A Publication of FRSA – Florida’s Association of Roofing Professionals September 2022 ROOFING Florida FRSA’s 100CommitteeExecutiveCelebratesYearsofSuccess
www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING 3 Florida Roofing (VOL. 7, NO. 9), September 2022, (ISSN 0191-4618) is published monthly by FRSA, 3855 N. Econlockhatchee Trl. Orlando, FL 32817. Periodicals Postage paid at Orlando, FL. POSTMASTER: Please send address corrections (form 3579) to Florida Roofing, PO Box 4850, Winter Park, FL 32793-4850. Any material submitted for publication in Florida Roofing becomes the property of the publication. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the author(s) alone and do not imply an opinion or endorsement on the part of the officers or the membership of FRSA. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher. Available Online at www.floridaroof.com/florida-roofing-magazine/ ROOFING Florida September 2022 FRSA-Florida Roofing Magazine Contacts: For advertising inquiries, contact: Keisha Martinez WinterPOFlorida(800)lisapate@floridaroof.comLisaname,requestsAll(800)keisha@floridaroof.comat:767-3772ext.127feedbackandreprintpermission(pleaseincludeyourfullcityandstate)contact:Pate,Editor,at:767-3772ext.157RoofingMagazine,Box4850Park,FL32793-4850 View media kit at: florida-roofing-magazine/www.floridaroof.com/ #roofingprotects Contents OnDevicesMobile Al Singleton Receives Campanella Award6 | Affiliate Competition Winners29 | FRSA-SIF Safety Awards32 | FRSA — 100 Years Strong18 | It Was an Awesome Event… Challenges Await! 26 | FRSA’s 2022-2023 Executive Committee Convention Tournament Winners58 |
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Cherish the Past, Challenge the Future
Continued on page 7
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I’m honored to serve as FRSA’s President as we head into our 101st year. During the Officer Installation Dinner in July, my beautiful wife, Jackie, inducted the new Officers who will serve as FRSA Executive Committee. I’ve had the distinct pleasure and honor of serving on this Committee for the last few years and this is not something that I take lightly. For 100 years, this Association has stood tall and proud because of the numerous men and women who have formed a bond within the roofing industry. Every industry has an Association that represents the mass es, but nothing like the men and women of the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association. That brings me to my next group of men and women to thank.Theamazing staff at FRSA continuously work through ups and downs, hardships and, most recently, the COVID pandemic. It is quite possible that our 100th year would not have been as successful if it wasn’t for these individuals.
Congratulations to Joe Byrne on an incredibly suc cessful 100th Anniversary Convention and Expo! This issue of the magazine is dedicated to highlights from the event. If you missed it, you missed a great time.
I’d also like to thank the men that I have served on the Board with: George Ebersold, Bruce Manson, Brian Swope, CPRC, Adam Purdy, CPRC, Joe Byrne, Les Sims, CPRC, Manny Oyola and, most recently, Tibor Torok. You gentlemen help to propel me with new ini tiatives, ideas and support – the likes of which I never knew possible. Thank you all very much!
Each year, the President chooses the theme for the coming year. After consideration, I selected “Cherish the Past, Challenge the Future.” I chose this title to highlight the past, the men and women that helped form this Association and pave a way for the many contractors just like me who did not grow up in the family business. Yet, I wanted to look toward the future and what we can do as decisions makers today to continue to propel this industry by the way we conduct our business and teach the younger generation the pride we display in our individual companies. Which segues into my next initiative. As President and First Lady, we also select a Charity of Choice. We chose something I have been involved with since I was a little boy. My parents would often take us to the Children’s Home Society to visit and play with underprivileged kids. Years later, while working at Just For Feet out of high school, I had a young kid, who was adopted through CHS, work for me. That kid ended up knowing my brother from high school football. We struck up a work friendship over sports and CHS. I left Just For Feet and followed him through graduating high school and going to play college football for Notre Dame. After college, that same kid I met years be fore was drafted and spent 10 years playing in the NFL. At one point during his NFL career, Jeff was the highest paid center in the league, playing with teams and super stars like the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Cincinnati Bengals. After his football career, Jeff came back and, with the help of CHS, his investment manager and his wife, started the Faine House to help support young adults through education and occupational opportunities, providing safe housing and financial literacy. They are now operating as their own independent 501(c)3. So, for this year, our Charity of Choice is The Faine House. Please help me by spreading Jeff’s mission and let’s support this great cause. I will make a commitment, my wife will probably kill me, but for every $5,000 raised through donations, we will contribute an addi tional $1,000 to it. There is no doubt that the economy is starting to tighten up and things are becoming very interesting with labor, material transportation and, well, just the economy itself. I’m not here to make this a left-sided or right-sided debate, but rather to say that as an American – and as all of us are Americans – there’s no better time to get away from your extreme left or right party and work towards initiatives that include compromise toward the middle. One of those initia tives over the past year is insurance reform within our industry. I don’t mean general liability or workers’ comp or auto. It’s about the elephant in the room – the issue of the roofing companies that help bastardize the claims process. Whether you like it or hate it, it has been a massive detriment to our industry these past few years. We’ve got to come up with a solution that benefits everyone. If you are one of these companies that participate in an insurance-only game, I’m not asking you to close up shop, rather expand what you have built and do it the right way. This is something I’ll be working on during my tenure and after.
Matt Criswell, FRSA President Owner, Weathershield Roofing Group Inc.
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Matt Criswell
6 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022 FRSA’s highest honor is the Bob Campanella Memorial Award, which is presented each year to the FRSA member who is deemed most worthy of recognition for service to his or her community, the Association and the industry. The award was initiated in 1965 by the Saint Petersburg Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors’ Association, as a memorial tribute to the late Bob Campanella, owner of Ace Roofing Company, in SaintSuggestionsPetersburg.are taken from the membership and submitted to a committee of previous Campanella Award recipients, who select the recipient each year. For those of you who are not familiar with our Campanella Award tradition, let me give you a few details. We don’t reveal the name of the recipient at the beginning of the ceremony – instead we provide details about them and their service to the industry. The previous year’s recipient presents the award and speaks about the recipient, sharing background information. While the information about the recipi ent is being presented, local artist Tony Trotti paints a portrait of this year’s recipient. If you look around the room at the people sitting at the dinner tables, you’ll notice people trying to figure out who the recipient is from the verbal clues and by watching the person who Tony is painting onstage. Al Singleton was born in a small town in Georgia to a close knit family with four siblings. He shared a close bond with his father that would last a lifetime and would eventually have a huge impact on his future career choice.
Al Singleton Receives Campanella Award
I’m honored and humbled to represent this Association and if there’s anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.
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Best regards, Matt WeathershieldCriswell Roofing Group Inc. matt@weroofgroup.com President’s Column, continued from page 5
During his middle school years, Al’s family relocat ed to southwest Florida. Growing up, he liked to play basketball, fish and race cars and was known to get in trouble for drag racing a purple Super B.
Al has a strong religious faith and is an Elder and Deacon in his church, Newtown Gospel Chapel. He gives back financially by supporting youth sports, scholarship funds and local human services organizations. He currently sits on the Construction Industry Licensing Board in Sarasota and volunteers on additional boards and nonprofits, including the Women’s Exchange Board. Al joined FRSA in 1989 and has served on FRSA’s Board of Directors, the Codes, Roof Tile, Convention and Advisory Committees. In 2010, he was FRSA President and his Convention theme was “Aim for the Top.” In 2012, he received FRSA Life Membership for his contributions to the industry. He is involved in his local affiliate, Sarasota-Manatee Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association, where he has served as President.Forallthat he has accomplished and given back, we congratulate Al Singleton, Alvin J. Singleton Inc., Sarasota, on receiving the 2022 Campanella Award! FRM
Al and Linda have four children, two of whom work in the office with him. He has always been active in his children’s lives: coaching football, softball, basketball and volleyball, in addition to countless hours of prac tice for those sports. He volunteered his time in youth leagues and built baseball dugouts.
In 1969, Al went to work in his father’s roofing busi ness and, in 1977, took over the family business when his father retired.
Over the years, he had a few different jobs including one where he worked at the jail in a Sherriff’s office. He was also an emergency room nurse, working at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, where he met his wife, Linda, who also worked as a nurse. They married a year later in 1972.
Al enjoys traveling with his family and took annual trips to Disney when his children were younger and then to the Bahamas as they got older. He encouraged and supported his children as they continued their education after high school. He had high expectations for them and wanted them to do well.
Another initiative I’d like to address is worker education, training and the idea of bringing young er hard-working men and women into this industry. Plainly stated, without roofs we would all be in the swimming pool business. This year and into the future, I challenge all of us to step out of our comfort zone and try to find ways to attract the younger generation into this business and the Association. I have no plans on going anywhere in the near future, but as current volunteers start to age out, it would be nice to see a youthful generation filling those spots. There’s a lot to be learned from these “old guys.” Age does not dictate a person’s ability to teach the knowledge they have learned and I can guarantee that most of the older men and women in the industry would be pleased to share their trials and tribulations with those younger folks who would listen.
As we begin a new chapter in FRSA’s future, I look for ward to working on these goals and welcome anyone who would like to get involved on FRSA’s committees to contact Lisa Pate at lisapate@floridaroof.com.
Les is President of Armstrong Roofing, Inc., San Mateo, where he began his roofing career in 2000 after being honorably discharged from the US Navy. He started as a laborer and worked his way up to company President in 2018. He is a state certified roofing contractor. Les has been married to Gina for 22 years and they have three children. Les has also earned the Certified Professional Roofing Contractor (CPRC) designation from FRSA. He takes pride in owning a company that was started in the late 1940s, values the lifelong friendships he has made as a member of FRSA and looks forward to many more years in the industry. Les also serves on the FRSA Credit Union Board of Directors and as a Trustee for both the Educational Foundation and the Self Insurers Fund.
Matt Criswell | President
Manny Oyola, Jr. | Vice President
Manny loves the camaraderie and friends he’s made through FRSA and strives to educate professional contractors in the industry.
Les Sims, CPRC | President Elect
Tibor Torok | Secretary-Treasurer
Manny is Technical Manager Eastern Region Florida for Eagle Roofing Products where he has worked since 2007. He received his Florida registered roofing con tractor license in 1981 and owned a roofing business in South Florida. Manny has been married to his wife, Arlene, for 47 years and they have four daughters and eight grandchildren. He is an FRSA Honorary Member and has received the Bieler “Enthusiasm Gets it Done Award” and the “Earl Blank Memorial Heart Award.”
Joe is the President of Byrne Roofing and BRI Roof Consulting Corp., Palm City. He has been in the roof ing industry for over 50 years and is an FRSA Honorary Member. He received the “Jim Carr Lifetime Achievement Award” and is a four-time Palm Beach County Roofers Association “Golden Hammer Award” recipient. Joe and his wife, Vicki, have two children and two grandchildren. He appreciates that FRSA provides a great exchange of information and numerous friendships in the industry that he loves.
Matt is President of WeatherShield Roofing Group, Inc., a commercial roofing company in Longwood and recently opened Marathon Roofing and Contracting for residential roofing. He is a state certified roofing contractor. Matt is married to Jackie, and they have two children, Elizabeth and Aniston. A Bieler “Enthusiasm Gets It Done” and S.T.A.R. Award recipient, Matt is a third-generation Central Floridian who attended UCF and Rollins College. He loves the closeness, education, problem solving and camaraderie that the Association brings to every facet of the industry. Matt also serves on the FRSA Credit Union Board of Directors.
8 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022
Joe Byrne | Immediate Past President
Meet the Executive Committee
Tibor is the President of Bob Hilson & Company Inc., Homestead. He has been in the roofing industry for 40 years and is a state certified roofing contractor. Tibor attended The University of Texas at Arlington, studying engineering and is a United States Marine Corp veteran. Tibor and Toni have been married for 20 years and have two daughters, a son and three grandchil dren. One grandson is in basic training and a third-generation Marine. Tibor enjoys the camaraderie of professional roofers and believes contractors need to support their local associations. He is Past President of RCASF.
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How Bankruptcy in Construction Impacts All Parties, Part Two
■ Priority: This is an unsecured claim for specific benefits or unpaid wages not to exceed $4,650 per claimant. It also applies to some taxes, con sumer deposits and alimony.
During a Chapter 11 reorganization, the DIP is not allowed to pay creditors without a court order or an approved reorganization plan but it can take more than a year for such a plan to be confirmed. This delay can cause a financial strain for all parties involved. However, contractors and subcontractors are com pelled to continue working despite the bankruptcy since the DIP’s contract is an asset to the estate. Some contracts have bankruptcy termination clauses; however, by and large, they are not enforce able. Given that, any party contracted with the DIP must obtain court approval before it can terminate its work on a project. Most construction contracts are executory con tracts. The Bankruptcy Code does not precisely define the word executory but the term implies that during bankruptcy proceedings, both the debtor and the
Pending Contracts
10 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022
Creditor Claims
Once a party files bankruptcy, creditors who request a payment distribution must file a proof of claim. The deadline for that claim is called the bar date. The creditor must complete the proof of claim form, sign it and attach all supporting documentation. If the bar date has passed, a creditor will face difficulty asserting a claim for debts. Claims are usually classified by four terms:
■ Secured: This type of claim is secured by collateral or a lien against specific personal or real property. A common example is the mortgage a person has on a home. In construction, a claim from a contrac tor, subcontractor or consultant can be secured by a perfected mechanics’ lien against real property.
■ Administrative: This type of claim is filed by a lawyer, accountant or another professional who provided services after bankruptcy was filed.
From the property owner to the general contractor to the subcontractor, trades and beyond, all parties will likely worry about whether the project will continue and how everyone will be paid. No matter what your role is in a construction project, it is critical that you know your rights and can protect yourself if another party enters bankruptcy. This article will describe what protections you have and what you can put in place.
As discussed earlier in Part One of this article (FRM August 2022), bankruptcy filings in the construction industry can impact everyone involved in a project.
■ General unsecured: This claim pertains to everything not considered secured or priority. One example is payment owed to a material supplier or Whenvendor.aparty files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it re organizes and continues to operate its company. After filing, the debtor is then labeled a debtor-inpossession (DIP) since it still possesses its compa ny and assets. A committee of its creditors is often formed to monitor the DIP’s business and negotiate a reorganization. After a plan is confirmed, the DIP and its creditors consider it a new contract, which supersedes all others. The DIP is then relabeled as a reorganized debtor. Usually, the plan stipulates payments to unsecured creditors over several years. It also includes pro visions if the reorganized debtor does not make the agreed-upon payments. If the DIP and the committee cannot agree on a reorganization plan, the issue may go before a court. In some cases, the bankruptcy judge may convert the case to a Chapter 7 filing. That means the debtor will have to liquidate. After a Chapter 7 filing, the debtor’s assets are liquidated and the creditors are paid based on a specific hierarchy. First, secured creditors have legal rights to named assets, so they receive the items held as collateral or they receive funds from their sale. Next, administrative parties, such as attorneys, accountants and other professionals who provided post-bankruptcy services, receive payment. After that, payments are provided to unsecured creditors, such as pre-bankruptcy vendors and consultants and those with pre-bankruptcy wage claims.
FRSA GENERAL COUNSEL Trent Cotney, Partner, Adams and Reese, LLP
The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to consti tute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.
An automatic stay is entered as soon as a bankruptcy filing is com plete. The stay halts all foreclosure and collection efforts. For example, if a contractor, subcontractor or consultant files for bankruptcy, a lien claimant cannot file a lawsuit or seek payment for pre-bankrupt cy services. If an owner files for bankruptcy, a contractor or sub contractor cannot seek payment for pre-bankruptcy services or record a mechanics’ lien. However, the automatic stay does allow collection against prop erty that is not part of the estate.
As you can see, bankruptcy can have serious repercussions on construction projects, impacting all parties involved. When bankruptcy is filed, a creditor must halt all collection activity. Contractors, subcontractors and other trades may be obligated to stay on the job until the automatic stay is lifted or they receive court approval.Itcanbe tricky to know what your rights are and what claims you are entitled to and you may be unsure how quickly you can seek the payments you are owed.
Trent Cotney is a Partner and Construction Practice Group Leader at the law firm of Adams and Reese LLP and FRSA General Counsel. For more information on this subject, please contact the author at trent.cotney@arlaw.com.
In Florida, those contributing to a private work of improvement have the right to a mechanics’ lien. It provides a statutory lien against real property for which a contractor, subcontractor, supplier, etc. has furnished labor, materials or services. The dollar amount of the lien is equal to the value of the materials or labor supplied and the lien holder has the right to foreclose on that property.
Another option for protection is a payment bond which most public projects require but may also be present on private projects depending on project size. Recognize that like Florida lien law, there are a variety of steps required to perfect payment bond claims.
As mentioned earlier, one type of secured claim is held by a perfected mechanics’ lien against real property. In general, mechanics’ liens are statutes created to offer protections in the construction industry. They protect contractors, material suppliers, consultants and vendors from non-payment for services or goods. And if they are perfected, these liens elevate claims to secured status. To attain the perfected designation, the creditor must file a notice of perfection. This notice states that the creditor has taken all proper and necessary steps prior to the bankruptcy filing. However, mechanics’ lien laws are quite technical. It is essential that all parties comply with the mechanics’ lien statutes; otherwise, they can lose their rights to claims.
For instance, if a contractor files bankruptcy, a subcontractor could foreclose on a mechanic’s lien against the owner’s real property, since it is not included in the bankruptcy estate.
Final Advice
other parties are obligated to continue working. Failure to do so would constitute a material breach.
If you are being affected by a bankruptcy or have questions about your contracts, mechanics’ liens or other bankruptcy protections, be sure to use your FRSA free legal member benefit and contact us at any time for initial advice.
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FRM
In a bankruptcy case, executory contracts can be considered either an asset or a liability. The bankruptcy court will approve such contracts to be assumed or rejected, depending on their value to the estate.
Mechanics’ Liens and Payment Bonds
Understanding the Automatic Stay
12 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022 With Florida’s airwaves and mailboxes inundated with elections messaging, all Floridians are well aware elec tion season is in full swing. All eyes are on November and Florida’s key races for United States Senator, Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, Commissioner of Agriculture and the Florida Legislature. However, a handful of politicos have already been elected to a state office without having to do one stump speech, mailer or town hall during this election season. This month, while we endure the constant barrage of campaign activity, let’s explore a few of the races that were de cided without much – or any at all – campaign activity.
Florida Senate (District #) 9 out of 40 Senators Unopposed Patt Maney (4) Jason Shoaf (7) Allison Tant (9) Chuck Brannan (10) Wyman Duggan (12) Cyndi Stevenson (18) Joe Harding (24) Stan McClain (27) Tyler Sirois (31) Thad Altman (32) Sam Killebrew (48) Melony Bell (49) Adam Anderson (57) Dianne Hart (63) Will Robinson (71) James Buchanan (74) Michael Grant (75) Spencer Roach (76) Mike Giallombardo (79) Bob Rommel (81) Lauren Melo (82) Kaylee Tuck (83) Christine Hunschofsky (95) Michael Gotlieb (102) Felicia Robinson (104) Tom Fabricio (110) David Borrero (111) Alex Rizo (112) Danny Perez (116) Kevin Chambliss (117) Florida House of Representatives (District #) – 30 out of 120 Representatives Unopposed (A Future Speaker of the House)
(6)
Elected Without Opposition Winning without having to campaign is the envy of the political world. There are always a few lucky candidates each election who win by default, but you may be surprised to know how often it actually hap pens… all the time! Even this year, with five contentious statewide elections and every seat in the Florida Legislature on the ballot due to redistricting, nearly a quarter of legislators will be sworn in without having to run a race. The tables list the lucky Freedomnot-so-few.fromhaving to run your own campaign doesn’t mean freedom from election season. However, expect to see these elected officials crisscrossing the state in support of their colleagues and respective parties. Republicans, in particular, are looking to make gains on their majorities in both the Florida House and Senate with Governor DeSantis’ re-election expected to boost turnout. There are only a few weeks until November 8… then it will be safe to turn on the TV and check the mailbox once again! FRM Chris Dawson is an Attorney and professional Lobbyist for GrayRobinson’s Orlando office and is licensed to practice law in both Florida and Alabama. Chris also holds two degrees in Civil Engineering and has experi ence in construction litigation and design professional malpractice defense. Dawson, Bradley (R – Orange Park) Debbie Mayfield (R – Melbourne) (19) Kathleen Passidomo (R– Naples) Senate President (28) Grall (R – Vero Beach) (29) Harrell (R – Stuart) (31) Rosalind Osgood (D – Fort Lauderdale) (32) Pizzo (D – Miami) (37) Avila (R – Hialeah) (39) Maria Rodriguez (R – Doral) (40)
Gayle
Erin
Ana
*Incoming
FRSA LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL Chris
Jason
Bryan
Attorney, GrayRobinson Election Bypass Jennifer
COMPASS SALES GROUP
Industry Updates
14 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022
FRSA Awards CPRC Designation to John Kenney and Ken Kelly
ICP Building Solutions Group Names New Chief Commercial Officer
Each year, FRSA’s Life and Honorary Members, Past Presidents, Campanella Award recipients and current Executive Committee members gather for a private event. This year, that event was the President’s Breakfast and took place at the location of FRSA’s first meeting. The Plaza Resort & Spa was originally named Hotel Clarendon and was where FRSA founders Frank Tack, Charlie Johnson, Elmer Blank and Charlie Stephens, Sr. began a legacy that would launch a first class association that has represented the interests of the roofing and sheet metal industries for a century. Members at the President’s Breakfast gathered for a photograph in front of a fireplace, part of the original architecture of the Hotel Clarendon. FRM
FRSA VIPs
FRSA has three industry designations: Certified Professional Sheet Metal Contractor, Certified Professional Air Conditioning Contractor and the most popular, Certified Professional Roofing Contractor. To earn one of these designations, a person must have a state certified license and successfully fulfill strict qualifications including a written examination, financial and both personal and professional references. By achieving these standards, the person joins a select group of 88 contractors who have qualified since the program’s inception in 1962.
FRSA is pleased to recognize John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group, Plant City and Ken Kelly, Kelly Roofing, Naples as our newest Certified Professional Roofing Contractors (CPRC).
ICP Building Solutions Group (ICP BSG) has named Sami Rahman, an experienced veteran of the building materials industry, as its new Chief Commercial OfficerRahman(CCO).will focus on setting and executing the overall commercial strategy for ICP BSG as the company achieves its financial goals. All ICP BSG sales teams, research and development, product management and marketing will report to Rahman. Rahman joined ICP BSG in late 2021 as its Senior Vice President of Product Management and was quickly promoted to the role of Executive Vice President of Product Management and Technology. “Sami has demonstrated transformational leader ship skills and strong strategic vision in his time with ICP and we believe it makes him a natural fit for this important position,” said Doug Mattscheck, CEO & President, ICP Group. “We see the CCO position as critical in helping our organization drive alignment and meet our growth goals. Sami will work directly with me to evaluate the overall structure of our commercial and technical organizations and with company leader ship to assure we have the right strategies to achieve our objectives.”
■ Caylin Angel, daughter of Adam Angel, Project Manager, Kalkreuth Roofing & Sheet Metal Kelly Joyce Deshawn Carter Lee Martucci
The Roofing Alliance, the foundation of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), proudly announces the 2022-23 Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship Award recipients. For over 30 years, the Roofing Alliance has invested time and funds to help educate the roofing industry and the industry’s youth. This has been made possible through the Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship Program, which was named after Melvin Kruger, a former President of NRCA, a former President of the Roofing Alliance and CEO of L.E. Schwartz & Son Inc., Macon, Ga. NRCA contractor and supplier members, their families and their employees are all eligible to partake in this program as long as they intend to pur sue a career in the roofing or construction industries.
Roofing Alliance Announces 2022-2023
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Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship Recipients
Deshawn Carter has been promoted to Tampa Branch Manager. Bill Wilson will continue his role in Vendor Relations and as Vice President of Operations.
addition to debuting this new paver line, Brava is also excited to announce that sales and marketing pro fessional, Lee Martucci, has joined the company as Business Development Manager for this new Aspire by Brava line. “We are excited to add to our offerings of beautiful and sustainable building products made from recycled materials,” said Adam Brantman, President, Brava Roof Tile. “Because Aspire by Brava pavers are light weight and easy to install, this product line is about the everyday luxury of having a space to retreat to. Not only will customers have a beautiful outdoor space, but they’ll be able to take comfort in knowing that they contributed to removing plastic from the waste stream.”Brava has hired Business Development Manager, Lee Martucci, to lead efforts to grow this line. Martucci brings more than 25 years’ experience in growing revenues in building materials and related industries. With his strategic and innovative thinking, leadership skills and excellent communication, Aspire by Brava will benefit from Lee’s expertise and in-depth knowledge of pavers. “I am excited to join the Brava Team and help grow the paver business,” said Martucci. “I believe custom ers are going to love the look and ease of installation of Aspire pavers.”
Gulfeagle Supply Promotes Kelly Joyce and Deshawn Carter Gulfeagle Supply announces the promotion of Kelly Joyce to Director of Purchasing. Joyce joined the Gulfeagle Supply team almost 15 years ago as Branch Manager in Holiday. Most recently, he was the Branch Manager in Tampa. Joyce is based in Gulfeagle’s head quarters, known as Branch Support Center, in Tampa.
Prior to joining ICP, Rahman spent more than 18 years with James Hardie Building Products, where he served in a variety of roles in engineering, logistics and product management. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Science from the University of Toledo, as well as an MBA in Finance, Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago. “It is a privilege to join Doug’s leadership team on our journey to become the preferred provider of industry-leading solutions for the roofing, insula tion, waterproofing and specialty coatings markets,” Rahman said. “We have a dedicated team driven to serve our customers and meet their goals in evolving market conditions. With a robust product portfolio and a pipeline of upcoming innovations, it is truly an excit ing time for the entire ICP team.”
Aspire RebrandPaversFrom Azek in Brava Roof Tile Acquisition Brava Roof Tile, a whol ly owned subsidiary of Wildhawk acquiredtires,fromsyntheticAspireannouncesInvestments,thelaunchofbyBrava,alineofpavers,maderecycledplasticandthatwasrecentlyfromAzek.In
The Roofing Alliance approved eight new Roofing Alliance Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship Recipients: ■ Theodore Barton, son of Simon Barton, Branch Manager, Crowther Roofing & Sheet Metal of FL Inc.
■ Davis Edwards, son of Van Edwards, COO, MidSouth Roof Systems
Gandhi brings more than 25 years of experience to TAMKO. He most recently served as the CFO of Fast Radius, a publicly traded cloud manufacturing and digi tal supply chain company. Prior to that, Gandhi was the Interim CFO at Owens Corning. During his seven-year tenure at Owens Corning, he also held the roles of VP Corporate Strategy and Financial Planning and VP Corporate Development. Prior to Owens Corning, Gandhi held financial leadership roles at Dover Corporation and Zebra Technologies Corporation. He also worked at Morgan Stanley, a global investment bank, for nearly ten years.
■ Zackary Cekalla, attending University of Minnesota, Duluth.
FRM
Beyer will lead TAMKO’s manufacturing, sales, finance and accounting with TAMKO’s Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain Rob Keeling and Vice President of Sales and Marketing Alex Hines report ing to Beyer along with TAMKO’s new Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer Prith Gandhi. Beyer will work closely with this leadership team to continue driving innovation and impactful marketing strategies, toward the goals of further advancing TAMKO’s strategic growth initiatives while continuing to build upon strong relationships with customers, suppliers and employees.
Gandhi will now lead all aspects of TAMKO’s finance and accounting functions, while providing powerful insights and ideas and working closely with TAMKO’s leadership team to drive further revenue growth.
Details for the 2023-24 Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship program and the application guidelines will be available in mid-September. For more infor mation on the Melvin Kruger Endowed Scholarship plus information about the Roofing Alliance con tact Alison LaValley, CAE, Executive Director, at alavalley@nrca.net or visit roofingalliance.net.
■ Cole Beyer, son of Steve Beyer, Inspection/Roof Management, Allweather Roof ■ Cade Edwards, son of Van Edwards, COO, MidSouth Roof Systems
16 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022
■ Julia Shanahan, daughter of Christopher Shanahan, Business Development & Bid Manager, Ruff InRoofer.addition, the Roofing Alliance approved two renewals:
■ Morgan Patterson, attending DePaul University, Chicago, Ill.
“A total of $40,000 was awarded for new scholar ships with an additional $10,000 awarded for renewal scholarships,” stated Alison LaValley, Roofing Alliance Executive Director. “Roofing Alliance leadership is very proud to be able to support the roofing industry with these scholarships. To date, a total of 149 students have received $1,010,000 in scholarship awards.”
Beyer joined TAMKO in 2013 as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance. Prior to joining TAMKO, Jeff served as the Chief Financial Officer of Strategic Materials, Inc., a leading glass and plastics recycler. He also was a Managing Director at Willis Stein, a middle market private equity firm. Prior to that, Jeff was a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group as well as an investment banker at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. He earned an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business and an Economics de gree from the University of Chicago.
“I am looking forward to Prith joining TAMKO as an outstanding addition of talent to our leadership team helping propel TAMKO forward on our mission of long-term profitability for the benefit of our cus tomers, suppliers, employees and shareholders,” said Humphreys. “Prith brings a wealth of experience in our industry with insights helpful to further TAMKO’s growth and success.”
Beyer will report to TAMKO’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Humphreys who said, “We are excited for this new chapter for TAMKO. Jeff is a genuine collaborative leader whose insight and focus will continue to help TAMKO navigate challenging business environments and achieve successful results to sustain TAMKO’s long-term success.”
Gandhi earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics from the University of California at Berkley, a Master of Arts in International Economics from Georgetown University and an MBA in Accounting and Finance from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
■ Grace Wear, daughter of Ryan Wear, Service Manager, Kalkreuth Roofing & Sheet Metal
■ Erich Langstine, son of Erich Langstine, Engineering co-op, GAF
TAMKO Promotes Jeff Beyer to COO and Welcomes Prithvi Gandhi as CFO National roofing manufacturer TAMKO Building Products LLC is proud to promote longtime TAMKO executive Jeff Beyer to Chief Operating Officer and welcome Prithvi (Prith) Gandhi, who joins TAMKO in Beyer’s previous position as Chief Financial Officer.
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Once again, labor’s efforts to eliminate the right to work provision were back in the news. Repeal of the section of the Taft-Hartley Act headed the 1965 legis lative goals for labor, a report to the Association said. Members were urged to write their congressman and to lobby against the move by labor. The Board of Directors approved a group hos pitalization insurance program for members of the Association. President Bensch directed members of the Self-Insurers Fund Trustee Board to follow up on the group insurance program and come up with firm recommendations on a detailed plan before the next boardAboutmeeting.thistime
Bensch’s company, West Gate Sheet Metal Co., built an experimental jungle boat for the U.S. Army, for possible use in Vietnam. Working with designing contractor Franklin Gno Corp. of West Palm Beach, Bensch said it took his shop three to four weeks to construct the air boat, designed to carry 12 fully equipped troops, six times the two-man capacity of those that skim the Everglades. Bensch said one of the big problems in building the boat was an army specification requiring an all-welded aluminum bottom with no tolerance for heat buckling from the weld. The boat was 20 feet long by eight feet wide. Initial tryouts showed the jungle boat could do up to 30 knots and better.Anew attendance record of 310 was set in at the Association’s annual Convention. Tallahassee roofing and sheet metal contractor Robert Dove took over the reins as Hard-workingPresident.Bill Condermann, Bohnert Roofing and Supply Co., Miami, was selected during the Convention as the first recipient of the “Bob Campanella Memorial Award” for his outstanding perfor mance as Association member during the preceding year. Campanella had died the previous year and the St. Petersburg’s affiliate created the award with the understanding that the recipient of the award would be chosen each year by the Association. Late 1965 brought a first-class scare to the indus try in Florida when the U.S. House of Representatives voted by a slim margin to repeal the Right-to-Work pro vision of the Taft-Hartley Act. Anxiety increased as the bill went to the U.S. Senate but a successful filibuster, led by Senators Everett Dirkson, Spessard L. Holland and George Smathers managed to block any action during the session. In December, Insurance Commissioner Broward Williams authorized additional rate increases in work men’s compensation, particularly affecting the building trades industry, citing losses to insurance carriers amounting to $5.5 million in 1964. The increases, across the board, amounted to approximately 6.1 per cent of current premiums. At the January 1966 Board meeting, Charles Farabee questioned other board members about re cent experiences with the Self-Insurers Fund. Farabee said his company was having a “problem” with pay ment of medical claims for workmen’s compensation insurance. He said he couldn’t get replies to repeated requests for payments of claims and for informa tion. He suggested it was “time for someone to look into the Self-Insurers program.” Bill Condermann, a Trustee of the Fund, was asked to take a sharp look at its activities. It is evident the Directors had a feeling something was wrong. Months later they would learn their vague feelings of discontent were manifestations of serious problems in the Fund’s administration, which would rock their industry and the insurance industry in Florida.With the Convention rapidly approaching, Bill Gibson, Chairman of the Membership Committee, Bob Campanella
FRSA – 100 Years Strong
Lisa Pate, FRSA Executive Director
18 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022
Throughout 2022, this column will recap some of FRSA’s rich history, through accounts from meeting minutes and a published book called FRSA The First Half Century In January, 1965, it was reported nearly 50 percent of the Association’s membership had responded to the group hospitalization insurance program survey and were enthusiastic about the proposal. The survey found 65 percent of the members responding in favor of the proposal and 35 percent opposed.
Workers' Compensation I N S U R A N C E FRSA Self Insurers Fund means Membership, Service and Safety Join our group of safety-conscious member contractors and reap the rewards! For more information, contact Alexis at 800-767-3772 ext. 206 or alexis@frsasif.com
In June, the report on the Self-Insurers Fund re vealed members had saved a total of $430,971, upon completion of its 11th year in existence. The Fund produced a total gross revenue of $2,182,727, with members receiving refunds of $73,944 and stock dis counts of $154,237.
At the Convention, Florida Forum transferred anoth er $1,000 check to the Association’s general fund. The magazine, which had been bought by the Association at the behest of past President Eldon Goldman, was making a good profit.
In August, the Board of Directors held a meeting and George Ferber was asked to head a committee to investigate certain questions about the operations of the Self-Insurers Fund. The report was submitted two months later. It noted the Coleman Company had been criticized for neglecting safety programs and safety inspections. But, it noted, Coleman had been forced to spend a lot of time handling workmen’s compensation claims, audits and negotiations with reinsurers, which had been complicated by the deteriorating workmen’s compensation market in Florida. In conclusion, the report said, “the Trustees do not recommend the hiring of an actuarial firm to examine the Fund and make rec ommendations; however, we do feel that there may be substantial value in further considering this…” At this point, however, the writers of the report recommended “that no action be taken to change servicing agencies.” The Board meeting was heavily attended. Also present were Laird Legg and C.S. Barco of the Robert F. Coleman Company. Ferber said the Board could, if it wished, hire an actuarial firm to make an intensive ex amination of Coleman’s financial handling of the Fund. Ferber’s report on the company was discussed. It was noted that he had questioned the Coleman Company about complaints in connection with its administra tion of the Fund and that the company had admitted it hadn’t done its best in some areas.
Notification of the honor came in a letter from Walter H. Wheeler, Jr., Chairman of the United Community Campaigns of America. During the 44th annual Convention held in Tallahassee, Tom Palmer, a Miami contractor, took office as the Association’s President. The Convention was called one of the “greatest private parties” ever held in the Capitol City, with the Convention taking over nearly all the facilities at the Holiday Inn and much of the space available at the nearby Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge. Glenn McNabb was also honored as the outstanding Association member of the year, receiving the second annual Bob Campanella Award.
Legg fielded questions from the floor – almost all highly critical – concerning billing procedures, inves tigations and follow up on claims. Legg conceded the company hadn’t maintained adequate communication with the members of the Fund. At one point, it was suggested from the floor that a “name” be given to the members so they’d know who to call at Coleman with their questions. The minutes say, “Laird Legg request ed that all correspondence, telephone calls, etc., be directed to him.” Legg was now in a position to ensure that any complaints concerning the Fund would come to him. By mid-December, however, a complaint about Legg himself filtered down to the Association and reported to the Trustees that set in motion a hurried series of meetings. Within a month, one of the most bizarre tales in the history of the Association would unfold and the 45-year old Association would be faced with the possibility of financial collapse of its selfinsurer’s fund and potential collapse of the Association itself.Lloyds of London, half a world away, would require the Fund members to sign an agreement which, as never before in the history of the Association, would dramatically bind the members together. The whole story was told at the January 1967 meeting of the Board at the Parliament House in Orlando. Ferber told the story. He noted that the Trustees had investigated the Coleman Company after members complained about administrative procedures. Ferber noted, “at no time did we, or you, to our knowledge, question the financial status of the Fund, which has proven to be an area in which we have been terribly misled.” Ferber alleged the Trustees had been given false financial reports and that 12 other associ ations in the state had “been misled and (their) funds mishandled.” In mid-December, Ferber related, the Trustees had been told the Florida Insurance Exchange was “in some financial difficulty.” He continued, “While we were concerned about this, because we were in formed that (Laird) Legg was a principal in this
20 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022 announced some unusual, but exceptionally good news: more than 90 percent of the Association’s mem bers would have their dues paid by Convention time.
Gibson said if the payment of dues was any indication of business activity, then Florida roofing and sheet metal contractors must have had a booming year.
Also announced was the news that Florida Forum had been placed on the Honor Roll of the United Community Campaigns of America for “the distin guished volunteer service you rendered during 1965.”
Ferber had by no means overstated the seriousness of the disaster. W.R. Dorminy, from Marsh & McLennon, along with Cooper, the new co-administrator, drove the point home. Each member of the Fund was liable for the $450,000 debt. The reserves needed for one claim alone totaled $55,000, more than enough to wipe out many of the members. From the floor, someone asked about legal recourse against the Coleman Company or against Florida Insurance Exchange. The answer, “Coleman is broke and has no assets, Florida Insurance Exchange is broke and has no assets.” Could the Fund take action against the principals of Coleman and the Florida Insurance Exchange? The minutes note, “It was decided the right was there, but nobody knows where the main one responsible (Laird Legg) is. The state’s attorney has criminal warrants against Legg but has not gone past this point.”
gate. “We discovered that not only was the Insurance Exchange in bad financial shape but that the Coleman Company itself had mismanaged and misappropriated our Fund to the extent that its very existence was in danger…”Ferber related how the Trustees had appointed new administrators, Fenimore Cooper, Jr., a Winter Park attorney and Dockery, the Association’s Executive Secretary brought in a representative of Lloyds of London to review the Fund. Ferber stated: “The Fund apparently is deficient in the amount of $450,000.” He said the Trustees had selected Marsh & McLennan, Inc., to take over servicing of the Fund effective January 1, 1967. The new servicing agency, along with Lloyds and the administrators, had drawn up a plan to put the Fund back on its feet, Ferber said.
operation also, the magnitude of the problem did not become fully apparent until your Trustees discovered through an investigation that our reinsurance, contrary to what we had been led to believe – we thought our reinsurance was with Lloyds of London – was with the Florida Insurance Exchange.” Incredibly, he noted, the Florida Industrial Commission had informed the Trustees “that there was a good possibility money would be pumped into the Exchange in sufficient amounts so as to allow it to meet its obligations and continue to Unsatisfied,operate.”theTrustees
While a number of members of the Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association had never joined the Self-Insurer’s Fund, those who were members of the Fund certainly represented most of the strength of the Association. A lack of unity in the Fund could have reverberated throughout the Association; collapse of the Fund could have destroyed the Association which fostered it. By the time the Association convened its annual meeting at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, a feeling of optimism prevailed. The Trade Show was a record-breaker, with 59 booths. A highlight was a spar kling champagne brunch to open the event. Daytona Beach contractor Harley M. Force Jr. was moved up to President and was the third member of his firm to serve as President.
The big topic at the Convention was the SelfInsurance Fund. To make sure history didn’t repeat itself, an article of the Association’s bylaw was changed to provide a revolving and larger Trustee Committee that would supervise the management of the Association’s insurance programs and report quarterly the progress and operations of the programs to the Board of Directors. Its duties were also to disburse all monies due to participating members who would be entitled to them.
www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING 21
had continued to investi
It was Dornimy, the Marsh & McLennan representative, who explained to the members how the Fund could be saved. The group would learn in later years that Dorminy was a financial genius who would deliver exactly what he promised them that day, and more. Dorminy noted that Marsh & McLennon was the largest insurance brokerage firm in the world. “One reason Lloyds of London has agreed to accept the reinsurance for the Fund,” Dorminy said, “is because of Marsh & McLennan’s past reputation.”
There were three prize winners in the R&SMCA Idea Bonanza: Frank Tack of Clearwater, Don Springer of Lakeland and Tom Palmer of Miami. Tack suggested public relations in any industry or commercial venture could easily make the difference between a good, sound business either floundering or becoming a most satisfying success. His main concerns, however, were cleanliness. Springer came up with a labor saving idea by suggesting a list of supplies all roofers should carry with them. Palmer suggested use of a service call form to improve customer relations. Continued on page 23
As business owners, we are always looking for that special employee, one we hope will love their job and the company and stay for the long haul, turning a job into a career. Someone whose integrity and dedication will add to the company value and enable us to grow as a business. Over time, you come to rely on these types of employees – the ones that can offer sound advice, understand your business goals, work well with your team and eventually become a friend.
22 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022
With FRSA
Mike Reed, CPA Celebrates 30 Years
Mike Reed, CPA, FRSA Controller and General Manager, has recently celebrated his 30th year work ing for FRSA. Mike is also an FRSA Honorary Member. He has worked diligently for FRSA to assure the Board of Directors and FRSA membership that the finances entrusted to him have been reflected accurately and according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, ensuring the business trans actions of FRSA and its entities are precise. During his time with FRSA, he has produced timely financial statements and investment reports and received ex cellent audit reviews from FRSA’s outside CPA firm. Joe Byrne presented Mike with a plaque during FRSA’s Officer Installation Dinner, stating, “Mike’s more than just a numbers man – he’s a friend.” Reed received a standing ovation from members at the dinner. Thanks for 30 years, Mike! FRM Each year, the FRSA President presents an award to some one who has assisted them during their term on the Executive Committee. Joe Byrne selected his wife, Vicki Byrne, as the recipient of the President’s Award. Joe stated, “This award is going to some one who, without her support, I wouldn’t know what to do. I have said many times, I have a lot of crazy ideas rolling around in my head and sometimes need someone to confide in and seek support from. She’s always been there for me. I also happen to love her so much, so I guess it’s obvious that my President’s Award is going to my best friend and wife, Vicki Byrne.” Congratulations, Vicki! FRM
President’s Award Goes to Vicki Byrne
Rob Foote FRSA’s Newest Honorary Member
R&SMCA Director Ed Walker of Homestead in formed members about a new program to aid police in their efforts to maintain law and order. Demonstrating Tack’s theory of community involvement, Walker had been busy with his own community’s program called Radio Watch. Drivers of radio-equipped vehicles served as eyes and ears for the police throughout the community.GeorgeFerber was named outstanding member of the year for his efforts in shepherding the Self-Insurers Fund through its crisis. Lou Samuels, hard-working Chairman for the 1968 Florida Exposition, announced a complete sellout of all available booth spaces. Samuels stated, “it’s an other record for R&SMCA of Florida.” A total of 57 booths were offered to manufacturers and suppliers who snapped them up five months in advance of the Convention. The show was scheduled to be held in con junction with the 1968 Convention in Daytona Beach. The Florida show then ranked third in the nation for the roofing and sheet metal industry among national and regional groups and was the largest show of any state association.
Rob was presented with the FRSA’s Charlie Raymond Membership Award in 2007 and has worked tirelessly on the Membership Committee for many years, where he is seen as a link between FRSA and the South Florida roofing community.
A story is told about one of Tack’s “clean-up” jobs. It seems one day a man drove up to his shop wanting to know if Tack would repair his copper still. It had been “worked on real good” with an axe. Said the man, “I’d like a price on repairing this beat up kettle – gonna use it to store honey.” Much to Tack’s fortune, the phone rang and he excused himself, very promptly making a call to the Sheriff’s office. Tack was told to go ahead with the repair but to call the Sheriff when the man returned to pick up his “kettle.” The spunky Tack had helped the law clean up another illegal still.
Honorary Membership is awarded to individuals in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the Association and industry. This year, Rob Foote has been nominated for Honorary Membership. Rob is one of the most trusted insurance placement and risk management professionals in Florida today and has earned the insurance industry designations for CPCU, ARM, AIM and CRIS. Rob is originally from Buffalo, New York and moved to Florida at a young age. He graduated from UCF with a Bachelors’ Degree in Business Administration. Fun fact – during his youthful early days in Florida, Rob experienced what was undoubtedly a fantasy of many boys his age when he spent a couple years as the New York Yankees batboy when they held spring training in Fort Lauderdale. He also found time to learn to play the saxophone.Aftergraduating from UCF, Rob went to work for Furman Insurance in Pompano Beach in January 1990. He started working with the roofing industry not long after and by 1992 had set up roofing division opera tions at Furman. The past thirty years have seen the roofing division thrive and continue to grow thanks to the reputation they developed for diligence and looking out for their clients’ welfare. This is no surprise as Rob is known as an agent and person who cares about the welfare of whoever he represents, both professionally and personally. He is known for this work in the South Florida charity community, especially for his relief efforts in the Bahamas and he is recognized at FRSA for all he brings to the table to benefit the Association and industry.
Rob is married to Dora and has two grown sons and a daughter. His oldest son is rumored to be following in his father’s footsteps by working in the construction industry. He is also an avid fisherman but doesn’t get on the water as much as he would like.
Rob was on vacation during FRSA’s Convention and Expo so Tyler Kocis and Nick Ondo from Furman Insurance accepted the award on his behalf. Congratulations Rob! FRM
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FRM 100 Years, continued from page 21
26 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022
It Was an Awesome Event… Challenges Await!
Although the first change does not have an immedi ate impact on our industry, it will have the potential to do so as we progress. It adds a new section to the Building Volume, Chapter 1 Scope and Administration, 110.9 Mandatory structural inspections for condo minium and cooperative buildings. This was adopted as a response to the Surfside building collapse. A new workgroup was created to make recommen dations to the Commission. It is called the Existing Building Inspection Workgroup (EBIW). Commissioner (and FRSA Past President) Brian Swope, CPRC, Tampa Roofing Company, who is Chairman of the Commission’s Roofing Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Commission’s roofing representative, was appointed to the new workgroup. As part of the bill’s first assignment, the workgroup will be review ing the milestone inspection requirements of the
Those of you who are involved in our leadership or who regularly read this column know, as Matt stated, we have been dealing with this issue for the past few years. This abuse has prompted many thoughtful improvements in statutes and the building code. It has also caused many not so helpful knee jerk reactions. All of these are attempting to rein in the runaway increases in claims, lawsuits and the resulting property insurance premiums. There isn’t space in this article to dissect the many root causes for the problem. However, we will review some attempts to deal with this problem when the legislation was passed during the recent special session and subsequently signed by the Governor. Now the so-called sausage making starts as state agencies, commissions, workgroups and those being regulated go to work.
Existing Building Inspections (Surfside Changes)
Mike Silvers, CPRC, Silvers Systems Inc. and FRSA Director of Technical Services
It was great to see so many industry professionals at our 100th Anniversary Convention and Expo. For those of us who have been involved for many years, it was a chance to catch up with old friends. For all of us it was a chance to make new acquaintances and build future friendships. I think it was an absolute success.
Immediate Code Changes Prompted by SB-4D On August 4, the Florida Building Commission adopt ed for immediate inclusion in the current 2020 7th Edition of the Florida Building Code (FBC), the com mission’s staff recommendations for compliance with the legislative intent of the recently passed SB-4D. There are two subjects addressed in the legislation and now state statutes. The following link will down load the supplement to the code changes prompted by the bill: www.floridaroof.com/FBC-sb-4d.
Having it in Daytona Beach, in the same city where our founding meeting was held 100 years earlier, made the effort to hold it in an unusual venue worthwhile. It will stand out as a unique event for our Association as we move forward into our second century. And move for ward we will. Our new President, Matt Criswell, has laid out several priorities for us. During his very thoughtful acceptance speech he stated: “One of those initiatives over the past year is insurance reform within our industry. I don’t mean general liability or workers’ comp or auto. It’s about the elephant in the room – the issue of the roofing companies that help bas tardize the claims process. Whether you like it or hate it, it has been a massive detriment to our industry these past few years. We’ve got to come up with a solution that benefits everyone. If you are one of these companies that participate in an insurance-only game, I’m not asking you to close up shop, rather expand what you have built and do it the right way.”
legislation and will then make recommendations to the Commission so that they can then make rec ommendations to ensure inspections are sufficient to determine the structural integrity of a building and provide a written report to the Governor, the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 31, 2022. As part of the second assignment, the Florida Building Commission shall consult with the State Fire Marshal to provide recommendations to the Legislature for the adoption of comprehensive structural and life safety standards for maintaining and inspecting all types of buildings and structures in the state that are three stories or more in height. The Commission shall provide a writ ten report of its recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 31, 2023. As it stands now, mandatory inspections will only apply to condominium and cooperative buildings. That could possibly change but it is fairly unlikely. We will be closely monitoring the progress of the workgroup.
7th Edition (2020) Florida Building Code – Building, CHAPTER 15 ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES, Revise section 1511.1.1, (and 1521.4), 7th Edition (2020) Florida Building Code –Residential, CHAPTER 9 ROOF ASSEMBLIES, Revise section R908.1.1, 7th Edition (2020) Florida Building Code – Existing Building, CHAPTER 7 ALTERATIONS—LEVEL
The second piece of legislation passed during the special session made many changes on the legal side that should help insurers push back against questionable claims. It also included provisions that for homeowner’s policies issued or renewed after July 1, 2022, insurers cannot refuse to issue or renew a homeowner’s policy on a residential roof that is less than 15 years old solely because of the age of the roof. It also says that for roofs that are at least 15 years old, a homeowner is allowed to have an authorized person perform an inspection and, if the inspection states that the roof has five years of useful life remaining, then the insured may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowner’s policy solely because of the age of the roof. This seemed like a win for quality-minded roofing contractors and property owners who are interested in buying quality roofs. However, the insurance company underwriters are fit to be tied over these provisions. They are already implementing interpretations that
Claims Adjusters and Insurance Underwriters Adding to the Problems
25% Rule Exception (Property Insurance Relief)
The second change creates a very impactful exception to the so-called 25% rule. This change was effective in state statutes on May 26. The following final code language was adopted by the Commission at the same August 4 meeting.
www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING 27
All were changed to now read as follows (new language underscored): Not more than 25 percent of the total roof area or roof section of any existing building or structure shall be repaired, replaced, or recovered in any 12-month period unless the entire existing roofing system or roof section is replaced to conform to requirements of this code.
Conscientious roofing contractors often find them selves defending our occupation when much of the property insurance problem originates from the insurance industry itself. It often begins with easy to manipulate or – even worse – fraudulent independent claims adjusters who seldom understand roofing damage and often approve or accept ridiculously over priced roof claims. Their inability or unwillingness to properly analyze roof damage and roof condition com bined with insurer’s legal departments reluctance to fight questionable claims has created an atmosphere that fosters the fraud they then blame for today’s soaring rates. Some unscrupulous attornies team up with similarly minded roofing contractors to take ad vantage of the easy money that exists due to this far too costly approach to claims handling. At some point, the underwriters noticed they were paying out too much in roofing claims and decided the best solution was to only write coverage on buildings with nearly new roofs. Similarly, too many of these adjusters don’t understand that what separates a good roof from a bad roof is so much more than age alone. Property owners are being forced to replace roofs with years of serviceable life remaining, adding to the cost of procuring coverage.
1, Revise section 706.1.1
Exception: If an existing roofing system or roof section was built, repaired, or replaced in compliance with the requirements of the 2007 Florida Building Code, or any subsequent editions of the Florida Building Code, and 25 percent or more of such roofing system or roof section is being repaired, replaced, or recovered, only the repaired, replaced, or recovered portion is required to be constructed in accordance with the Florida Building Code in effect, as applicable. Pursuant to s. 553.844(5), Florida Statutes, a local government may not adopt by ordinance an administrative or technical amendment to this exception To reiterate, this 25% rule change was prompted due to the perceived insurance claim abuse by those who have created what I call the “free roof syndrome.” It basically eliminates the 25% rule unless the roof was permitted prior to March 1, 2009, which was the im plementation date for the 2007 FBC. If in doubt about which code the previous work was permitted under, confirm this with the building department where your project is located as to when they adopted the 2007 FBC and which code applied.
28 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022 require a roof be newer than 15 years and that the roof system must also include a direct to deck sec ondary water barrier. This new restriction wasn’t part of the bill. Word is out that the insurers have the elimination of these requirements at the top of their legislative hit list. If you missed them, you can find additional information on these recent changes in the links below to FRSA’s Legislative Counsel Chris Dawson’s (www.floridaroof.com/frm7-22p10) and my (www.floridaroof.com/frm7-22p24) columns, both in the July issue of Florida Roofing magazine. We have recently received reports that many insurers are now using similar underwriting standards for low slope roofs. So far, these have mainly been for condominium roofs. They are typically well-perform ing roof systems that may be great candidates for coatings and routine maintenance. In one example, a would be compromised during removal of the numer ous fasteners and also need to be replaced. FRSA and the industry have joined together and overcame many challenges during the previous cen tury. This one, which President Criswell recognized in his acceptance speech, is among the most imposing. FRSA is addressing this issue on many fronts. The fu ture reputation of our profession, occupation and craft depends on how well we can tame Matt’s “elephant in the room.”
W H Y J O I N F R S A ? 8WWW.FLORIDAROOF.COM 00 767 3772 ext. 142. ANNA@FLORIDAROOF.COM B E C O M E A M E M B E R O F T H E A S S O C I A T I O N T H A T W O R K S F O R T H E I N D U S T R Y FRSA SIF FRSA Credit Union Code and Technical Support Florida Roofing Magazine Discounts on advertising Legal Counsel Adams and Reese HR Services Seay Management Aflac supplemental insurance Access to Workers' Comp with an unmatched safety and training program Access to our Residential Roof loan program. FRSA CU can assist with equipment loans and all other banking needs F R S A M e m b e r B e n e f i t s
FRM Mike Silvers, CPRC is owner of Silvers Systems Inc. and is consulting with FRSA as Director of Technical Services. Mike is an FRSA Past President, Life Member and Campanella Award recipient and brings over 40 years of industry knowledge and experience to FRSA’s team.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation
Affiliate Competition Winner?
Joe Byrne and NYFD Lt. Brian Grisanti, Tunnel To Towers
During each Convention, FRSA’s Affiliate Council plans a friendly competitive event and invites the 12 state affiliate chapters to participate. Entry fees and rules are established by the Affiliate Council, which is made up of the Affiliate Representative and the President from each chapter. Affiliates compete for bragging rights and get their name engraved on the FRSA Affiliate Challenge Cup. This tradition has taken place every year since 1981. Of course, the real winner is the President’s Charity of Choice – this year, the Tunnel to Tower Foundation. Entry fees and buy-in bets from the competition, along with donations made through the Convention registration site and personal donations to the charity, enabled FRSA to donate over $21,000 to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation – the largest amount to date raised for a Beingcharity.inDaytona, home of NASCAR racing, inspired the Affiliate Council to select a slot car race as the competition. Affiliates from across the state com peted and had a great time. The winners of this year’s competition were: ■
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First Place – Kenny Harp, Polk County Roofing Contractors Association ■ Second Place – Katherine Cleary, Palm Beach County Roofing & Sheet Metal Contractors Association ■ Third Place – Sandy Brinson, Northeast Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Contractors Association ■ Honorable Mention – Andrew Peet, Central Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Contractors Association After the competition, the racetrack was boxed up and donated to the Foundation Auction, where lucky winner, Tim Ellsworth won that competition and head ed home with the race set. We thank the Affiliates and those who made donations to the 2022 Charity of Choice! FRM
2021 FRSA-SIF Safety Awards
Springer-Peterson was founded in 1981 by Don Springer and Brooke Peterson to provide more service for customers. Don wanted to start a company where he wanted to go to work each day so that his employ ees would want to do the same. It has since grown into one of the largest roofing companies in the Central Florida area with over 130 vehicles on the road and over 200 employees. The unique set-up and capa bilities of Springer-Peterson have allowed them the ability to work on and be part of many diverse, com plicated projects. All operations are conducted out of one location, which is centrally located in the state and has enabled them to work a very large territory. In recent years, Springer-Peterson has been fortu nate to be able to expand their facilities so that each division within the company has a designated area of their own. Rob Springer started working for SpringerPeterson in 1985, when he bought into the company and became Vice President and partial owner with his father. Rob has obtained and retained the best, invalu able staff, both administratively as well as in the field.
Each year, the FRSA Self Insurers Fund issues Safety Achievement Awards to outstanding member compa nies who have improved or shown exceptional safety compliance within their companies during the prior year. The awards are given to members in each of the four areas within the state that FRSA-SIF Loss Control Representatives oversee.
Brad Mang, David Placensio, Rick Jenkins, Susan Jenkins, Tara Cole and Nathan Cole Diana King, Daniel Boatwright, Jamie Wetherington and Kevin Lindley
Since joining the FRSA Self Insurer’s Fund in 1981, this is the second time Springer-Peterson has been awarded this distinguished recognition. In speaking with the owner, Rob Springer, CPRC it became very clear that the company is determined to have the best team. They recognize the importance of training work ers not only in the most productive manner in which to complete their job but also in the safest way, with the most productive outcome. “Employees are essential to having work completed in our industry, it is a compa ny’s responsibility to train each employee to complete their work in a safe manner to enable them to return home every day and work another day. Quality service and strong performance are not an option, but rather a minimum requirement,” stated Rob.
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Springer-Peterson Roofing and Sheet Metal, Inc., Lakeland Kevin Lindley, Central Florida Loss Control Representative Springer-Peterson Roofing and Sheet Metal, Inc. is the 2021 recipient of the Outstanding Safety Award for the Central Florida district.
The 2021 Outstanding Safety Award for the West Coast of Florida district goes to Richard “Rick” Jenkins, owner of Quality Roofing, Inc. located in Tampa. Quality Roofing, Inc. is a third generation licensed and state certified roofing and general contracting firm. Rick has been in the roofing industry since 1974 when he first started working for his father’s roofing company. In 1994, Rick established Quality Roofing and opened his doors in Florida with 15 employees. Since then, the company has grown to 175 employees and $20 million dollars in annual sales. His success in the roofing industry is credited to his strong relationships with his staff, including wife Susan, daughter Tara and son-in law Nathan Cole. His mission statement of “Honest Integrity, with a focus on Safety and Quality” says what Rick truly believes is important at Quality Roofing, Inc. In 2018, Rick brought in David Placensio as the company’s Safety Director and since, the company’s safety and injury rate have greatly improved. David has been able to establish strong relationships with the personnel of Quality Roofing, Inc. and has created a proven safety culture through weekly safety meetings, incentive programs and specialty training with their loss control consultant. We congratulate Rick, Susan, Tara, Nathan and David, along with all the employees at Quality Roofing for a great job and wish them continued success with their business.
Quality Roofing, Inc., Tampa Brad Mang, West Florida Loss Control Representative
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Bohemia Roofing Co. Inc., Jacksonville Matt Savin, North Florida Loss Control Representative
Pavel Rathousky with a rescue dog Lucas Lucio, Paulo Souza and Jorge Castanon FRM
The 2021 Outstanding Safety Award for North Florida was awarded to Bohemia Roofing Co., Inc. Bohemia Roofing was founded by Ivana Hodulova and Pavel Rathousky in 2004. The two have worked togeth er to create a roofing company that thrives on their name and reputation and they have done a great job. They maintain that quality and safety are their largest concerns with any roofing project, which is no easy task for some of the high-end custom roofs they undertake.Pavelmakes sure that he is actively onsite and managing the projects, always maintaining control of the safety and quality of each roof. They ensure that all of their employees are properly trained for safety and all aspects of the job at hand. One point that Pavel stresses is to never use outside subcontractors and only use his own employees so that he can always ensure quality, control and safety. When Pavel and Ivana are not working in their roofing business, they also run an animal rescue which provides and cares for 10 to 20 animals at any given time. We congratulate Bohemia Roofing Co., Inc. on receiving this award and being a valued member since 2012.
Provincial South, Inc., Oakland Park Jorge Castanon, South Florida Loss Control Representative Provincial South, Inc. (PSI Roofing), is the 2021 recip ient of the Outstanding Safety Award for the South FloridaDarrickdistrict.Gockerell, CEO, founded PSI Roofing in 1994. Throughout the years, Darrick has been involved in many recognized trade associations and organi zations. He is one of the founding members (2005) and a former board member of The National Roofing Partners (NRP). In the past, he held executive positions on the boards of the Roofing Contractors Association of South Florida (RCASF) as well as the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA). Paulo Souza started working for PSI in 2006 as a Project Coordinator and, through his hard work and dedication, has worked his way up the ranks to be come President of PSI Roofing in 2014. Paulo is very involved with RCASF and has held several board posi tions, including Past President. Due to their high morals, ethical standards and continued dedication toward workplace safety, this company has become a success. Through their hard work and concern for workplace safety, Darrick and Paulo have established means for the control and prevention of losses, giving them an outstanding loss history record that has earned them this esteemed award.We congratulate Darrick and Paulo, along with all the employees of PSI Roofing, for a great job and wish them continued success.
Springer Peterson Roofing and Sheet Metal has maintained an impeccable experience modification rating. Rob attributes the company’s safety culture to the EHS Manager, Jamie Wetherington. In 2018, Jamie assumed the safety responsibilities at SpringerPeterson and was able to analyze the safety behavioral needs of the company and, with the support of the en tire company, made an immediate impact. Safety is not a career choice in Jamie’s opinion, it is a passion that he has to empower and grow in each individual worker, so that they recognize the impact each of them have on one another’s wellbeing. Springer-Peterson has developed and utilized a training program for each worker that starts the first day for every new hire and continues throughout their duration of employment. They have constructed a training room and soon plan to build a training center where they are able to conduct hands-on full safety training at their facility before workers are sent into the field. They are pro active in obtaining information before starting each job to ensure their employees have all the tools and equipment needed for each project before they arrive on the job to make them successful from day one. We congratulate Springer-Peterson Roofing and Sheet Metal, Inc. and all their employees for receiving this award and wish them continued success with their business.
Tom has served on FRSA’s Codes and Roof Tile Committees and the Codes Subcommittee for many years, probably the hardest working committees at FRSA. He currently serves as the co-chair for the Codes Committee. The knowledge he has gained from his varied career is an important component of what these committees accomplish, and they accomplish a lot. Tom was awarded a well-deserved Honorary Membership in recognition of his outstanding contri butions to the industry and Association. You will find him at every FRSA function, but reliable sources tell us he especially enjoys after hours festivities at the annual Convention. He is probably not unique in that respect, but there are some interesting stories. For the professionalism and insight that he brings to every FRSA meeting and his dedicated service over many years, it is our honor to present the 2022 Earl Blank Memorial Heart Award to Tom Gans, TCG Roof Inspections, Tampa. Congratulations Tom! FRM
Tom Gans Receives Memorial Heart Award
FRSA has been fortunate to have many wonderful Associate members over the years. Candidates for the Earl Blank Memorial Heart Award have always been plentiful and Tom Gans is counted among them. Tom is truly a lot like Mr. Blank, who was a humble and knowl edgeable person respected by all who knew him. Like so many in the Florida roofing industry, Tom is not originally from Florida. He was born in Ohio and grew up in Winchester, VA where he attended National Business College in Roanoke, before eventually finding his way to Florida. His roofing career has also been like others in the industry, working in various capacities until he found his niche. He has been a sales representative for Koppers, an employee of Milbrand Roofing, Miami and was a contractor partner in Gulfstates Industries, New Port Richey. Tom eventually sold his interest in the roofing company and started his own consulting firm, TCG Roof Inspections, which is now well known in the Tampa roofing and consulting community. His marriage to his lovely wife Donna produced two children and later a granddaughter, all of whom are the joys of his life. He also enjoys golf whenever he has the time, something he will tell you there never seems to be enough of.
Tom Gans pictured with Earl Blank’s daughters: Carol, Tina and Patsy.
Rip graduated from UF with a degree in advertising, opened his own ad agency at age twenty-five and worked in advertising and marketing for many years. During these years, he found the time to invent and patent products using connectivity tech nology (think batteries). It was also during this time that a friend suggested he look at roofing as a possible career change. Rip, challenging himself again, took him up on the offer and went to work in the industry. He worked for others for a while, then sat for the state roofing contractors’ li cense exam and became a certified roofing contractor. Rip started his own company four years ago, about the same time he joined FRSA. Weather Shield Metal Roofing, Gulf Breeze, is already a fixture in the Panhandle residential metal roofing market. Rip is married with two grown children. He is especially proud that his son just passed the roofing contractors’ license exam at age twenty-four. Rip is starting a new company specializing in shingle roofing, where the newest contractor in the family will be in charge.Upon joining FRSA, Rip immediately became in volved with committees. He serves on FRSA’s Board of Directors, co-chairs the FRSA Membership Committee and sits on the Codes and Roof Tile Committees. On the Membership Committee, he has used his market ing experience to assist staff with ideas and ways in which to promote FRSA and membership. For the positive presence he brings to every meet ing and his good will ambassador personality, we are pleased to present the 2022 Bieler Enthusiasm Award to Rip Hanks. Congratulations Rip! FRM
Rip is a Pensacola native, growing up with a daredevil streak that led him to challenge himself at an early age. He was a pioneer in the Pensacola skateboarding community in the 1970s. Don’t believe me? Check out the video on YouTube. In 1977, he held the world skateboarding high-jump record, over five feet straight up – jumping off of and back on – a moving skateboard. Not content to just roll around on solid ground, Rip also took up surfing at an early age. He attended the University of Florida where he was on the UF Surfing team and participated in the 1984 National Surfing Competition. He designs and makes his own boards, unique creations of mahogany, red oak and poplar.
Enthusiasm shows it’s face in many ways. There is the Bill Bieler style, all high energy and nonstop movement and there is also the more quietly effective enthusiasm of many of our vol unteer members. Rip Hanks is somewhere in the middle. He has been a member of FRSA for four years and has built a reputation among FRSA staff as ready and on-call should he be needed.
Rip Hanks Wins Enthusiasm Award
42 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022 784LinkedInfollowers 294 unique visitors, a 410% increase from the prior month Facebook Engaged 1,643 people 1,900 followers on Facebook and 1,400 likes 1,100Instagramfollowers Twitter Over 800 impressions Feathr Digital Advertising FRSA Expo marketing campaign hit 100,175 views with 9,949 reach Florida Roofing Over 500 issues of Florida Roofing magazine were distributed to new readers Affiliate Competition Winners 1st PCRCA – Kenny Harp 2nd PBCRSM – Katherine Cleary 3rd NEFRSA – Sandy Brinson Amount Raised by the competition$3,100 Convention by the Numbers Social Media Engagement During Convention Auction funds raised $43,356 Highest grossing item $5,300 Number of items 152 Average bids per item 10 Total number of bids 1,524 246 Participants 28 Educational Seminars 21 Speakers 24 CE Credits Offered 905 Seminar Attendees Team FRSA 11 Staff Members ed Foundation Raffle Winner Joe Byrne $5,000 Scholarships Number of Recipients 19 | Total Awarded $33,500 2023 Expo 100% Sold Out 406 Booths 2,986 Total Hotel Room Nights 3,564 Convention & Expo Registrations Foundation AuctionSports Tournaments Total raised for the Charity of Choice $21,500 StAr Awards 27 Submissions 11 AwardS.T.A.R.Recipients One Shining RoofingCongratulationsStarRegister&SheetMetal! 415 Booths Sold 78 SponsorsEvent 241 CompaniesExhibiting NewMembers 7Signeduponsite
There are two types of general liability insurance: claims-based and occurrence. Claims-based, which tends to be cheaper than oncurrence, only covers in cidents where the claim was made during your period of coverage. So, if an accident occurs and you weren’t aware of it until after your policy had expired, you won’t be covered. Occurrence insurance, on the other hand, provides coverage for any incident that happens during your coverage period, even after the policy is no longer in Workers’place.compensation is an essential insurance coverage for roofing contractors due to the inherent dangers of the trade. If an employee is injured on the job and you don’t have workers’ missedforcompanyinsurance,compensationyourroofingmayhavetopaymedicaltreatmentsandwagesoutofpocket.Also,whenanemployeeacceptsworkers’compensationbenefits,theycedetherighttosuethecompany,whichprotectsyoufromexorbitantpunitivedamagecostsincourt.Moststates,includingFlorida,mandatethat
In the alphabet soup of insurance – GL, E&O, P&C, etc. – it can be difficult to determine the essential coverag es that a roofing contractor in the state of Florida may need. Here are details on each of the main insurance types you should consider obtaining to protect your business.Ageneral liability policy covers businesses from financial losses related to property damage, acci dental personal injuries or lawsuits. Notably, it does not include employee injuries, tools or work vehicles, punitive damages, or errors and omissions.
Large-scale mistakes, like propane torches left overnight that cause a fire, have become major lia bilities for roofers. Problems can also arise in a more indirect manner, such as a failure to secure proper flashing during installation that leads to water in trusion; or, a miscalculation of the weight needed to secure an HVAC unit on a roof that leads to distress of the building’s exterior foundation and walls. Any of these scenarios can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of damages and put your roofing company in peril. Smart businesses know that to recover quickly from a setback, they need to be prepared. Having general liability insurance is a cru cial form of protection for your business but it often isn’t enough to fully cover the costs associated with work-related incidents.
employers purchase workers’Suretycomp.bonds are another important coverage for roofing contractors. Sometimes known as contractor bonds, they pay your customers if you don’t complete a job, go out of business, go bankrupt or simply run into unforeseen issues. Having this type of coverage may be required for larger contracts; ultimately, cus tomers prefer contractors with surety bonds because they know they will be compensated if you fail to finish theErrorswork. and omissions (E&O) insurance coverage, as the name suggests, covers businesses for mistakes, giving bad advice or failing to perform certain aspects of the job. An E&O policy might cover, for example, the businesses that made the flashing mistake and HVAC calculation blunder mentioned earlier. E&O insurance is similar to general liability insurance but is specifically related to the professional services you provide, not the property, equipment or operations.
Another key asset to protect for the health of your business are your tools and equipment. Tools and equipment insurance, also known as tool or equip ment floater insurance, can pay for the repair or replacement of important tools like shingle cutters and roofing knives. This type of insurance covers both damage and theft of tools and equipment; it does not
Why General Liability Insurance Isn’t Enough in the Event of a Disaster
There are many risks involved in roofing. Roofing contractors who have the proper insurance cover age, beyond just commercial general liability, can better protect their business and gain a competitive advantage.Thereis little room for error in roofing. Faulty workmanship, the use of defective materials and poor design are all risks roofing contractors must avoid when performing their work.
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Corey Slavik, Property and Casualty Advisor, HUB International Continued on page 55
Commercial auto insurance covers your company vehicles when an auto accident causes third-party injuries and property damage. It also provides cover age to repair company vehicles that are damaged by weather damage or vandalism. Purchasing commer cial auto insurance is mandatory in Florida, but it’s also smart business to protect such key assets.
What Coverage Do You Need?
Thank You for a Successful Foundation Auction in Daytona Beach
Many Hands, Light Work
FRM Item High Bidder High Bid Custom One-of-One AR10 Dale Martin $5,300 The Catch-All‚ Medium Landscape Protection Kit Donald Schwartz $2,830 CertainTeed‚ One Pallet of Flintlastic SA Wesley Cone $2,425 Crown Royal Whiskeys – 1920s Leather Travel Trunk Gift Basket Tonya Steele $1,550 Eagle Roofing Products – Eagle Armour (One Pallet) Edgar Quintin $1,525 Old Fitzgerald, Crown Royal, Johnnie Walker, Gran Patron Chuck Peterson $1,480 Gulf Coast Supply and Manufacturing – DJI Air 2S Fly More Drone Combo Wesley Cone $1,275 KARNAK Package #3 of 5‚ 502 K-Flex Joe Snyder $ 975 TAMKO Titan XT Shingles‚ 10 Squares Chris Wiedenhoeft $ 950 IB Roof Systems – 2022 Chick-Fil-A Kick-off Game Tickets for Two Brendon Mitcham $ 900 Top Ten Highest Bid Items
One Auction item that stopped people in their tracks was a Crown Royal 1920s Travel Trunk package, do nated by FRSA Technical Director Mike Silvers, CPRC. It featured several bottles of out-of-production and hard-to-find Crown Royal Whiskey along with cigars, a “.22 cailber” cigar lighter, waterproof playing cards and more. The package received the highest number of bids (52) of any non-roofing material auction item. It was valued at $750 and, by Thursday, the bidding had already topped $1,000. On Friday, a couple of hours before the Auction closed at 1:00 pm, Tonya Steele –who had been bidding on the item all along – placed one final bid at $1,550 to outbid the previous high bid of $1,525. The bid held and Tonya was the high bidder – but that was just the beginning. Tonya being Tonya, she informed Mike that she was donating the collection back to the Foundation to be auctioned off again next year in memory of Steve Steele, her late husband. Her generosity proved contagious. Foundation President George Ebersold, who was at the Auction after it closed to help deliver items to high bidders, heard the news.
The 2022 Foundation Auction raised over $43,000 for industry education, research and scholarships this year at the 100th Annual Convention and Expo. Manny Oyola’s and George Ebersold’s custom AR-10 went for $5,300. We are not sure but this may be the highest amount paid for a single item in the three decades of the Auction. Dale Martin, Dal Mar Roofing Industries, South Daytona Beach, was the high bidder.
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Crown Royal Whiskey Gift Trunk to Return to 2023 Auction in Tribute to Steve Steele
“Are you going to?” Tonya asked encouragingly, holding her hand up for a high five from George. The high five sealed the deal and now that bottle will be featured as a part of the “Steve Steele Crown Royal Travel Trunk” package in next year’s Auction. So, if you missed winning this item this year, you’ll get another opportunity in 2023.
Of course, the success of the FRSA Foundation Auction depends upon the many donations that we receive from people and companies throughout the industry and beyond. In all, there were 152 separate auction packages up for bid. Thanks team!
“Maybe,” he said to Tonya, “maybe I’ll donate my bottle of XR to add to the basket for next year.” The bottle of Crown Royal XR (Extra Rare) – from the burned down Lasalle distillery – is valued between $500 and $1,000. It was clear, as George warmed up to his own idea of donating the bottle, that he had become a little attached to it.
John Hellein, FRSA Educational & Research Foundation Director
Seven Ways Business Texting Improves Customer Communication
If most homeowners want to be texted, why do so few roofers offer texting? Everyone knows the bene fits of personal texting, but the advantages aren’t as clear for business interactions. Here are seven major ways business texting can help your roofing company.
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Get Your Messages Read A fast-paced world means more information and less time to read it. Make sure customers read your messages by communi cating with them on their terms. Email is outdated and phone calls can come at inconvenient times. But texting is simple and home owners want simplicity. They can easily open your text message and respond when they have a free moment. Not only do texts have a five times higher open rate than email but 90 percent of people open a text within three minutes. With texting, you know customers see your message even if they never respond.
Email has been the business communication method of choice for years, but emails don’t reach customers. The truth is that customers are dealing with a flood of emails every day. Your roofing company’s high-priority emails are getting buried under email ads, coupons and bills. For the most part, your customers might not even realize they got your email. So how do you fix this? The answer is business texting. Think about it. People like texts. In fact, 87 percent of homeowners primarily want to talk to roofing con tractors over text. That’s over 20 times the number of people who want to hear from you by email (only 4 percent – 9 percent other means).
Briquelle Simpson, Freelance Writer
Save Time with Automations
Poor communication leads to bad customer expe riences and reviews. In fact, 47 percent of negative reviews trace back to a lack of communication. Your customers want to know what’s going on with their roof. Typically, all they need is a quick update. If your customers have to reach out to see what’s happening, you’ve already failed.
Avoid Email Issues
customers want to be able to communicate with you and get an immediate response. If you adopt business texting before your competitors do, you’ll have a clear advantage. Your roofing company will be the one raising the bar that everyone else has to mea sure up to. And that brings more customers to you. Harness the Power of Texting
Only 12 percent of companies track customer commu nication. Most businesses have individual sales reps reach out to customers. But do you know what those reps are saying? Do you know what promises they’re making to your customers? Take that a step further: do your reps know how to spell and use correct grammar? Those nuances make a big difference in how your customers perceive you. If you don’t know what or how your staff is talking to your customers, you don’t really know what kind of experience they’re having.
Track Conversations for Better Visibility
Captured and controlled texting ensures you don’t have any blind spots in your business communications. Provide your customers with a better experience and give yourself full insight into your company with one simple feature.
Briquelle Simpson is a freelance writer and search enthusiast who loves to cover everything from law to software. Since 2014, Briquelle has contributed to several magazines and websites, including JobNimbus, Roofing & Exteriors, Ancestry and Podium.
How many times have you sent an email only to hear your customer never got it or the message was au tomatically directed to spam and deleted? You aren’t sure if anyone sees your email and email responses are slim to none. But texting has an eight times higher response rate than email. If you rely on email for all your customer commu nication, you’re holding your business back. Texting ensures your roofing messages make it to your cus tomers and get seen.
Text is the perfect way to keep your customers in the loop. It takes you a second to send them a mes sage and then they know what to expect. A little bit of communication can shoot your reviews through the roof. Not to mention that customers are more likely to leave you a review if you ask them through text instead of email. Texting also helps when customers aren’t happy with their roof experience. They can text you before they post a negative review about what happened. You’ll have a chance to smooth things out before it ever reaches the internet. As a bonus, you can use that feedback to improve future customer interactions.
Do you want to send personalized messages without spending tons of time on them? Automated texts let you do just that. Write a text message template and then the platform can autofill the customer’s name and address for you. Texting automations also prevent messages from falling through the cracks: they’ll always go out when they are supposed to. You can create your message in advance, save it as a template, then schedule the software to automatically personalize and send it.
FRM
To beat out your roofing competition, you have to give customers a phenomenal experience and texting is theYourkey.
If one of your employees has to hand off a custom er, the new rep can see all the past texts in the system. They’ll have all the information they need to provide a seamless customer experience.
Have an Advantage over the Competition
50 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022
All Messages in One Place
Customers want a convenient roofing experience. If your competition offers texting but your company doesn’t, who do you think homeowners will choose?
Business texting makes communication convenient for both your roofing company and your customers. With more homeowners wanting to text your compa ny than ever before, you don’t want to miss out. The industry has several texting platforms to choose from, including Salesmsg, Textedly and, the newest option for roofing contractors, JobNimbus Engage. Start reaching your customers the way they want to hear from you with text. Both sides will enjoy smoother communication, faster response times and a better experience.
Andrew Stockton from Elite Windows and Doors says that business texting is “not only communicating with the customer but the biggest thing is that compa nies have is their own internal data on the team, taking notes on what’s being said.”
Get More (and Better) Reviews
Using a texting platform keeps all messages in one place for better business continuity. All your business texts are consolidated for easy tracking.
ADAMSANDREESE.COM // TRENT.COTNEY@ARLAW.COM // 866.303.5868 PROUDLYREPRESENTING THE ROOFING INDUSTRY MAIN OFFICE: TAMPA
Learn to Identify Business-Critical Processes
■ What effects will your company feel if the econo my shuts down?
3 Ways to Start a Process-Centered Model
Pre-Operational Planning to Reduce Risk
The construction industry, especially the roofing industry has never had a more significant wave of risk than in the last few years since the pandemic’s start. It put the entire world in partial lockdown, leading to shortages, supply chain issues, inflation and many other issues.
54 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022
Include people and processes, two areas often ignored during such planning in a business transformation platform.Complex relationships exist between people, capabilities and strategies and each has risks. Add the technology – the applications and systems infra structure – and you will see multiple overlaps across processes. Find the tools to deal with these complexi ties, including a process-oriented business model. For continuity, you must manage the risk of impacts and maintain your business operations. Like the COVID-19 pandemic, use this kind of model for an overall busi ness transformation to manage massive risk. A process-oriented model shows you how to improve yourUsework.technological developments such as workflow automation and process mining to identify where you can achieve the most effective return on investment. This approach can reduce the impact of significant disruptions and clearly define what actions to take to restore your business operations.Youneed a tool that considers the context of your overall business structure to allow for better decision-making. As you model the potential for risk and impacts of a pandem ic, for example, models need a common denominator, a complete data set. Impact models allow you to make better choices and to better understand the potential impacts of a crisis and how to manage it. Ask these questions:
Address Challenges, Establish Effective Risk Management
The pandemic is only one example of the many unexpected challenges. No one can predict the disrup tive forces that lie ahead that will throw your business world into chaos. Your best weapon is to dig deeper into your core business processes to prepare them for the next risk wave.
As an owner or manager, you must understand how any risk of interruption impacts operations and the customer experience. It would be best if you learned how to contain the impact of risk by planning and pre paring for those times when a threat rears its head.
Identify your most critical processes. This is important to reduce risk at high strategic and operational pro cess levels. Are your current controls effective enough to handle the increased risk? Identify your critical supply chain. With this, you can analyze your workflows regionally and identify the regional and global potential for disruption. Understanding your supply chain will help you restore these connections quickly. Identify your critical people. Have a backup strat egy of responsibilities to ensure your key processes are covered during a large-scale disruption. This leads to a continued positive customer experience and helps you maintain your operational business. Using CONSULTING GROUP
John Kenney, CPRC, CEO, Cotney Consulting Group
Every company needs a pre-operational plan to reduce risk. There are many complex challenges to anticipate and it is essential you have a plan established, an ef fective risk management plan. When developing a pre-operational plan, you must capture every critical object that risk will impact. While many companies take an IT-heavy approach – and technology is essential – the scope is too narrow.
■ How will this shutdown affect your daily work Aroutine?business transformation platform is crucial to understanding your business’s complexities and managing its risk effectively. Today, nobody manag es their financial data without a spreadsheet. So, do not try to address other complex processes without a process-oriented business model. While it can be helpful to look at past experiences, risk assessment makes it possible to imagine what may happen next and the potential impacts of the event. A process-cen tric business model shows data and impact together in the process context, so you can fully understand the effects of a risk incident.
COTNEY
a process-centered business model reduces the time lost determining who is responsible for what decisions and getting problems solved as they occur. A process-centered model allows you to onboard people quickly and effectively. This includes processes that allow employees to work remotely where possi ble. This is also a great reason to document processes and keep them up to date. Understanding the degree of impact on various parts of your business will help you when it is time to bring people back online. So, know which processes belong to which departments and how they matter.
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and partners, you can iden tify potential backup suppliers to help mitigate risk and ensure continuity. And, of course, you must understand your IT landscape and its effect on all your business process es. Have a mitigation plan in place in case your IT is suddenly unavailable. Store all this information in a cloud repository where it will be accessible when risk hits. This will help you prepare to move from “normal mode” to “emergency mode” when necessary. Act now while chaos and its risk are fresh on your mind. This will give you and your team more con fidence, knowing you have the tools to handle any trouble as it arises.
FRM
Growing. Expanding. Remaining True to Quality & Service. integritymetalsfl.com772-584-2654 cover damaged or stolen materials such as roofing shingles.Umbrella insurance is a type of add-on coverage to an existing policy that raises the maximum coverage for your business. Depending on the amount of risk you’re assuming and the types of projects, equipment and properties your business maintains, your existing coverage may be too low to fully protect you in the case of adverse events.
The Professional Difference Insurance coverage can protect your roofing compa ny from potentially catastrophic losses associated with running your business, allowing you to rebound and continue to grow. Just as importantly, though, is how the proper coverage can impact your customer’s perception of your business. Fly-by-night contractors without the proper insurance don’t have the longev ity or respect of professionals with solid insurance coverage.
There may be a role and a function that go hand-inhand. Suppose multiple people are capable of filling that role. In that case, you can mitigate any potential risk by plugging people in based on their location and ability to Knowingperform.yoursuppliers
| FLORIDA ROOFING 55
FRM Corey Slavik is a Property and Casualty advisor for HUB International in Melbourne. He is responsible for new business development and maintaining client re lationships. Corey specializes in complex Property and Liability Insurance and Risk Management programs for businesses, with a focus on Contractors, Commercial Real Estate and Manufacturers. Insurance, continued from page 43
John Kenney, CPRC has over 45 years of experience in the roofing industry. He started his career by work ing as a roofing apprentice at a family business in the North-east and worked his way up to operating multi ple Top 100 Roofing Contractors. If you would like any further information on this or another subject, you can contact John at jkenney@cotneyconsulting.com.
Fishing Tournament
Tournament Winners ■ First Place – Andrew Mullen Second Place – Joe McCormack Lady Angler – Jennifer Cape Pistol Shooting Tournament
The rifle shooting tournament was also held at Volusia Top Gun, sponsored by FG Building Products and host ed 24 people.
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The fishing tournament sponsored by Walker Rep Group took place in Cape Canaveral with 80 anglers on 15 boats.
FRSA Convention Tournament Winners
58 FLORIDA ROOFING | September 2022
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The pistol shooting tournament was held at Volusia Top Gun, an indoor facility. The event was sponsored by BRI Roof Consulting Corp. and hosted 14 people.
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Tournament Winners First Place – Sean Beery 192 Second Place – Peter Helton 170 Third Place – Dave Lyons 125
Rifle Shooting Tournament
Each year, during FRSA’s Annual Convention, sports tournaments are held the first day and include fishing, golfing, pistol and rifle shooting events.
www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING 59 Tournament Winners ■ First Place – Chris Rajala 188 ■ Second Place – Steve Stanchick 184 ■ Third Place – Abraham Nichols 184 Golf Tournament The golf tournament, held at LPGA International, was sponsored by Sunniland Corp. and Furman Insurance and hosted 128 golfers. Tournament Winners First Place Team ■ Andrew Bateman ■ Justin Dorminey ■ Shea O’Neil ■ Ethan Cash Second Place Team ■ Jeff Sommer ■ Brian Swope Longest Drive ■ Jeff Sommer FRM TM ozbee.com Sell work. Produce work. Keep score.™ Job Address ObservationDocumentsAppointmentTrackingSchedulingManagementReports Job EarnedSchedulingRevenue Forecasting Transparency Reports Certification Documentation Stop mixing and matching software solutions to run your construction business.
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