Building connections and expanding our reach

By Dani Sheehan.

This show offered invaluable opportunities to learn, connect and grow!

The Oklahoma Roofing Contractors Association (ORCA) Conference and Trade Show may be a smaller event, but it packed a punch when it came to networking, learning and growing our industry connections. As first-time attendees representing The Coffee Shops™, Alex Tolle, our marketing manager, and I were excited to introduce ourselves to the Oklahoma roofing community – and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

A show on the rise

This year’s ORCA Conference welcomed over 200 attendees and featured more than 40 exhibitors. “The show was a huge success,” Alex shared. “A lot of people didn’t know who RoofersCoffeeShop® was because we haven’t attended before, so it was a great opportunity to build our brand in the state and in this region.”

That sentiment was echoed throughout the event, with ORCA’s Executive Director, Avery Smith, sharing that attendance is expected to double next year. The momentum is building, and we’re excited to see how this event grows in the coming years.

Meaningful conversations across the industry

One of the standout aspects of ORCA 2025 was the range of professionals in attendance. While roofing contractors made up a significant portion of the crowd, we also spoke with experts in marketing and sales, multimedia, insurance, technology and more.

When Alex and I caught up after the show, we talked about how exciting it was to talk to so many people who are interested in education and see the value in providing resources to contractors. We had conversations about everything from navigating insurance claims to expanding into metal roofing, adding siding or even integrating drones into business operations. These conversations highlighted the evolving landscape of roofing and how businesses are actively seeking ways to differentiate themselves.

The magic of smaller trade shows

Coming off the heels of the massive International Roofing Expo (IRE), ORCA offered a refreshing contrast. There’s just a magic in the small trade shows. At IRE, everyone knows RoofersCoffeeShop, and it’s go, go, go. But here, we got to have real 10–15-minute conversations that felt personal. I now have a list of amazing contacts who are within driving distance to where I live, and I know I can follow up with them in a meaningful way.

Alex and I also had a great time at the opening night icebreaker and bowling tournament! If awards had been given for our performance, Alex proved to have the best bowling skill by far, Trevor Thomson with CertainTeed would have won social butterfly for networking more than anyone and Skyler Ormsbee with Maxx Challenger had the most creative way of throwing a strike!

With ORCA on track for even greater attendance in 2026, we’re eager to return and continue building relationships in the Oklahoma roofing community. If you’ve never attended, we highly recommend marking your calendar for next year – March 9-10, 2026! It’s the perfect setting to expand your network, discover industry and regional trends and engage in meaningful conversations that can shape the future of your business.

Until next time, Oklahoma!