, from the UK being smaller than the U.S. and having fewer regional differences to its history of governmental management of industries. One of the big reasons, however, is the weather. Mardee shared, “In the UK, it's a much milder climate. It rains a lot, kind of like the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. So, some of the need for a simple system comes from that. They have a big fluid market because of having to get systems down and cured up faster. Anything they can do to just go and be installed by the end of the day is good because of the weather.”  

And it’s important to note that simplicity does not sacrifice performance. Mardee explained, “These systems are 20-30 year systems. They come with 20-25 year warranties!” At the end of the day, roofing might look a little different across the pond, but there are still many similarities. Mardee explained, “They still use some of the same products we use, it just depends on the solution that they need. The key is just to really listen to what they're saying and what they need. Which works with Tremco’s core philosophy of keeping good roofs good and providing the best solution to meet the customer's needs for longevity, financial investment and technical requirements. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the entire podcast to learn more about Tremco and roofing on the global stage.

By Emma Peterson. 

From guardrails to roof hatches, Tremco WTI is creating safer jobsites and building team trust.  

A recent data bulletin from the Center for Construction Research and Training revealed a concerning trend – more than 300 fatal falls and over 20,000 nonfatal falls have been reported in the construction industry since 2013. In particular, the data from a 2022 study shows roofing as the leading source of these incidents. These statistics can seem disheartening, but there are things that companies can do to keep roofing professionals safer!  

A great example is what Tremco WTI has done with their safety initiatives. Their Director of Health and Safety, Rolando “Ro” Lewis, shared a bit about the original push for safety programs at Tremco. He shared, “Safety wasn’t a focal point for every employee in the organization, and we transformed that so that every person in the company understands that safety affects everyone.”  

Today, the people at WTI are the first ones to bring safety into the conversation. Ro explained, it, “We organized our safety programs with the goal of making safe practices prevalent and the first thing we think about.” And they’re not just working on promoting safety internally, Tremco WTI also manufactures a variety of products that can help other companies make their worksites safer! These include:  

• Guardrail systems: These ballasted railings protect roofing professionals from falling off the roof edges, sides and/or openings.  
• Hatch guards: Make it easier than ever for your crews to get on and off the roof with the roof access hatch.  
• Skylight guards: Protect your crew from falling through skylights (which are technically considered holes in the roof) with these custom-designed guards.  
• Crossovers: These are pre-engineered safety systems that make access across rooftop obstacles like piping or conduits more secure.  
• Weighted fall protection systems: This is a modular system that creates a rooftop anchor to keep your crew safer in the case of slips. 
• Grated walkways: Make sure you’re standing strong with these safe, slip-resistant walkways that use gritted panels to avoid water ponding.  

Learn more about these products and how Tremco WTI is leading roofing forward with safety in mind!

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how businesses can empower their teams by creating inclusive and supportive workplaces. 

Last month, we hosted a special Pride Month edition of Coffee Conversations, sponsored by Tremco WTI! In the episode, Megan Ellsworth spoke with a panel of roofing experts and advocates from across the industry for an enlightening conversation about inclusivity. The panel included Kristin Crandall, Tremco’s northeast regional dispatcher and fleet administrator;, Josh Adams, longtime contractor and founder of Roof Scout; and Janette O'Shaugnessy, founder of  Resonating Brands . 

The conversation  highlighted the importance of supporting LGBTQPIA+ employees, during Pride Month and beyond. In discussing the positive impact of organizational support, Kristin shared, “Support from your company and support from people around you can really make you develop into an amazing person and grow both personally and professionally.” Josh added, “Good business is about creating spaces that see people on merit and talent, not labels. And talent is in all groups, no matter their identity. By being more inclusive, a company will be able to find the best person for the job and develop their talent.” 

So, how do you make sure your company is inclusive and supportive of all people? The first step is making space for empathy and normalization. Kristin elaborated, “Making it a point to show empathy and grace as you make it a safe space for someone to be open is key. And once people are open, you have to show them that you support them regardless of which community they're part of, it doesn't change who they are on the inside of a person.” This is something that has to happen both on a company level from management and a personal level from coworkers. Janette explained, “Allies play a big role because they normalize and validate marginalized or LGBTQ+ community members by affirming that people in marginalized groups aren’t actually that different, that we’re all just humans doing the best we can.” 

At the end of the day, building a space where people can authentically and honestly be themselves is the goal, so that they can do their best work and feel valued. Josh put it simply, “The majority of people in marginalized groups just want to feel like they're not marginalized. It doesn't mean that somebody needs to put them up in a castle of rainbow flags and blinking lights. It's just saying, ‘Hey, don't drag everyone to filth if they're just being authentic.’ And I think that's a big difference that we all can probably support.” 

Read the transcript, Listen to the conversation or Watch the episode for more about building a stronger roofing industry through inclusivity.