Some things can’t be Googled

By Emma Peterson. 

Celebrating 75 years of invaluable information and community at the Midwest Roofing Contractor’s Association.

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Megan Ellsworth spoke to the Midwest Roofing Contractor’s Association (MRCA)'s President Robert (Bob) Poutre, Vice President Laurie Moore and Managing Director Rachel Pinkus about celebrating their 75th anniversary this year! Bob shared a bit of history, saying, “In the early days, the association was headquartered in Kansas City.” Over the years they have moved around the Midwest, most recently hosting their expo in October 2024 in St. Paul, Minnesota.  

Laurie shared more about what has happened over the years beyond just moving locations, saying, “I remember going to the event 20-30 years ago and there was mostly technical and safety topics. Today, I really appreciate some of the newer topics we've gotten into with mental health and just some general business topics.” Rachel echoed this, sharing that just this year they have a little something for everyone.  She explained, “We have a business management track. We'll have some safety sessions. We'll have some steep slope and low slope, both specific sessions and of course, we're going to have our technical side and Mark Graham from NRCA comes in and gives a technical update and more.” 

The main throughline of all these years and classes? The invaluable information and community that is gained through joining the MRCA. People are truly the heart of the MRCA’s operations. Bob shared, “I would say to every new member or anyone that's there for the first time, the board members make sure to grab those people, start up a conversation, welcome them. Our membership is what drives this whole thing and getting members involved is really what it's all about.” Laurie added, “The more you're involved, the more value you find. This is a network of contractors, manufacturers, experts in our industry that can help you when you have a challenge is invaluable. And, it's not if you have a challenge in this industry, it's when, because that'll happen.” Our industry can be intimidating and challenging to get into, so having a network of support when you run into issues is invaluable. As Laurie put it, “You just can’t Google some of this stuff.”  

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast for more about the MRCA and their role in the industry!