By Jesse Sanchez. 

Roofers from across the country gathered to celebrate two decades of craftsmanship at the 2025 SRCA Conference in Grove City. 

The Slate Roofing Contractors Association (SRCA) hosted its 20th anniversary conference from September 26-28 at Joseph Jenkins Inc., bringing together some of the finest slate roofers, suppliers and educators in the country for a weekend focused on craftsmanship, community and industry evolution, with participation and support from organizations such as the National Slate Association (NSA). 

The event combined hands-on training, technical seminars and social networking opportunities into a packed agenda that reflected the SRCA’s mission to preserve and advance the art of slate roofing. From the opening reception Thursday night to Saturday’s fundraising auction, every moment aimed to inspire and elevate the trade for those in attendance. 

Before the official kickoff, pre-conference training sessions gave attendees opportunities to earn certifications in slate installation and repair. These interactive courses allowed contractors to gain experience in real-world techniques under expert guidance. 

In the seminars, topics ranged from the traditional to the technical. Attendees got an up-close look at soldering methods, woven slate valleys and European flashing systems. Sessions also touched on legal and business concerns like anti-trust laws and insurance procedures, crucial insights for contractors navigating today’s regulatory landscape. 

Sponsors and exhibitors such as John Stortz and Son Inc., Slator LLC, Slate Valley Supply and Penn Slate Inc. were on hand to showcase tools, materials and innovations, adding a commercial edge to the educational atmosphere. 

The SRCA also used the occasion to reaffirm its commitment to craftsmanship and mentorship. A spirited auction on Saturday evening raised funds for training initiatives and future events, ensuring the association’s work continues into the next generation. 

Learn more about how the SRCA and NSA are working together to strengthen the slate roofing industry for the decades ahead!

This landmark event marked a significant milestone in advancing the standard of excellence in slate roofing nationwide.

Four Wagner Roofing employees — Obed Tejada Hernandez, Gabino Perez Guentes, Luis Montoya Rivas and Juan Santana Ortiz — earned national recognition as the country’s first NRCA PROCertified Slate System Installers. Wagner Roofing proudly hosted this first-ever Slate ProCertification exam offering, which was administered by the NRCA (National Roofing Contractors Association).

The NRCA Slate Systems Installer PROCertification is a distinguished credential that recognizes the skill, knowledge and professionalism of experienced slate roofing installers. To earn certification, candidates must meet strict eligibility requirements and pass a rigorous evaluation process, including a comprehensive verbal exam and a hands-on, six-hour installation assessment judged live by independent ProCertification Qualified Assessors.

This landmark event marked a significant milestone in advancing the standard of excellence in slate roofing nationwide. The curriculum and standards for the Slate ProCertification program were collaboratively developed by the NRCA, the Slate Roofing Contractors Association (SRCA) and the National Slate Association (NSA), ensuring the highest level of industry-wide integrity and expertise.

Wagner Roofing is proud to celebrate its team’s achievement and to have supported this pioneering event, reaffirming its ongoing commitment to workforce development, craftsmanship and leadership in traditional roofing systems.

Gary brings decades of leadership experience from serving on NRCA's board of directors and as the Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America's chairman of the board.

The National Roofing Contractors Association has announced Gary Howes, chief operating officer and principal of The Durable Slate Co., Columbus, Ohio, has been appointed to the board of directors of the International Federation of the Roofing Trade. The appointment was made during IFD’s General Assembly held November 2024 in Innsbruck, Austria.

Gary is the first American to join the IFD board of directors. Other members include:

• Walter Bisig (Switzerland)
• Dirk Bollwerk (Germany)
• Henrik Mosegaard-Johansen (Denmark)
• Armand Liede (Latvia)

Gary brings decades of leadership experience in the roofing and historical restoration industries. He currently serves on NRCA’s board of directors and its global advisory and health and safety committees and is the Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America’s chairman of the board.

“Joining the IFD board of directors is a tremendous honor,” Gary says. “IFD’s mission aligns perfectly with my passion for advancing the roofing trade and supporting the next generation of skilled craftsmen. I look forward to collaborating with my talented colleagues to further the organization’s vision on a global scale.”

About the 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.

About the IFD

The International Federation of the Roofing Trade is dedicated to fostering collaboration, innovation and professional excellence in the roofing industry worldwide. The IFD serves as a permanent bond between its members, organizes international workshops and competitions and contributes to the development of technical standards for the roofing trade. Visit IFD at ifd-roof.com.

About The Durable Slate Company

The Durable Slate Company is a global leader in slate, tile, copper and historical roofing. Renowned for its craftsmanship and commitment to preservation, The Durable Slate Company has restored iconic structures across the U.S. and abroad, earning numerous awards for excellence in the roofing and restoration industries. For information about The Durable Slate Company, visit durableslate.com.

This significant development highlights Gary’s invaluable contributions to the company and underscores his commitment to its continued growth and success.

The Durable Slate Company is proud to announce that Gary Howes, currently chief operating officer, has been named a new Principal of the company. Gary joins Michael Chan and John Chan as Principal. This significant development highlights Gary’s invaluable contributions to the company and underscores his commitment to its continued growth and success.

Gary’s journey with the company began in 1989 when he started working in the field, working on roofs. Over the years, he became a skilled slater and roofing artisan, earning the prestigious Builder’s Exchange Craftsmanship Award in 1995. Gary has held numerous technical positions within the company, pioneering and mastering the Durable Way and rising to the role of executive vice president of operations before becoming chief operating officer of The Durable Group. His expertise extends to historic preservation, with a particular focus on traditional roofing techniques, including the repair, restoration and installation of copper, slate and tile roofs. His mastery of these materials has helped set the standard for excellence in preserving the craftsmanship and integrity of historic structures.

In addition to his vital contributions to The Durable Slate Company, Gary plays an influential role within the roofing industry at both national and international levels. Since 2018, Gary has served on the National Roofing Contractors Association’s (NRCA) board of directors, where he contributes to the global advisory committee and the health and safety committee. His leadership within these organizations reflects his commitment to advancing the industry through education, innovation and safety.

For the Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America (SRCA), Gary has been chairman of the board since 2013, advocating for the growth of slate roofing craftsmanship and the establishment of higher industry standards. He also serves on the SRCA’s education and training committee and is a registered training instructor. Recently, Gary achieved another historic milestone by being appointed to the executive board of the International Federation of Roofing (IFD)—becoming the first American to hold this prestigious position.

Now, as a new Principal of The Durable Slate Company, Gary brings his extensive field experience, technical expertise and visionary leadership to help steer the company into an even brighter future. His expanded involvement will enhance the company’s ability to expand its reach while staying true to its core values of craftsmanship and dedication to historic preservation.

The Durable Slate Company, part of The Durable Group, specializes in traditional slate, tile and metal roofing, as well as historic building restoration through their sister company, The Durable Restoration Company. With Gary Howes now on board as a Principal, the company is poised for an even brighter future as it continues to protect and restore historic treasures worldwide.

About The Durable Slate Company

Founded in 1986, The Durable Slate Company is a nationally recognized leader in historic roofing and restoration. With a commitment to excellence and craftsmanship, the company specializes in slate, tile and copper roofing, as well as the preservation of historic structures across the United States and internationally. For more information about The Durable Slate Company and its services, visit www.durableslate.com.

By National Slate Association. 

The National Slate Association looks back at another successful IRE. 

The International Roofing Expo (IRE)  is the biggest event in the industry, boasting over 15,000 attendees from around the country and over 500 vendors. The National Slate Association (NSA) was proud to be in Las Vegas with the rest of the industry this year. Hopefully you had a chance to stop by booth #8849 and say hello! But if you didn’t, we’ve put together a quick recap of the events. Not everything that happens in Vegas has to stay in Vegas! 

The SRCA meeting 

A meeting of the slate minds took place within the convention center on Tuesday morning, 2/6/24. The National Slate Association and Slate Roofing Contractors Association (SRCA) boards got together to share ideas on industry improvements. The meeting started with a discussion on the NRCA ProCertification Slate program which has now officially launched. Meaningful dialogue took place about the SRCA developing a ProCert specific training course with the idea of not only helping the installer pass the test, but to understand concepts seen on the roof. The NSA’s involvement is to tackle finding qualified installers to take the exam. This being a significant investment from the industry, it’s critical this is a priority among the associations. 

Other discussion points were an industry specific promotional video. This video can be geared towards target audiences (homeowners, design professionals and contractors) and broken down into chapters. Highlighting the material life cycle costs and product benefits, as well as telling our story is a project that should not be overlooked as other industries have hi-jacked the distinguished reputation of the word slate. Involving a younger generation through social media could also be accomplished through this project as the content can easily be shared. A final note was the NSA using the newly finalized CAD drawings and exhibiting at the AIA show in June. 

The meeting was opened to members after an hour, and ideas were brought up on combating the Solar Reflective Index issue hampering slate in certain states. The concern is that if the material doesn’t pass in one state, it will spread. Next it was brought up whether synthetic slate was taking natural slate’s market share. Attacking synthetics and clarifying the differences between the two is a future agenda item.  

30+ members attended this meeting and it was agreed to continue holding meetings in this format once a year as attendance was a bright spot. It was wonderful to see so many interested parties and hopefully at the next meeting we can see 50+. 

NRCA ProCertification 

The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) had a ProCert booth where Korby Grist and Orion Jenkins of the SRCA slated a mockup. This was a great introduction to what an installer will likely see on the ProCert exam. Not only is it beneficial in garnering interest for the ProCert exam, but it’s a great representation of craftsmen in the slate industry. This program aims to create a test for slate installation which qualifies the installer to help reduce poor slate projects and keep the quality of the industry high. 

The natural slate industry has its challenges with material lead times, product knock offs, installation standards and many more just like any other industry. This is a tight knit group of prideful people who understand that slate is an excellent roofing material. Helping people understand their investment in a slate roof is a lifelong investment that serves future generations is a paramount value. It’s exciting that we all can come together and share our stories, as it can only help us move forward. 

Original article source: National Slate Association

By Slate Roofing Contractors Association. 

The Slate Roofing Contractors Association (SRCA) is here to demystify the common misconceptions about slate roofing in this comprehensive article.  

Homeowners have been enjoying natural and organic slate shingles in North America for over 400 years. However, with longevity often comes some common misconceptions. Here at the SRCA we want to address and breakdown some of the myths that have been created over the years about slate roofs. 

Myth no. 1: Slate lasts forever 

While exceptional durability is a characteristic of slate shingles, with some slates having an expected service life of over 200 years, the fact is slate is like all other natural and human-made materials in that they must, according to the laws of thermodynamics, transition from a state of order to disorder, from high entropy to low entropy. The service life of slate shingles depends largely on the geology of the slate – its mineral composition and the heat and pressure it was subjected to during its formation – a process known as metamorphism.  

Myth no. 2: No maintenance required 

Implicit in the myth that slate lasts forever is that a slate roof does not have to be maintained. Again, not true. Like all roofs, slate roofs do require some maintenance. The level of maintenance needed typically varies depending on whether the roof is in the early, middle or late stage. One of the beauties of a slate roof, however, is that repair is a relatively straight forward process, wherein a damaged slate can be easily removed using a tool called a “ripper” and a new, matching, slate shingle inserted in its place. 

Myth no. 3: Slate fines found in gutters is an indication of poor-quality slate 

Slate fines – tiny pieces of slate ranging in size from that of a pin head to a small button – typically appear in gutter troughs within the first several months of a slate roof’s installation. Slate fines result from trimming, cutting, and nail punching operations that occur during fabrication at the quarry and during installation on the roof. Fines remaining on the roof after completion will gradually be washed downslope and into the gutters with each passing rainfall. 

Myth no. 4: A few broken slates one year after installation is an indication of poor workmanship 

As discussed in Myth No. 1, it is not unusual for broken slates to occur a year or two after installation. Cracks can occur in the slate shingles as slaters trim, punch, install and walk on the slate during the construction process. Many of the cracked slates are identified as the slaters break down their means of access and are replaced with new, matching slates. Some cracks, however, are too fine to be identified, or are located in the concealed portion of the slate shingles. It is these few slates that can break and slide out of position early in the roof’s service life. 

Myth no. 5: Attic stock will break-down quickly because it is not exposed to the weather 

While it is true a) that blocks of slate are more difficult to split into shingles when they lose their quarry sap (inherent moisture within the stone) and quarries make every effort to prevent this from happening, and b) hot-cold cycling can result in the transformation of certain impurities contained within some slates into gypsum, thereby resulting in an expansion in volume and delamination over long periods of time, it is not true that slates stored indoors become more brittle and/or less durable. 

Myth no. 6: There are no slate roofing contractors anymore 

A shortage of construction workers has confronted the building trades in general since at least the turn of the twenty-first century as older workers retire and fewer young people enter the field, preferring less physically demanding work opportunities. While there are fewer slaters in the field today than 25-years ago, the trade is not dead. One only needs to look as far as the National Slate Association’s website for a list of slate roofing contractors by state. 

Myth no. 7: Slate roofs are too heavy 

Slate roofs are heavy. The weight of a slate roof, of course, depends on the thickness of the slate. Quarter-inch thick slate weights approximately 935 pounds per square (per 100 square feet of roof area), or 9.35 pounds per square foot (psf), when laid with a standard 3” headlap. Half-inch thick slate weighs approximately 18.70 psf. At these weights, the loads can be too great for standard post World War II construction. At the very least, if a structure never had a slate roof, a licensed structural engineer should evaluate the roof framing and associated load paths to determine if a slate roof is feasible, or whether supplemental framing or other modifications are needed. 

Myth no. 8: Natural roofing slate is no longer available 

Although there has been a consolidation in the number of commercial slate quarries and a number of quarries and slate types are in transition at the time of this writing (Fall 2022), S1 North American natural slate shingles are very much available in a wide variety of colors and all standard sizes. Slate from the Buckingham district of Virginia, the Vermont/New York district, and the Glendyne quarry of Canada, representing the full range of historical colors – black, green, gray, purple, red, mottled purple and green, strata gray – are in full production and readily available in the marketplace.  

Further info on these myths can be found here. 

Original article source: SRCA

Highlights from the last day of IRE 2023.

Editor's note: The following is a transcript of a conversation the Coffee Shop crew had after day three of the International Roofing Expo 2023. 

Karen Edwards: This is late night with Karen Edwards and we at RoofersCoffeeShop, are going to talk about the IRE. So, guys, we went to a speakeasy after the show to celebrate and have a dirty martini and it was fabulous. And it was a little secret door. We had to put a code in it was at the Statlar Hotel. It was so much fun.

James Ellsworth: And the most memorable part I felt, was that to get in you had to know some esoteric history. And to know that the code to get in was the year the world First World War started. And the fact that the Titanic was part of the North Star liners.

Karen Edwards: Okay, I have to say that a highlight of the day for me was being on the Patrick Carr Show podcast. I had no idea who this guy was. I've been told he's an influencer in the industry. He has sponsors of his show in the form of Leap and JobProgress who are partners of RoofersCoffeeShop. And he listens to the Weekly Blend with Heidi and I, every week and said we give him the inside information on what's happening in the industry. And I couldn't believe that people actually watch the Weekly Blend. I know they do.

Tim Ellsworth: I had a person come up in the booth today. And it was the best experience I've ever witnessed. I handed them these new bumper stickers we have that are all in Spanish and he just about dropped on the ground. He was so excited and so happy to have this happen that someone appreciated that aspect and recognized the Spanish-speaking people in the industry. And anyway he's taking that back to Louisiana. Yeah, he was from Louisiana. And yeah, he was great. Yeah, that was my that was my highlight of the of the trade show.

Karen Edwards: Tim. I am so happy that you got to experience that because that is one topic that we talked about on the podcast with Patrick. And he was kind of saying he didn't see a lot of the field workers who are the ones who are actually installing roofs. And I see so many people on the roof at these shows. And immediately what popped into my head was, SRS Distribution. They have a Para Latinos lounge, they had a Para Latinos happy hour. On Tuesday they had a mariachi band, they are embracing this. And this is where our industry is going. And I was super excited to see that. 

James Ellsworth: Karen I couldn't agree with you more. 

Lauren White: James and I again, wandered around the show floor. We got 9,393 steps in today, we didn't quite hit 10,000 however. But it was so nice. Because it was a quieter day, day three is usually quieter, got to have more calmer conversations with people because not everyone was crowding to chat with them. And what was cool too when we were recording, we were having interviews in the booths to put on social media and promote later on and turn into articles. But what's cool too, is that people from those companies were filming us filming the interviews to put on their social medias. So there were just cameras and phones everywhere and it was surreal. But it was great and we had the chickens. The chickens made their debut on day three, check the chicken out on TikTok, aka ChikTok, because Chuck is making its debut and it's amazing. And now James gets to share more about the show floor.

James Ellsworth: I thoroughly enjoyed being able to talk with the folks on the floor and hear from the people about what they were seeing, hearing from everyone about what was important to them. Also seeing the new things we had Equipter give us a full demonstration of their rig up and down left and right forward and back. It was quite a scene. Not to mention, we had multiple demonstrations from Franklin International's Titebond product, Tropical Roofing Products, Chem Link. But we had great conversations. RESISTO talked with us about their products.

Lauren White: Vicwest was also great. We got to see their metal shingles and metal siding that look like wood paneling and wood shingles. They even have slate and they're introducing clay but it's all made out of metal and it looks so realistic. James has more because he was very excited about this.

James Ellsworth: Well speaking of slate reminds me of the Slate Roofing Contractors Association who had a guy on the floor crafting a slate roof, crafting the shingles on the floor with a drill and a hammer. And then at the end of the day just for fun made a hat and I love it and it was wonderful. And he also made a little decoration that said "Love it." It was great. And Lauren got to sit down with a fella who was in Russia just before the invasion.

Lauren White: Yes, I did. Him and the gentleman who was making the slate hat, went to Russia to learn onion dome metal roofing and they were the first people from the states to go over there and learn that technique. And the family who hosted them, is still safe thankfully, they're still in contact. But that was a very interesting conversation. So stay tuned for that one.

Karen Edwards: Well, we brought the chickens out. It's the last day of the trade show. We brought the chickens out and they are so much fun. They are so much fun. It just it brings you even closer to your neighbors. And have to commend Will Riley from Centerpoint Connect on his beef jerky, this hot and spicy jerky. We all had some. It was amazing. 

Tim Ellsworth: The flying chickens are always fun on the third day because you bring them out about two or three hours before the show closes. And it's just a kind of fun time. The show is slower always on the last day. It's a fun time to get to know your neighbors a little bit better. And it lightens the mood and everybody has a smile on their face when you fly a chicken 30 feet or 40 feet to your neighbor's booth and it hits them you know in the head or wherever. And they go, 'What the heck happened?' 

Lauren White: I have to say one more thing, this is my third IRE and they keep getting bigger. And I'd say this is probably the best attendance just in terms of people attending and booths, it was a huge floor. Everyone we talked to whether it's in the soundstage, in the booth or in their own customer booths, everyone was thrilled with the outcome, very happy with who they saw and how many people were there. And I mean we're exhausted. Heidi is already in bed.

Karen Edwards: Half our team is in bed.

James Ellsworth: Yes. But we had a great time we have almost no more swag left. And we're ready to go home tomorrow or go exploring Dallas tomorrow.

Karen Edwards: I am on a flight tomorrow morning. Driving in Hank the tank to get there. I've been here a week and it's nice to go home to family and pets and normalcy. Because it's crazy. When you're at the IRE. You don't even know what's happening in the world. You don't know what's happening in your business. You live in this world while you're here. Connected but disconnected as Lauren says it. But it's hard. It's tiring. We had a good time and yet we still get stuff done. So, signing off. Sleep well.

Until next time!

Tune into our YouTube channel to see all of our coverage from IRE 2023! 

The Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America, Inc. is dedicated to the preservation of traditional roofing trades and practices. 

RoofersCoffeeShop®, the award-winning place where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business, is pleased to welcome the Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America (SRCA) into our community for contractors. 

The Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America (SRCA) is a non-profit trade association dedicated to developing slate roof installation, repair, restoration, flashing and training programs. The SRCA is an organization by and for slate roofing contractors, committed to providing an opportunity for slaters to pool their talents for the purposes of documenting traditional slate roof installation standards, developing training programs, enhancing professionalism and gaining respect for the trade. 

The SRCA is an AIA Continuing Education Provider, providing training and webinars. SRCA publishes installation guidelines for natural quarried slate roofing and is dedicated to sharing knowledge about slate roofing with the wider roofing community. SRCA members meet at an annual conference to exchange information, techniques, skills, gripes, ideas, and visions for the future. 

The  annual membership fee includes a membership plaque, a listing and links on the SRCA Contractor Directory, a listing and links on the slateroofers.org website with access to the “members only” section of the site, a listing on any of the slateroofers.org source lists, a copy of the Slate Roof Bible, 3rd edition, and a copy of the National Slate Association's 1926 book, Slate Roofs. 

RoofersCoffeeShop® is proud to welcome the Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America ! 

About The Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America (SRCA) 

The Slate Roofing Contractors Association was originally formed as an unincorporated association in Pennsylvania in March of 2005. The SRCA incorporated as a non-profit trade association on January 1, 2008 as the Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America, Inc. We organize slate roofing professionals and other contractors and make them available to the public via our membership listings, source lists, and contractor profiles.