Runyan received the award during the NRCA 2026 Industry Awards and Reception as part of the 2026 International Roofing Expo® in Las Vegas.

The National Roofing Contractors Association has announced Dennis Runyan, former owner of Dryspace, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as the recipient of the John Bradford Volunteer Award. Runyan received the award January 21 during the NRCA 2026 Industry Awards and Reception as part of the 2026 International Roofing Expo® in Las Vegas.

Runyan got his start in construction while attending college. When he discovered he wasn’t going to be accepted into the University of Iowa’s writers’ workshop, he quit school to join the construction industry full-time at Iowa Falls Roofing Co. in Cedar Rapids as a laborer.

Runyan then worked his way up from estimator and project manager to general manager in 1987. Two years later, he purchased the assets of the company and renamed it Dryspace.

Runyan also served on several boards and committees. He served on the board of the Iowa Association for several years and was elected its president in 1991. For the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association, Runyan served on the board for 16 years and was elected president in 2005.

In addition to serving on MRCA’s Technical and Research Committee for 13 years, he chaired the initial CERTA committee, which was responsible for the program’s paperwork. More than 20 years later, Runyan continues to be involved and helped with the most revisions.

In recognition of his outstanding service to MRCA and the roofing industry, in 2010, MRCA awarded Dennis its highest honor — the James Q. McCawley Award.

Runyan’s skills and talents then were recruited to NRCA, where he has served on several technical committees including the NRCA/MRCA CERTA Task Force. Before retiring in 2020, Runyan spent many years passing on everything he learned to the next generation to ensure the Dryspace brand, reputation and legacy carried on.

The John Bradford Volunteer Award is named after John Bradford, who served as NRCA’s president from 1982-83 and was a past president of the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association. He was instrumental in the development of the Montana Roofing Contractors Association, served on many boards throughout his roofing career and enjoyed civic involvements.

About the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA)

Since 1886, the National Roofing Contractors Association has been the home for generations of entrepreneurial craftsmen and enterprises who shelter and protect America’s families and businesses and each other. Our vision is the recognition of our members as professionals and to unite the industry to that purpose. NRCA is one of the construction industry’s most respected trade associations and the voice of roofing professionals and leading authority in the roofing industry for information, education, technology and advocacy. It represents all segments of the roofing industry, including contractors; manufacturers; distributors; architects; consultants; engineers; building owners; and city, state and government agencies. For information about NRCA and its services and offerings, visit nrca.net.

The awards were announced on January 14 during MCA's 2026 Winter Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

The Metal Construction Association (MCA) presented its Patrick R. Bush Service Award to Rob Haddock of S-5! and its Larry A. Swaney Award to Renee Ramey of the Metal Roofing Alliance. The awards were announced on January 14 during MCA's 2026 Winter Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

The Patrick R. Bush Award honors the outstanding volunteer contributions of an individual from an MCA member company. This award was created to commemorate Patrick R. Bush, a significant and long-serving member of the MCA board.

This year’s recipient is Rob Haddock, founder of S-5! Rob entered the industry at just 19, founding a company that erected pre-engineered steel buildings. Today, his legendary career has earned him an early induction into the Metal Construction Hall of Fame. A renowned metal roof expert, inventor and industry pioneer, Rob created an entirely new market for non-penetrating roof attachments and holds numerous patents. He is also the director of the Metal Roof Advisory Group, a global consulting firm serving clients since 1989.

A contractor-turned-consultant, Rob developed innovative solutions for attaching rooftop ancillaries, such as snow guards and HVAC equipment, which led him to found S-5! in 1992, where he serves as CEO. Under his leadership, S-5! products have been installed on more than 3 million roofs in 76 countries, supported by 217 patents and over 50 roof manufacturer endorsements. A lifetime honorary member of the Metal Construction Association since 1985, Rob has dedicated nearly four decades to advancing the industry through extensive volunteer and leadership service. Rob is the author of many articles and white papers, as well as a teacher and top-rated presenter. Rob’s years of service to the industry earned him MCA’s Larry A. Swaney Award in 2015.

The Larry A. Swaney Award is bestowed upon an outstanding industry professional for their contributions to the success of the association and the betterment of the metal construction industry.

This year’s honoree is Renee Ramey, executive director of the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA). Under her leadership, metal roofing’s residential market share grew dramatically from 3% at the alliance’s inception to 17%. She has guided MRA’s focus on rigorous quality and uniformity standards, including wind-resistance testing for flashings and trim, helping drive broader adoption across manufacturers and installers.

Renee partners with contractors, manufacturers, roofing coalitions and industry partners to promote increased metal adoption, maintain high-quality standards and encourage ongoing knowledge-sharing. She also leads MRA’s annual residential market research, providing members with valuable insights into market trends, and is a strong advocate for sustainable, resilient building practices, highlighting metal roofing’s infinite recyclability.

Previous MCA service award recipients can be seen here: www.metalconstruction.org/index.php/events/other-awards

About the Metal Construction Association

Founded in 1983, MCA represents over 100 member companies that manufacture and distribute products for the metal construction industry. The association’s mission is to promote the use of metal in the building envelope. Member volunteers collaborate on projects to educate contractors and architects about best practices for metal design and installation, while also ensuring compliance with evolving building codes and standards that support safety, sustainability and performance. Companies involved in MCA benefit greatly from activities focused on research, codes and standards, market development and technical programs. For more information, visit metalconstruction.org.

By Emma Peterson. 

The 2026 Montana Roofing Expo will be in Billings, Montana from January 13-15, 2026.  

This year’s Montana Roofing Expo promises to be a great opportunity for networking with your peers, exploring the industry’s newest innovations and enhancing your skills through education. Whether you’re an exhibitor, contractor or first-time attendee, this event, which is hosted by the Montana Roofing Association (MRA), is one that you don’t want to miss!  

Event schedule 

The full schedule is still being finalized, but here’s what we know so far:  

• Tuesday, January 13: The show kicks off with an opening night banquet! This is a great opportunity to network with roofing professionals and industry leaders from across the region. 
• Wednesday, January 14: The next day sees the start of the technical training sessions and skill-building seminars. This is also when the trade show floor opens for you and your team to explore! 
• Thursday, January 15: As for the final day, the MRA will hold their annual business meeting. The Montana and Wyoming National Women in Roofing chapters will be hosting lunch. 

Travel and accommodations 

Interested in attending? Make sure to make your travel plans and hotel are sorted out! To make it easy for attendees, the MRA has secured a discounted room block at The Northern Hotel, where the expo is being hosted. You must reserve before December 30, 2025, to access the following rates:  

• $159.00 – King guest room (regular price $239.00) 
• $179.00 – Double queen guest room (regular price $259.00) 

Expo passes 

As for getting your pass to the expo itself, there are quite a few options depending on how you want to attend the event:  

• $675.00 – General exhibitor registration (includes two representatives, trade show access, seminar access and all meals) 
• $625.00 – First time exhibitor registration (includes two representatives, trade show access, seminar access and all meals) 
• $175.00 – Contractor registration (includes one representative, trade show access, seminar access and all meals) 
• $50.00 – Opening Banquet ticket (must be purchased separately for both exhibitors and contractors). 

It’s important to note that if you want to bring an extra person, either as an exhibitor (more than two people) or a contractor (more than one person), you can purchase additional registrations for $100.00 and $125.00 respectively.  

Learn more and register today!

By Emma Peterson. 

This month’s standout stories cover fire-rated systems, youth outreach, legal guidance and more!  

Summer has been rushing by at The Coffee Shops™ and it’s already time to look at the top articles from August 2025! One of the big topics we saw talked about this month was withstanding Mother Nature. In one article on our list, Dani Sheehan covers how Pli-Dek and fire-rated systems can protect people and property in areas at threat of wildfires. Drexel Metals also made our top list with an article sharing about how their new Defend-R Vent combines ventilation and insulation is a way that prevents ice dams from forming! Additionally, Jenny Yu wrote an article all about how edge metal keeps properties safe and secure in the face of tornadoes.  

Beyond covering how roofs are standing up to Mother Nature, this month saw three unique top articles! In number three, an article by Emma Peterson covered an exciting moment for our very own multimedia manager, Megan Ellsworth, when she was brought onto the Roofer Growth Hacks podcast to talk about building connections and growing your business through media. In the number two spot is an article from Christee Roberson (Graham Roofing) all about how National Women In Roofing (NWIR) is helping dismantle industry barriers by helping young women get their start in the trades through youth summer camps. 

And our top article of the month comes from Mary Kate Fernandez of Adams and Reese. Mary Kate is an association who is very familiar with immigration enforcement policies and has run a variety of trainings to help industry-members navigate workforce management and legal compliance in the face of shifting immigration polices. In this article, she covers nine tips for keeping your I-9 paperwork in order through mergers, acquisitions and anything else that might crop up.  

Read the August 2025 top articles! 

10 - The Coffee Shops™ welcome World of Concrete!

9 - Fire-rated solutions for the Wildland Urban Interface by Dani Sheehan 

8 - MRA hosts 4th annual fishing trip in Bigfork, Montana by MRA 

7 - Steep slopes and ice dams, beware. Defend-R Vent is here. by Drexel Metals 

6 - SRS Distribution announces expansion in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with the acquisition of Roadrunner Roofing Supply, Inc. 

5 - Edge metal: A structure’s shield from tornados by Jenny Yu 

4 - Make the most of your silicone roof coatings by Progressive Materials 

3 - Podcasting, marketing and roofing success by Emma Peterson 

2 - Camps for girls: Building on a proven blueprint by Christee Roberson, Graham Roofing 

1 - 9 strategic tips for I-9 compliance by Mary Kate Fernandez, Adams and Reese

By Montana Roofing Association (MRA). 

These roofers enjoyed a day of sunshine and community thanks to the Montana Roofing Association.

Roofing professionals from across Montana gathered in Bigfork, Montana a few weeks ago for the Montana Roofing Association (MRA)’s 4th Annual Fishing Trip. Held on the scenic waters of Flathead Lake, the event offered attendees a chance to connect outside the typical jobsite or conference setting. 

This year’s trip saw clear skies, calm waters and a strong turnout from contractors and suppliers alike. It was the perfect combination of networking and fun with participants swapping stories, talking shop and trying their luck at hooking some lake trout.  

MRA wants to give a huge shoutout to their sponsors, who made this incredible tip all possible. 

• ProTech Steel and Jeff Lambert sponsored lunch, which was the perfect break for everyone to regroup, refuel and compare notes 
• MacArthur Company and Derek Bunnell sponsored the beverages on the trip, as no fishing trip is real without some beer (along with water and seltzers).  
• ProTech Steel and Kevin Stoltzfus made sure everyone was staying stylish on the lake by sponsoring MRA-branded hats for all attendees. 
• And thanks to Quality Metals and Austin Barnhardt, everyone went home with exclusive, MRA-branded dry bags!

Of course, no fishing trip would be complete without a few bragging rights. This year’s awards brought out the competitive (and comedic) spirit in full force:

• Catch of the Day went to Nissa Cleman for reeling in the largest fish, a 24” lake trout. 
• Small but Mighty was awarded to James Dutton of Ace Roofing, who brought in a 14” trout. 
• First Catch of the Day was claimed by Rachel Hoover, also of Ace Roofing, who landed a fish at 8:12 a.m. 
• Most Fish Caught came with a twist this year: Zac Hubble (Ace Roofing) and Joel McDonald (Advanced Roofing) both hooked the same fish on two lines at the same time, a rare double catch that earned shared recognition. 

This fishing trip has become a staple in MRA’s calendar of events and was the perfect way to celebrate the roofing community while enjoying Montana’s natural beauty on the water. With its mix of light-hearted competition and casual networking, we are already counting down the days to next summer’s trip.  

By Emma Peterson. 

No matter the weather or the altitude, this team is helping Montana residents stay safe and dry. 

Meet Ace Roofing, an Omnia Exterior Solutions Company, a trusted name in the Montana Roofing scene and The Coffee Shops™ June Roofer of the Month! Ace Roofing is a family owned and operated business with over two decades of experience delivering quality roof systems to home and business owners in Montana. To learn more about the company and their commitment to excellence, Alex Tolle sat down with Rachel Hoover (Ace’s marketing director) and Jody Roberts (their president and general manager) for a quick interview.  

Jody opened the conversation by sharing a bit of what makes Ace unique, saying, “We're unique. One, because of our climate, roofing at a mile-high in harsh Montana conditions comes with a lot of eccentricities, and two, because of the services we offer. We offer everything from commercial roof inspections to commercial roof installations all the way to residential.” Add in their robust maintenance and repair program, and the Ace team really can help you with everything and anything you might encounter.  

And that team is truly what makes Ace so special. Rachel shared a bit about the people who make it happen, day-in and day-out, saying, “We really have an incredible team, from our sales team to our estimators, our commercial workers, our production workers, everybody really cares so much about the level of work and excellence that they put into our projects and beyond. We have a number of our team that serves either on Montana Roofing Association, National Women in Roofing, so we're super proud of the team that we have.” 

Overall, their incredible work and team are driven by the same mission – meeting the needs of their clients. Jody elaborated, “Every roof is unique, every homeowner has a unique need, and we want to ensure that we're hitting all those steps and really tailoring it to the customer's project. We're not always just selling a roof. In our climate, we are in a storm-driven climate, so we're selling a lifetime or an investment in their home. That's important to us. We're accountable from start to finish.” And it's this dedication that has garnered them the incredible reputation they hold today and a record that includes work for organizations like the State of Montana. 

Read the transcript of the interview or Listen to the whole conversation to learn more about Ace Roofing and the incredible work their team does. 

By Emma Peterson.

TRA Snow & Sun elevates snow retention with color, customization and creativity.

Here at The Coffee Shops™, our crew members have been on the road for weeks. We’ve had people at the 2025 Colorado Roofing Association’s show, the Montana Roofing Association’s convention, the International Roofing Expo and most recently the North / East Roofing Contractors Association’s show. While all the travel can be tiring, we love getting to catch up with all of our friends in the industry, like Mindy Dahlquist, the business development manager at TRA Snow & Sun, one of the leaders in the snow retention sector.

We love running into Mindy and getting to hear everything about what TRA is working on! In one such encounter at the 2025 IRE, she spoke to Megan Ellsworth about the variety of customizable options TRA provides. Their snow retention systems are available in a whopping 50 different colors. Mindy added, “For such a small manufacturer to have 50 available colors is just amazing. And we can also color match. If we're going to a specific color that's outside of our 50 colors, there is an additional charge because we do have to buy a whole additional box of color, but it is well within our ability to color match almost anything.”

In addition to offering such a wide selection of color options, TRA can also customize the snow retention system itself. And by customize we don’t just mean that they can engineer a unique set up of rails, brackets and more for each roof (though they do offer engineering help for any project!). No, you can go as far as to customize the look of products, such as your bracket. Mindy explained, “If you want a bear, a moose, a maple leaf, there are so many different options. We have a laser, so we can cut whatever.”  

A great example of these customizable options is TRA’s DecoGuard, which is also Mindy’s personal favorite product. She shared a bit about it, saying, “It's a product for standing seam metal panels, but it functions more like a bracket. So it's not going to be the fences that everyone's used to seeing on standing seam. It's more of a pad style, but it still clamps to that seam so you don't have penetrations. We can make them in all different kinds of shapes and it's very aesthetically pleasing.”

Watch the full interview from IRE 2025 to learn more about Mindy, TRA and their work in the industry.

By Jesse Sanchez.

Industry leaders gather to push for the trades in two-day event packed with legislative meetings.

Members of the Montana Roofing Association (MRA) gathered at the state Capitol in February for their Annual Roofing Day, a two-day event focused on advocating for the roofing and trades industries. The event, held February 12-13, drew participants from all corners of the state, including Sidney, Billings, Helena, Bozeman and Big Sky.

Organized by the MRA’s Political Committee, led by Dexter Thiel, Helena Roofing Day offered members an opportunity to engage directly with state leaders on key issues facing the trades. “The MRA's Annual Roofing Day at the Capitol provides a great opportunity for our industry to engage with state leadership,” said Rachel Hoover of MRA.

Highlights from the event included a Montana State Fund lunch with State Auditor James Brown, meetings with Speaker of the House Matt Regier and Lieutenant Governor Kristin Juras and participation in a Business & Labor Committee meeting. Members also observed a Montana House floor session, gaining a behind-the-scenes look at state policymaking.

In addition to connecting with legislators, attendees had lunch with Sarah Swanson, commissioner of the department of labor, to discuss workforce challenges facing the trades, including labor shortages and regulatory hurdles.

One notable figure leading the charge was MRA President Morgan Thiel, who also serves as a representative in the Montana House for District 30. “It was incredible to see her in action,” said Rachel Hoover. Morgan’s dual role as an industry leader and state lawmaker provided unique insight into how roofing and construction trades can better engage with government.

The event represented the MRA’s ongoing effort to ensure that the voices of roofing professionals are heard in Montana’s legislative process. Discussions touched on topics from workers' compensation to the future of vocational training in the state.

While Helena Roofing Day may have wrapped up, members say the conversations started there will continue. For those in the roofing industry, the event served as a reminder that the future of the trades depends not only on hard work on the job site but also on active participation in public policy. Events like Roofing Day in DC provide another opportunity for industry professionals to advocate for their needs, ensuring that their voices are heard year-round.

The association is encouraging industry members to stay engaged as legislative sessions continue!

By Emma Peterson. 

From January 14 to 16, 2025, Billings, Montana is the place to be for industry-leading education, training and networking opportunities! 

In a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Alex Tolle met up with Rachel Hoover and Morgan Thiel, the current president and vice president of the Montana Roofing Association (MRA). In addition to their work with MRA, Rachel and Morgan have extensive experience in the Montana roofing industry. Morgan is a project coordinator at Thiel Brothers Roofing in Sydney, Montana and Rachel is the director of marketing at Ace Roofing in Boseman, Montana.  

These incredible women are using their industry experience and skills to set up MRA’s biggest event, and one of the first big roofing shows of 2025, the Montana Roofing Expo! Rachel shared a bit, saying, “The annual expo is going to be January 14 through the 16, and we have a lot of exciting things happening at this one. We have some really great speakers coming and then we've been working on a safety program that we're going to be rolling out at convention, and we're very excited about it.” This convention will be the big reveal of this new program, which is the result of a collaboration between MRA’s political committee and the Montana State Fund. Morgan elaborated, “This started at our annual Helena Day when our association goes to our state capitol to talk to people there about roofing issues. It was brought to our attention that the number of injuries for people on their first day on the roof is rising, and they were wondering if we had any insight as to why that'd be happening. So that conversation spurred this idea to create a program that would really emphasize safety for people on their first day on the roof, which could be the most dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.” 

Setting people up for success on the roof from day one is a huge emphasis for MRA at their show. Rachel explained, “At it’s core we want out expo to connect businesses across Montana to see how we can support each other better... What’s pretty incredible also is that we have so many of our founding members just still a part of it, still very involved. And so it's cool seeing the older generation with the newer generation and passing along knowledge and also talking from experience of what they've already had to deal with in the industry in our state.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the episode to learn more about what to expect from the 2025 Montana Roofing Expo. You can also get your tickets now to make sure you don’t miss out on this opportunity! 

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with Rachel Hoover and Morgan Thiel of Montana Roofing Association. You can read the interview below or listen to the podcast.

Intro: Welcome to Roofing Road Trips, the podcast that takes you on a thrilling journey across the world of roofing. From fascinating interviews with roofing experts to on-the-road adventures, we'll uncover the stories, innovations and challenges that shape the rooftops over our heads. So fasten your seat belts and join us as we embark on this exciting roofing road trip.

Alex Tolle: Hello everybody. I'm Alex Tolle with rooferscoffeeshop.com, and I am here for another Roofing Road trips with my good friends in Montana. I have Morgan Thiel and Rachel Hoover. How are you guys?

Rachel Hoover: Doing great. Excited to be here. Thanks for having us.

Morgan Thiel: Yeah, good. Thank you, Alex.

Alex Tolle: Thank you. I'll go ahead and let you guys introduce yourselves. Morgan, who are you and what is your role in the association?

Morgan Thiel: Yeah, I'm Morgan Thiel. I'm the current president of the Montana Roofing Association, and I'm a project coordinator at Thiel Brothers Roofing in Sydney, Montana.

Alex Tolle: Amazing. Thank you. And Rachel?

Rachel Hoover: My name is Rachel Hoover. I am the vice president of the Montana Roofing Association and the chair for this year's convention, and I work as the director of marketing for a local roofing company called Ace Roofing here in Bozeman, Montana.

Alex Tolle: I love it. And in case you guys miss that, that's two women that are running this association and that is the coolest thing ever. So I just have to brag about it and we'll talk about it a little bit more here in a bit, so when is the expo and what are some of the main highlights of the 2025 expo?

Rachel Hoover: Yeah, our annual expo is going to be happening in January this upcoming year. It's January 14th through the 16th, so it's a Tuesday through a Thursday and we have a lot of exciting things happening at this one. We have some really great speakers coming from both the NRCA, and then we also have a great speaker from Carlisle coming to speak about metal. And then we've been working on a program with the Montana State Fund, a safety program that we're going to be rolling out at convention and we're very excited about it. It's been a work in progress, and so the big reveal is going to be at our convention this year.

Alex Tolle: Amazing. So that first day safety program, is that the one that's in partnership with the Montana State Fund?

Rachel Hoover: Oh, yes. Yeah, that's right. And I'll actually let Morgan speak a little bit more about it. Her family has been very involved in working on this program and getting it off the ground, and so we're very excited about it, but she can speak a little bit more to it.

Morgan Thiel: Yeah, we are really excited about it. So actually at our annual Helena day when our association goes to our state capitol to talk to people there about roofing issues, it was brought to our attention that the number of injuries for people on their first day on the roof is rising and they were wondering if we had any insight as to why that'd be happening. So that conversation spurred this idea to create a program that would really emphasize safety for people on their first day on the roof, which could be the most dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Yeah. And so our political committee and the Montana State Fund have been working together to develop this program. We're really excited to release it at the convention this year, and hopefully a lot of contractors in Montana and maybe other states can use it to increase safety in their companies.

Alex Tolle: Amazing. It is so important to have such a big emphasis on safety, and I love that you guys have this program this year because I know a lot of times people are like, "Oh, it's okay. We will be fine." But then accidents happen. You have to be prepared for those. And so knowing what equipment to use and where to use it is so, so important.

Rachel Hoover: Yeah. I think just equipping our business owners to be able to deal with their employees on day one, setting them up for success, I think is definitely something we're passionate about, is just making sure people have the tools they need to operate efficiently and safely.

Alex Tolle: Yeah. And most importantly, it's a job, but you want to go home every day to your family and be able to come to work the next day. So preventing those injuries is so important.

Morgan Thiel: Absolutely. And that's really important to our members in the MRA too, is how can we do that, get everyone home safely at the end of the day.

Alex Tolle: I love it. So how can contractors and exhibitors, maybe first time attendees use this expo to build valuable connections and partnerships?

Rachel Hoover: Yeah, I think our expo is always about bringing together the contractors with suppliers, manufacturers. It's about connecting our businesses across Montana to see how we can support each other better, and offering tools, resources, all of that. But then also connecting them with our exhibitors, our suppliers, manufacturers, to get the latest and greatest on what's going on in the industry and new products maybe. So I think it's a great opportunity to bring people together, have some opportunity to just have some dialogue, learn about new trends, what's happening on a national level as well as what's happening on a state level. So a lot of really good information, a lot of opportunities for networking and connection.

Morgan Thiel: Yeah. And we're a big state too, so when we can all come together and be in the same building for a few days, that's very rare. So it's a great chance to be able to see the faces in the roofing industry of Montana all together without having to drive hundreds of hundreds of miles.

Alex Tolle: Yeah, so my first time at MRA was last, well, this year, 2024. And it's so amazing to see everybody come together from really so far away and just connect. It's like you guys are all just old friends, you know each other so well and it's so cool to see those connections and anybody new to MRA is going to love being a part of it for sure.

Rachel Hoover: Yeah, it's pretty incredible also that we have so many of our founding members just still a part of it, still very involved. And so it's cool seeing the older generation with the newer generation and passing along knowledge and also talking from experience of what they've already had to deal with in the industry in our state. So it's a great opportunity to connect with people who are seasoned and know what's going on.

Alex Tolle: So can you talk about any of the special guest speakers that are going to be presenting this year?

Rachel Hoover: Yeah, so one of our speakers is going to be Brian Partyka with Carlisle. Actually, it was a connection that came through the Thiels. We're very excited about it, he's going to be speaking on metal. He's been in the industry a long time, so we're really excited about that. That's going to be one of our seminars. I can let Morgan speak a little bit more to him and a little bit about that training too.

Morgan Thiel: Yeah, Brian is an expert in that industry. He's just moved up in Carlisle too, to a new position. I should double check what that is, but he's a vice president of something now. But yeah, he had a conversation with my dad once who's been roofing for over 50 years and he was giving him some feedback on different things he needs to avoid or they'll damage his metal on his roof and his building. And my dad hadn't heard of them, most of them and he was floored. He said, "We've got to get the guy to our convention to share this information." So excited to bring that to the convention this year.

Alex Tolle: Yeah, amazing. Is there a big increase in metal roofing in Montana?

Morgan Thiel: I don't know if I'd say an increase or at least in Eastern Montana, but it's definitely something people want on their buildings.

Alex Tolle: Yeah.

Rachel Hoover: Yeah. And I think it's definitely something that our association and our contractors do work with and whether or not it's just roofing or siding as well, anything that has to do with the care and installation of metal properly to make sure that we're extending the life of our products, I think is great knowledge to have. So we're super excited to have him. Other speakers we're having, we're going to be having some representatives from the NRCA coming out. We're offering a technical training. It's going to the SerDa torch training, so that will be happening on Wednesday of our convention.

Rachel Hoover: It's a great, great certification to get and it's usually pretty tricky to get too. And so having those trainers come out to do that training with us, we're very excited to be partnering with them. In addition to that, they're also going to be coming to speak to us about the NRCA pro certification, which is just, yeah, we're excited to just get a little bit more information, education for our contractors. And again, just looking at things from a national level as well of what are the trends, where are things moving within our industry? And so we're very excited about that as well.

Alex Tolle: That's great to be able to bring all those resources to Montana because a lot of those resources are based in other states, and so to be able to bring it right to the contractors, that's so helpful.

Rachel Hoover: Yeah, we love the support that we've received from a national and regional level from some of these larger associations. It's amazing to feel like they're backing us and we want to come and support us and support us on a local level. So we're very, very excited about that.

Alex Tolle: Great. So we already talked about it, but there's a noticeable increase in women taking on leadership roles in the roofing industry. Can you share a little bit more about how you're leading the Montana Roofing Association and some of the impacts that you guys have made?

Morgan Thiel: I think that's so good to hear that more women are getting involved in leadership positions because there's plenty of room for it. I know the industry in Montana has been really receptive to that and really wanting to engage women in the industry. It was just a matter of how, and so seeing more and more join is really encouraging. Like I said, our association has been so welcoming as a woman in a male dominated industry, I've been really blessed to be in good circumstances where I haven't had to face a lot of hardships I know some women do encounter. So also really grateful to those women who paved the way for that. But yeah, I was serving as the vice president before becoming president this year and it just felt like whether you're a female, male, whatever, it was just our turn to take on that leadership role. Our whole group has been really supportive and really involved. So yeah, just our turn to keep a good thing going in Montana.

Alex Tolle: Yeah, and you're doing great.

Morgan Thiel: Thank you.

Rachel Hoover: Morgan does a lot. She has a lot on her plate, and she's run the association so well. I know that, yeah, all the support we have from everybody has been... I second what she said, I feel like we've felt very supported, but Morgan especially, just want to brag on her for a minute. She has so much on her plate. She also just won her local election, which is so exciting. So moving into yet another role, and she just does everything with such grace and probably one of the most hardworking people I know. And so I love being surrounded by women who, you look at them and you're like, "I want to be them when I grow up." So I love that, I think that we do see that a lot in this industry. The women who are rising to leadership just do it so well and carry so much and carry it with such grace. So I love to see that. Also, Morgan is also the chapter head for National Women in Roofing for our region.

Alex Tolle: Wow.

Rachel Hoover: That's something that also we're going to be having a get together at our convention. We always close out our convention with a luncheon with National Women in Roofing and encourage other women in the industry to get connected to each other just because we really are such a resource to each other and figuring out there are unique challenges that come with this industry and figuring out how we can support each other better. But the other thing, and Morgan and I have talked about this as well, is I think the second part of your question I think was how did more women get involved and see this as a career opportunity and a good path?

Rachel Hoover: And I think that that's something that we've talked about a lot is how do we educate the next generation, men and women both. And so I think this year especially, we've been working on fostering a relationship with Skills USA to work on how do we get into schools and start talking about this as an opportunity for young girls and boys as a potential path for them. Because it really is a great career and there's so much opportunity in this industry and within the state, but also nationally. So that's been a focus for us, and they'll be present at our convention as well and so we're excited about that.

Alex Tolle: That's amazing. Yeah. I think that there's starting to be a shift of people realizing that you don't have to go to a university and get a degree and go into business. You can go to a trade school and learn a great skill and make a career out of that and still make money and make a great life for yourself. So I think that's so important that you're getting in front of the young people to share that message.

Morgan Thiel: Yeah. Well, and even, yeah, there are so many great trades you can do that with. And roofing is fantastic because you don't even need to go to a trade school. You go through your four-ish year apprenticeship. You're paid while you're being trained. You come out of it making pretty good money. You get a hands-on job outside in the outdoors. And I don't know a single contractor who wouldn't take more women or young people on their crews. And there's definitely tasks that women are more naturally suited to, and there's definitely room for anyone who wants to be in the roofing industry to be in there. Yeah.

Alex Tolle: And who wouldn't want to be a roofer in Montana? You're up on the roof looking at beautiful mountains all the time. Come on, it doesn't get much better than that.

Rachel Hoover: We really get the best views.

Alex Tolle: Yeah. And the winters are nice too, because it's cold and you probably have five feet of snow.

Rachel Hoover: Oh, yeah.

Alex Tolle: Yeah. You get a little break in the winter.

Rachel Hoover: You get to stay inside a little bit. Yeah, it's nice. It's definitely nice.

Morgan Thiel: Some skiing, some snowboarding.

Alex Tolle: Yeah. That's awesome. It sounds like a win-win to me. So how does attending the expo help professionals stay competitive and informed about the latest innovations?

Rachel Hoover: Do you want to speak to this, Morgan?

Morgan Thiel: Yeah, I can. When Rachel's brought up several groups that we're bringing in this year, we really make an effort to bring in relevant information to people. So if you can't make it to the big national shows, which are great and even the Western states ones, if you can't make it to those, we want to bring as much information to you at our local convention as we can. So we make a real effort to bring in relevant information and products and people and let you make connections here without having to travel.

Alex Tolle: Yeah. Yeah. Anything else you wanted to add to that, Rachel?

Rachel Hoover: No, I think she nailed it. I think that, yeah and what we hit on before is I think that the more support you can have in this industry, in any industry really, for people who have been in the industry for a long time and have seen it all, I think that that can also just help you learn from other people's mistakes, figure out just ways that you can be better in your own business. And so we definitely take that into account when planning our seminars and planning our trainings. How do we support people and their crews and their guys to get what they need so they're ready to hit the ground running in the new year?

Alex Tolle: Great.

Morgan Thiel: We have so much depth and knowledge in our association too. We have companies who are in their third generation of operation, and then we have brand new companies who have just started and then everywhere in between. So lots of knowledge, lots of connections and just a really great place to be learn and improve. And not to mention, we mentioned our political committee earlier, but we try to stay in touch with what's going on in our capitol and how that's going to affect the industry, building codes, wages, all that stuff. So yeah, we really try to keep a pulse on what's important to Montana roofers and bring that to our convention as much as we possibly can.

Rachel Hoover: Yeah.

Alex Tolle: That's amazing. What advice would you give to anyone considering attending the 2025 Montana Roofing expo, maybe for the first time?

Rachel Hoover: Just do it. Sign up, come see us. It's going to be a really good time. It's going to be... And it's typically our slow season, so take a couple of days away, come to Billings, connect with other roofers. Hear about the latest in the industry. It's worthwhile, even if you've never attended before, come check it out. We're going to have some great speakers. And we're going to have some fun as well. We have a really fun gala the first night and some fun activities, but really there's a lot of really good education. There's a lot of good connections to be made, so it's worthwhile to come.

Morgan Thiel: Yeah, absolutely. It's worth your time. It's worth the energy. We know it's a drive. I have to drive at least four hours every year, and it's always worth it for us to come. So yeah, make the time if you possibly can and we'd love to see you there. I'd also like to say Rachel's done a great job with this convention. She's the vice president right now, it's been so great getting to step into this leadership position with her. And I will say working with her on the convention last year and then seeing her just take it on this year has been really, really great. She's doing a great job, and I'm really excited to see how this event turns out and hopefully the next one and maybe the one after. We'll see.

Alex Tolle: That's amazing.

Rachel Hoover: We're very excited about it.

Alex Tolle: Yes, I can tell. I love it. Well, and I'll add too, I went for the first time in 2024 and just the people there, the community there, like I said, you're just old friends. Even me being new to it, I just felt like I was just with all my best friends, it was such a good time. Everybody is so focused on helping each other and setting the business and the rivalry aside and just helping each other learn and sharing tips and tricks, whether it's about marketing or actually putting on the roof, everything, just the vibe there is amazing.

Rachel Hoover: I love to hear that.

Morgan Thiel: Thank you. Yeah. And we're excited to have you.

Rachel Hoover: Great [inaudible 00:17:03] from Alex too.

Alex Tolle: Thank you. I know, I'm so excited.

Rachel Hoover: You're coming again this year.

Alex Tolle: Yes.

Rachel Hoover: Yeah, we love having Roofers Coffee Shop.

Alex Tolle: Thank you.

Morgan Thiel: I'm so glad to hear that that's what you felt coming in as a first time visitor because yeah, our whole goal is, like you said, setting aside the differences, the competition and just what could we do to raise the standard of roofing in the state for a company and for building owners and roof owners, just for everyone.

Alex Tolle: Yeah. And you do a great job of it.

Morgan Thiel: Thank you.

Alex Tolle: So share with me some of the details about the early bird registration and where can people sign up, get more information about the expo?

Rachel Hoover: Yeah, so our registration is currently live on our website. You can find it through any of our socials. We're on Instagram, Facebook, so our links are in our bios there. But you can visit montanaroofers.org and it's going to be just right on the first page. First thing you see, you can click the button to register. We have registration for both our vendors and for our contractors, but there's a discount if you register before December 15th. So hop on there, register yourself. If you're bringing any people from your company, make sure to register them as well. There's also details about, we have a block for the hotels there too, if you want to stay on site at the convention, which I highly recommend, great hotel, but all of that is on our site. So go visit it, register there. It's super easy.

Alex Tolle: And you can always find all that information as well on their directory, on rooferscoffeeshop.com in the events. You'll be seeing it all over the place and probably in the description of this podcast, you'll be able to find it. All right, well Morgan, Rachel, thank you so, so much for recording with me today. This has been a wealth of knowledge. I'm so excited to see you guys in a couple of months. It's going to be here before we know it, so I can't wait. Thank you again and we will catch you on the next Roofing Road Trips.

Outro: If you've enjoyed the ride, don't forget to hit that subscribe button and join us on every roofing adventure. Make sure to visit rooferscoffeeshop.com to learn more. Thanks for tuning in and we'll catch you on the next Roofing Road Trip.