The Industry is Blossoming as it Becomes More Inclusive

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.  

RCS President Heidi Ellsworth meets with industry leaders at RCAW to discuss the exciting ways the industry is changing for the better.  

RoofersCoffeesShop® goes LIVE at The Roofing Contractors Association of Washington (RCAW) tradeshow!  

RCS president Heidi Ellsworth is joined by CEO of Matrix Roofing and Home Solutions Wendy Marvin, President of Legends Roofing Don Vose, Executive Director of the RCAW Amanda Fields, and Retired Executive Director of RCAW Tracey Prociw. The illustrious panel discusses evolutions they are seeing in the industry in this expert-packed Coffee Conversations.  

Don kicks off the conversation by highlighting the importance of roofing associations like RCAW. “I've got a lot of years invested in this industry and I'm still learning. Just when you think you know it all, you're going to find out, you don't know very much. So tap into the resources that the association can provide and I think you'll find tremendous value,” says Don. “The association has resources that you can tap into to make yourself a better businessman or woman.” 

One of the biggest evolutions within the industry that these experts are seeing is an increased spirit of collaboration and comradery. More and more roofers are reaching out to each other and gaining wisdom from past generations, making associations so much more valuable than ever before.   

“I think there's a lot more understanding and grace given when something happens or a mistake is made or people are human, they'll make mistakes. And I think more people are more understanding,” says Amanda. 

With this new level of understanding, the roofing industry has only been able to grow stronger. “There's a change in collaboration right now,” agrees Wendy. “I think that feeling is growing. And I really believe that is just going to be a key, a linchpin for the industry becoming bigger.”  

Part of the industry becoming so much bigger is the way that the industry has become more inclusive. “I'm seeing more women and more minorities coming in and taking ahold of jobs that they never would've been able to fill before,” says Tracey. “And that's exciting because as we have this huge labor shortage, what a better place to tap than, all of the people that didn't really belong here before, but do now. And it's such a great thing.” 

Read, Listen or Watch the entire Coffee Conversations for more insight about how the roofing industry is growing and evolving and for more conversations on what is cutting edge of the industry from these experts.