FRSA's Message from the President

By Brian Swope, CPRC.

It is hard to believe that we have welcomed in a new year (and a new decade)!

I hope that everyone had an outstanding holiday season with friends and family. I know that in our house, the season went by in a blur and school could not start back soon enough! I hope this is the year I make it to February before giving up on my new year's resolutions, but if history holds true, I will have admitted defeat before the end of the college bowl season.

The new year also brings a new beginning for the Association. We have officially broken ground and this summer we will move into the new building that will serve as the Association's headquarters for many years to come. There have been so many who have given time, materials and expertise to ensure that this project will be a success. I am pleased to announce that we will be paying for the entire project in cash with no mortgage. The Board, Executive Committee and staff have been very diligent over the years, placing excess cash into a Reserve Fund for a new building. If you’d like to be a part of the Association's legacy, we are offering individual and company bricks for a memorial walkway entrance to the building. 

The Association continues to work hard for the success of the industry, both legislatively and with the building code. On the legislative front, we are laboring to protect our licenses and keep the Florida Building Code in the hands of Florida, rather than a product of outside agencies meddling and "tweaking" our code to fit whatever agenda they might have. I would like to thank the Codes Subcommittee for their hard work and efforts to keep up with the ever-changing code landscape. I would also like to commend the joint efforts of FRSA and TRI for completing the new edition of the roof tile manual. I know there are quite a few opinions on the manual, but one thing is for certain, the work that is going into this venture is extraordinary. Look for the 6th Edition of the FRSA-TRI Florida High Wind Concrete and Clay Tile Manual to be published and available January 2021, the same time as the implementation of the 7th Edition of the Florida Building Code.

On January 24-25, our winter board and committee meetings were held at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace. FRSA members are always welcome and encouraged to join one of our many committees. If you’re interested in participating, please contact Lisa Pate at 800-767-3772 ext. 157 or lisapate@floridaroof.com. If you do not participate, you are not getting the full value of your membership. Member involvement is vital to the long-term success of the Association.

In April, NRCA will be hosting their third annual Roofing Day in D.C. The event takes place on April 20-22 and provides a great opportunity for the industry to come together as one voice and to discuss topics of interest with our legislators. NRCA staff does an amazing job of scheduling appointments with legislators, providing speaking points on industry topics, organizing large group visits, prepping attendees on what to expect and providing the most effective way to communicate our message. The heavy lifting is already done – all you need to do is show up. 

God bless,
Brian Swope

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