The importance of attending roofing expos and conventions

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how education and networking opportunities at trade shows can boost your professional growth. 

Tradeshow season is officially in full swing! In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Megan Ellsworth sat down with Les Sims to talk about the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA) and the role of expos and conventions in the industry. Les is the owner of Armstrong Roofing in San Mateo, Florida, a FRSA Certified Professional Roofing Contractor (CPRC) and their president for 2024.  

Tradeshows, expos and conventions like these are great opportunities for contractors to learn and grow. Les explained, “These give contractors and industry suppliers a chance to meet in one location and discuss items of importance to that industry. Discussions are held on the show floor, at the bar, at social events. It often provides one-on-one time where you can speak directly with a person and get an immediate result.” Whether you are a new contractor getting into the roofing world or a seasoned professional, building these bonds in person is a great way to set yourself up for success the rest of the year. 

In addition to networking, there are a lot of professional development opportunities at these events. Just this summer, FRSA held their 102nd annual expo convention in Kissimmee, Florida. Les shared a bit about why attending conventions and expos like this is so important, saying, “What I found most valuable over the years is the information on workers' comp laws, because they're ever-changing. And any roofer out there, whether you're exempt or not, you need to know what's going on if you have an employee or two.”  

FRSA’s convention and others like it are great places to get information on topics like this. Further, they often have educational seminars and opportunities for other ever-developing aspects of the industry, like building codes and standards. Les explained what that looked like at their last convention, sharing, “We had the ASCE 7 courses with the underlayment and the pressures. Mike Silvers taught that. It was invaluable. If you're a roofer, you have got to have that information.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast for more about why attending expos, conventions and tradeshows like FRSA’s is so helpful to contractors in the industry.