The Roofing Industry goes to Washington for Roofing Day

By Heidi J. Ellsworth, Partner RoofersCoffeeShop®.

RCS Roofing Road Trips #2 - Washington, DC – Roofing Day

When we heard about the NRCA’s Roofing Day in Washington, DC, we knew we had to be there. But Vickie was not so sure about whether she needed to be there or if maybe there was something bigger that needed to happen.

As we mentioned in earlier posts, Vickie has asked me to go forth and meet the roofing industry, but she is not always so sure about her travels. In fact, for the DC trip organized by ROOFPAC and NRCA, Vickie knew she needed to have someone from the roofing industry and our RCS community who could speak for the industry. We put it out to our readers and we found Jon Stantz of Pell Roofing and Siding in Brazil, Indiana.

Wow, what a fitting example of professionalism and integrity in the roofing industry. From the moment Tim and I met Jon we knew we had met a gem. From Indiana, Jon brought a fresh perspective. In fact, we found out that he serves on his city council and has been very involved not only in the roofing company he works for but in his local community. Please read his blog on RCS and learn more about his trip to DC. Jon is also now an RCS Influencer, so be sure to read his articles.

The days we spent in Washington DC for Roofing Day were amazing. 87% of the states were represented and the roofing industry had over 400 roofing professionals in attendance. In fact, with much embarrassment, my home state of Oregon only had three representatives with two of them being Tim and me. The third was Rick Olsen with Tile Roofing Institute. I can tell you next year we will have a much bigger contingency!

But what we saw from Jon Stantz was the most amazing. He knew his state delegation, he understood roofing and he had a passion for roofing and family that was totally inspiring.  As we met with the Oregon delegation and Jon met with the Indiana delegation, we realized that this country is closer than we think and more important, we can make a difference.

With that in mind, we must thank Reid Ribble, NRCA CEO, for empowering all of us to stand up and be proud of our roofing roots. Reid is providing leadership that is bringing the professionalism and voice of the roofing industry to a whole new level. At the Coffee Shop, we talk about roofing respect all the time. Through the efforts of our national leadership and the heart of the industry, we made an impression on capital hill that will not be forgotten for quite a while.

From the road,

Heidi

Heidi Ellsworth is owner of HJE Consulting Group and a partner in RoofersCoffeeShop®. See her full bio here.