By Jessica Bravo. 

A look back at one of the top events for commercial roofing service professionals. 

From March 2–4, RoofersCoffeeShop® attended ServiceCon 2026 in Houston, Texas, an event dedicated to helping commercial roofing professionals strengthen and grow their service departments. 

Conversations with industry leaders 

Megan Ellsworth spoke with several industry experts about the future of roofing service and the importance of strong operational systems. 

Chad Westbrook from Service Alignment shared insights on aligning service operations for long-term success. 

Cody Kline from CommercialRoofer.com, joined by his eight-year-old son Jagger Kline. 

Other conversations included Tracey Donels from Service First Solutions, Bryan Mitchell from Service AdvantEdge, Luke McCormack of Roofing Talent America and Emmitt White from Tidewater Roofing and Rapid Roof Care. 

Collaboration and networking 

The event also included peer groups and breakout workshops where attendees had the opportunity to ask industry leaders their most pressing questions. These sessions gave contractors and business owners actionable ideas they could bring back to their companies to strengthen and expand their service offerings. 

Contractor panel 

The event featured interviews, networking opportunities and a contractor panel moderated by Megan Ellsworth. Attendees shared ideas, discussed challenges and learned how service divisions can become a powerful driver of business growth. 

For many contractors and roofing business owners, developing a strong service program has become a gateway to scaling their businesses. ServiceCon brought together experienced leaders in the industry who shared practical strategies and real-world lessons on building successful service operations. 

Events like ServiceCon show how collaboration and open conversations within the industry can lead to real results. 

Be sure to watch all of the interviews from ServiceCon 2026 and stay tuned for updates on the next event.

By Jenny Yu.  

Industry experts explain how service and maintenance departments lay the foundation for scalable roofing businesses. 

In a recent CoatingsTalk™, Megan Ellsworth spoke with Chris Huettig, vice president of technical services at KARNAK, and Tracey Donels, founder of Service First Solutions, to talk about the importance of forming strong service and maintenance departments. 

After 15 years as a contractor, Tracey decided to utilize his experience to provide coaching, training and consulting for commercial roofers. “We help people grow by focusing on operations first and sales second,” Tracey stated. When working with clients, Service First Solutions prioritizes the development of a robust service and maintenance department. “No one can put on a perfect roof. The thing that gets us started in business are those small jobs that can help us build the trust and the relationships with those customers going forward.” 

Chris, with over 30 years of experience in the industry, agreed with Tracey's approach. “If you're putting on new roofs, you're going to have to service your own roof, so you have to be efficient and have a group that's able to handle those,” he said. “A maintenance program builds your company out, balances it out.”  

According to Chris, simply having a service crew isn’t enough. You also have to know how to sell it as part of your business offerings. “When you’re selling maintenance to building owners, it can sound like something they don’t really need,” he said. “If you frame it as more of an asset protection program, it sets a whole new table. It’s more meaningful to a building owner.” 

Tracey echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of clarity when communicating maintenance programs with building owners. “If you’re going to go out there and sell your services, you have to know what you’re going to offer,” he said. Tracey noted that many contractors confuse inspections with true preventive maintenance. “Preventive maintenance actually has some maintenance, whether it’s cleaning the debris, clearing gutters, making some minor repairs.” 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the webinar to learn more about how dedicated maintenance programs create repeat business, reduce costs for building owners and scale your business. 

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Revealing how disciplined processes and accountability turn roofing services from reactive work into a reliable growth engine. 

A new year has begun, and crews are stepping into the new year with winter jobs still in motion and unpredictable weather already shaping what comes next. On this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth brought in Tracey Donels of Service First Solutions to talk about goal setting for 2026 and how contractors can grow their service departments. 

A thriving service department can be defined by how reliably it responds, how clearly it moves from call to closeout and how confident a customer feels before anyone even climbs a ladder. For the contractors looking to boost their sales across the board, starting with a high-functioning service team is key. 

Professionalism, as Tracey described it, is not something a company puts on like a logo. It is how a team of experts hold themselves and their capabilities to complete their duties, as well as how one communicates with customers and meets expectations.  He tied that expectation to structure rather than size, emphasizing that professionalism comes from having defined processes, consistent discipline and clear ownership at every stage of the service cycle. From the moment a call comes in, to the time the invoice is sent, someone must be responsible for what happens next. That clarity allows service work to move forward reliably, even when volume increases or staffing shifts, because the process does not depend on any single person carrying everything in their head. 

A service department does not need seven trucks to feel established, but it does need a system that still functions when someone is out sick, when storms flood the phone lines with calls or when one person suddenly has to carry the weight of two roles. In many ways, service might start to resemble the efficiency of a drive-thru line, prepared to serve customers from the moment the order arrives. 

As Tracey explained, growth often begins with paying closer attention to the roof already in place. He shared, “I would say first and foremost, prioritize recommended repairs. If we have a small service department, often we are being very reactive, right? And that’s okay if we’re solving the emergencies, but we’re often stopping there.” He used that point to describe a shift away from service that ends at the repair and toward work that anticipates future issues while crews are already on site. 

By widening the lens and adopting a proactive approach to service work, contractors can show building owners how smaller fixes today prevent larger failures tomorrow, protecting interior operations and reducing the disruption of repeat calls. The change is subtle, but it moves service out of emergency mode and into something more durable: a working relationship built on foresight rather than reaction. 

Additionally, accountability, in Tracey’s view, only works when it is made visible. “I'm a firm believer in scorecards. I'm a firm believer in everybody having actions they have to partake in whatever job or role they have in the company. Everybody has a number,” he explained. He framed measurement as a daily habit rather than a quarterly goal, something that keeps the department honest about what is working well and what is slipping between the cracks. 

 By tracking backlog, responsiveness and completion, service becomes easier to manage without becoming mechanical. Over time, those numbers turn into something more than metrics: they become a way of keeping promises in view, week after week, until the department grows into something the whole company can lean on. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about building a professional service department with Service First Solutions!

By Jesse Sanchez. 

From customer expectations to repeatable systems, panelists said service growth will favor contractors who build consistency in the field and clarity in the office. 

In an episode of Roofing Road Trips® recorded live at ServiceCon 2025, host Heidi J. Ellsworth moderated a panel discussion featuring Chad Westbrook of Service Alignment, Tracey Donels of Service First Solutions, Greg Hayne of the Hayne Coaching Group and Cody Kline of Commercialroofer.com. Speaking to an audience of service professionals, the group explored the rapid rise of commercial roofing professionals prioritizing service and maintenance and why the category has evolved from what was once considered negotiated work into a primary growth strategy. As building owners demand faster response, clearer communication and more reliable outcomes, contractors must find a way to provide quality solutions. 

Tracey linked today’s momentum to economic pressure and shifting customer awareness. “Service and repairs are important in a good economy. And in a bad economy, they're vital and they become really necessary,” he said. He added that many owners still do not understand what proactive roofing support can prevent, saying, “Our clients, our building owners, they have no idea of all the things they need us for and we're just learning.” 

Chad framed service expansion as a disciplined build rather than a reactive response to market demand. He explained that his work centers on “building eight figure service divisions with contractors across the US,” an approach rooted in intentional structure instead of short-term growth. Westbrook tied that scale to alignment across “the right people, process, technology and goals,” noting that sustainable service operations depend on clearly defined roles, repeatable workflows and systems that support consistent decision-making in the field. The emphasis, he said, is on creating a service organization that performs reliably day after day, regardless of technician, market or workload. 

Greg said he has watched contractor interest accelerate as customers bring higher service standards into roofing. There's an expectation that commercial roofing service should mirror what customers experience in everyday transactions, he said, pointing to brands like Chick-fil-A as the benchmark for consistency. 

Cody approached the trend through market math. With replacement demand representing only a small portion of the market in any given year, he argued that service helps contractors compete beyond the replacement cycle. “How can we differentiate ourselves to create that blue ocean and chase the 96% of roofs that are not ready for replacement?” 

As the conversation moved from broad trends to day-to-day execution, panelists agreed that successful service operations are built on consistency and regular training, with systems designed to support strong teams rather than replace them. Much of that discussion centered on how technology fits into the service workflow, with panelists emphasizing that digital tools should create clarity and speed in communication, scheduling and follow-through, not serve as shortcuts around accountability or craftsmanship. 

Within that framework, Chad expressed the importance of experience alongside execution. He noted that even high-quality workmanship can fall short if the customer experience does not meet expectations, reinforcing that in a service-driven market, how the work is delivered is inseparable from the quality of the work itself. 

Read the transcript, Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about service and maintenance resources! 

By North Texas Roofing Contractors Association (NTRCA). 

NTRCA’s bowling event offered networking opportunities, friendly competition and seasonal festivities for attendees. 

The North Texas Roofing Contractors Association (NTRCA) brought the local industry together for a festive year-end celebration on December 11, 2025, hosting members and guests for a bowling social at Bowlounge Dallas. The event welcomed professionals from across the roofing community, including partners from the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) and Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT), for an evening focused on connection, camaraderie and celebrating shared success in the North Texas market. 

Designed to blend networking with holiday fun, the gathering featured friendly competition on the lanes, seasonal food and drinks and plenty of opportunities to reconnect with colleagues. From spirited bowling matchups to lively conversations, the night captured the energy and unity that define NTRCA and its commitment to strengthening relationships throughout the regional roofing industry. 

Giving back with Toys for Tots 

Thank you to everyone participating in our Toys for Tots drive! Together, we collected over 100 toys and donated $1,700. We’re proud to make a difference in our community alongside our members and partners. 

Most Festive Contest winners  

• 1st place - Kiki Fuller 
• 2nd place - Will Greer 
• 3rd place - Sidney Curtis 

Bowling winners - 5:45 p.m. session  

• 1st place - Reese Arrington  
• 2nd place - Chris Arrington 
• 3rd place - Reagan Cross 

Bowling winners - 7:00 p.m. session  

• 1st place - Sidney Curtis 
• 2nd place - Chad Davis 
• 3rd place - Toni Kuncl  

Thank you to our sponsors 

This event wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Thank you for helping us create such a fun and meaningful night for our members: 

• 838 Coatings 
• Calhoun Law Firm 
• Dataforma
• Fisher Roofing Company 
• GAF
• Inland Coatings 
• In The Dry 
• KAW Roofing 
• Malarkey Roofing Products
• MFM Building Products Corp.
• MRB Mechanical 
• OMG Roofing Products 
• Service First Solutions
• Sika Corporation
• Topps Products

Be sure to check out the photos from the event and relive the highlights! 

Original article and photo source: NTRCA

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Contractors trade practical insights in a setting built to turn quick conversations into real community and stronger service teams. 

Dataforma is putting its long-running PSU user conference squarely in the hands of the contractors who use the platform every day, with a 2025 event built around peer learning, shared experience and practical takeaways that extend well beyond software screens. What started nearly two decades ago as a small gathering for presidential and super user attendees has grown into what Brian Cook, newly minted COO at Dataforma, describes on this Roofing Road Trips® podcast as “a great place for our contractors to get together.” Over the years, PSU has evolved into a relaxed day-and-a-half event where commercial roofing leaders compare notes on how they work and where they want the platform to go next. 

For Tracey Donels, founder and CEO of Service First Solutions, that peer-to-peer dynamic is the heartbeat of PSU. He remembers traveling to one of the earliest conferences in Scottsdale, the same city hosting PSU 2025, when he was a contractor looking to grow his service department. “Almost any software can be used in a myriad of different ways,” he said. “So, it's very beneficial to go and meet other people that have grown their departments and their companies by using the software.” 

Those early trips left a permanent mark on how he thinks about service. “Because no software is perfect. But it's about the question of, ‘how is it perfect for me?’” Tracey said. “And I know when I was first in the industry, I learned from a lot of powerful people going to those PSUs and learning from people who had bigger departments, bigger companies, than the one I worked at. And I'm lucky enough to still count some of those people as friends that I met at that very first PSU.” 

Brian and Tracey are channeling that spirit into a refreshed format that pushes attendees to learn from one another as much as what they’ll learn from event sessions. Brian pointed to the redesigned breakout sessions as an example, where operational topics like hiring, training and maintenance planning will sit alongside platform conversations. “In those breakout sessions, we're going to have tons of options for you to just work with other contractors, and it doesn't have to be Dataforma focused,” he said. “We want your business and your staff to grow from this, and we know that if you do that, it'll help Dataforma, too.” 

As PSU 2025 takes shape, the message to contractors is to show up ready to share, question, compare and contribute. The agenda is built so that every hallway conversation, breakout exchange and feedback session can translate into stronger service teams and smarter technology that reflects the real work happening on roofs every day. In putting peer learning at the center, Dataforma and its partners are betting that the most powerful innovations will come not just from what is presented on screen, but from what contractors choose to build together. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about PSU 2025, its peer-focused agenda and how to register through Dataforma!

By Jesse Sanchez. 

This leadership shift signals fresh energy, bold ideas and user-driven innovation. 

Dataforma’s signature event, PSU, is getting a major reboot in 2025 as a new leadership dynamic duo steps in. Brian Cook, recently named COO at Dataforma, and Tracey Donels, CEO of Service First Solutions, are now steering the reins of the user conference with a bold focus on innovation, community and real-world impact. “It’s always been Daryl’s baby,” Brian said during this Roofing Road Trips® podcast with Megan Ellsworth, in reference to former Dataforma leader, Daryl Maronic. “He asked Tracey and I to take over and run the PSU in his stead. I’m nervous, I’m incredibly excited and I think Tracey and I will bring a cool new spin to it.” 

That spin includes a sharper focus on the future of the platform and on the people who use it. PSU, which stands for Presidential and Super-User, has evolved over the last two decades from a modest gathering of commercial roofing pros into a bustling hub for collaboration, learning and direct feedback. But 2025 promises to raise the bar. 

From its early days as a niche software meet-up to a now-essential event for contractors using Dataforma, PSU has always offered value. Tracey, who attended one of the earliest PSUs nearly two decades ago, sees the user-to-user exchange as essential. “Almost any software can be used in a myriad of different ways,” he said. “So, it’s very beneficial to go and meet other people that have grown their departments and their companies by using the software.” 

Brian echoed the sentiment, adding that the goal isn’t just to demo features; it’s to shape what gets built next, emphasizing the opportunity for participants to share ways they believe PSU can grow in the future. He shared, “We’re trying to kind of shift this conference from being all things Dataforma to focusing more on PSU’s future.” 

This year’s PSU will feature breakout sessions that stray from the typical software fare, covering topics like hiring field staff, running preventative maintenance and managing service departments more effectively. 

And while PSU will still showcase new features, like a powerful new sales module, AI integration and a redesigned mobile experience, the organizers are betting that the real draw will be the conversations that happen between users. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about how PSU 2025 is transforming from a software event into a contractor-powered hub for innovation, connection and real-world impact!

By Emma Peterson. 

Whether building a service department or strengthening the one you have, get started with Service First Solution’s workbook.  

Service in the roofing industry is more than just a department of your business — it offers a route to long-term growth for your company! But developing a strong service department can be challenging. Many roofers find themselves falling into traps like reactive servicing. An example of reactive service would be only taking leak calls in the off season when you have extra time.  

The opposite of reactive service is proactive service. This is characterized by prioritizing service as more than an add-on to your existing business, but a full, standalone business unit. The benefit of this approach? Not only is it a way to create more revenue sources, but it builds trust and relationships with your clients. 

Want to build a service department that is proactive and growth-focused? Start with Service First Solution’s free workbook! This workbook is full of incredible insights straight from Service First Solutions’ CEO Tracey Donels. It contains six chapters, each explaining a different key step that Tracey teaches about building service departments. In addition to an explanation of the step, each chapter has interactive questions that help you dig deeper into your own business and service department.  

And these six chapters are just the start of the information contained in the workbook! There are bonus pages full of checklists, sprint planners and more that will guide your operations. Overall, this workbook is the perfect place to find a reliable strategy for building your service offerings proactively! 

Download the free workbook today.

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Monthly calls, real-world tours and shared strategy help roofing leaders rethink how they run service departments. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Karen Edwards sat down with Tracey Donels of Service First Solutions for an in-depth look at a tool many commercial roofing companies are only beginning to understand: service-focused peer groups. During the discussion, he reveals how peer groups are transforming the way service departments are run and why they’re becoming one of the most valuable resources in the commercial roofing industry. 

Each peer group consists of 8 to 10 non-competing contractors who meet virtually once a month and gather in person three times a year for daylong strategic sessions and exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of top-performing roofing companies. These meetings are far more structured than casual meetups. Each call follows a set agenda that starts with brief updates from members, covers upcoming travel plans for the group and then dives into a prioritized issues list designed to spark meaningful discussion and problem-solving. 

One recent in-person session tackled annual revenue goals and operational challenges. “We got eight companies to list their two biggest hurdles and five of them had the same one,” Tracey said. That led to a two-and-a-half-hour deep dive into hiring, compensation and training, issues that might never have surfaced without a structured peer setting. 

But the real magic lies in trust. “You’re never going to grow until you say, ‘Hey, I don’t know everything. What do you have that you might be able to teach me?’” he said. That willingness to be vulnerable fuels real learning. Each group signs NDAs and members openly share tools, pricing tips, training materials and even internal newsletters. Tracey states, “By asking a question, we may already have the simple solution.” 

For those considering the leap, Tracey encourages a long term plan. “The day you plant the seed is not the day you harvest your crop,” Tracey said. “You have to do it right at the front side, but then you have to tend to that soil and take care of it and do all kinds of stuff. Otherwise, you're not going to get that result in the end.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how peer groups are helping commercial roofing contractors strengthen their service departments, solve real-world challenges and build lasting industry connections!

Por Emma Peterson, traducido por Jessica Bravo.  

Prepárate para tres días llenos de educación, networking e innovación en el mundo de roofing. 

Enero de 2026 puede parecer lejano, pero con la temporada navideña a la vuelta de la esquina, estará aquí antes de que nos demos cuenta. Y con enero llega la International Roofing Expo (IRE). Este año, el evento se llevará a cabo del 20 al 22 de enero de 2026 en el Centro de Convenciones de Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Si nunca has asistido a IRE, es el lugar ideal para los profesionales de techos y exteriores.  Desde un enorme piso de exhibición hasta innumerables sesiones educativas, IRE estará lleno de aprendizaje, conexiones y diversión. El equipo de The Coffee Shops™ estará presente conduciendo nuestro escenario en vivo, patrocinado por nuestros amigos de SRS Distribution, justo en el lobby. ¡Asegúrate de pasar, saludarnos y enterarte de todo lo que está sucediendo! 

Educación en Español 

¡Este año el evento contará con 45 sesiones educativas diferentes! Pronto publicaremos un artículo dedicado exclusivamente a estas sesiones conforme se acerque la fecha de IRE. Por ahora, queremos destacar las sesiones en español. 

Una de las nueve categorías educativas disponibles en IRE 2026 está diseñada específicamente para los profesionales de techado de habla hispana. Estas sesiones contarán con increíbles ponentes como Yessie Gomez (SRS), Alan Díaz (Elevate), Amparo Sancen (Latinos en Roofing) y Moises Morales (Advosy Construction). 

Escucha el episodio de La Voz de los Ruferos con Amparo Sancen, para aprender cómo este evento se ha convertido en un punto de encuentro clave para los contratistas latinos 

Piso de exhibición 

En el área de exposiciones, IRE contará con más de 500 expositores. The Coffee Shops estará en el lobby, pero muchos de nuestros socios, como All Weather Insulated Panels (stand 1601), A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply (Booth2131), BITEC (Booth 2313), Equipter (Booth 4231), Service First Solutions (Booth1855) y Van Mark Products (Booth 4744) estarán en el piso de exhibición. Pasa a saludarlos mientras descubres nuevos productos y haces conexiones con otros profesionales del sector. 

Además de la gran cantidad de stands, también habrá demostraciones en vivo y clínicas de construcción en el piso de exhibición, ¡una excelente forma de mejorar tus habilidades técnicas y empresariales mientras exploras! 

¡Consulta la lista completa de expositores!

Eventos de networking 

Habrá numerosos eventos de networking, y estamos especialmente emocionados por los siguientes: 

• Día Anual de Servicio Comunitario: Se llevará a cabo el lunes 19 de enero, antes del inicio del evento. Este será el 17 proyecto anual realizado junto con IRE. Aquí tendrás la oportunidad de trabajar hombro a hombro con tus colegas reparando y renovando viviendas de familias de bajos ingresos en Las Vegas. 
• Fiesta de Bienvenida: Cierra el primer día de IRE 2026 con esta fiesta tan esperada. Comienza a las 5 p.m. del martes y es una gran oportunidad para convivir y crear redes con otros profesionales de la industria. 
• Recepción EmpowerAll: Este evento especial de la Asociación Nacional de Contratistas de Techado (NRCA) se llevará a cabo el martes de 4 a 5 p.m. y celebra la unidad dentro de nuestra comunidad de techadores. 
• Competencia Estudiantil de Administración de Construcción de The Roofing Alliance: Uno de los momentos destacados cada año. Esta competencia reta a estudiantes de todo el país a “demostrar sus conocimientos en techado, dominar la planificación de proyectos y destacar bajo presión. Al asistir, no solo apoyas a los estudiantes, sino que también inviertes en la próxima generación de profesionales del techado.”  

Además, The Coffee Shops se enorgullece de patrocinar el evento anual para nuevos asistentes de IRE, la oportunidad perfecta para quienes asisten por primera vez de conocer y hacer contactos en un ambiente relajado.  

Registro y reservaciones 

¿Planeas viajar a Las Vegas para IRE 2026? ¡Reserva tu hotel y regístrate ahora!

El equipo de IRE ha colaborado con onPeak para ofrecer tarifas con descuento en habitaciones para los asistentes al evento, con precios hasta 30% más bajos que en otros sitios de viajes. 

En cuanto al registro, hay varias opciones de pases disponibles: 

• Pase Expo: Acceso a los tres días del evento, al piso de exhibición, demostraciones y sesiones generales. 
• Súper Pase: Incluye todo lo del Pase Expo, además de acceso a todas las conferencias y un boleto para la fiesta de bienvenida. 
• Pase de Conferencia por Día: Incluye todo lo del Pase Expo más un día de conferencias (martes, miércoles o jueves). Si eliges martes, también incluye un boleto para la fiesta de bienvenida. 

Los miembros de la NRCA obtienen descuentos en todos los tipos de pases. 

¡Reserva tu hotel y elige tu pase hoy mismo!