By Evelyn Witterholt, RCS Reporter. 

The North / East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA) is set to host its 94th annual trade show.  

This year’s North / East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA) Convention and Trade Show is expected to have a great turnout. The event is set to take place March 1 – 3 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Although the deadline for registration has passed, we are currently offering a free pass that contractors can use at the door to attend the event. 

With nearly 200 booths and quality educational seminars, this convention is great event for contractors in the northeastern United States to attend. RoofersCoffeeShop® will be there at booth 529, so swing by and say hi to Heidi Ellsworth, Karen Edwards and Tim Ellsworth. At the booth we’ll be giving out our special 20th anniversary celebratory swag! 

National Women in Roofing (NWIR) will also be there at booth 130 and they will be hosting a networking event on March 2 at 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Members from the NWIR board of directors and local councils will be attending and time will be devoted to discussing empowering women in the roofing industry. Register for the event today! 

Here are some other booths work checking out: 

• ABC Supply – Booth #411 

• A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply – Booth #425 

• APOC – Booth #118 

• ATAS International – Booth #226 

• Beacon Building Products – Booth #401 

• CertainTeed – Booth #301 

• DECRA Metal Roofing – Booth #125 

• Duro-Last – Booth #233 

• Estimating Edge – Booth #606 

• Flascho – Booth #127 

• GCP – Booth #326 

• Hunter Panels – Booth #612 

• ICP Group – Booth #620 

• IKO – Booth #229 

• Johns Manville – Booth #417 

• Leap – Booth #531 

• Owens Corning – Booth #114 

• Polyglass – Booth #228 

• Sashco – Booth #624 

• Sika – Booth #325 

Learn more about NERCA in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.nerca.org.   

About NERCA 

NERCA is the founder of the NEREF scholarship. They are the regional association for roofing contractors covering the northeast part of the country.  Their territory includes: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Delaware.

By North/East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA). 

By donating to the silent auction for NEREF, you will be assisting NERCA in providing their members the opportunity to pursue post-secondary education! 

For over 20 years, the North East Roofing Educational Foundation (NEREF) has been providing scholarships for those who are interested in post-secondary education or vocational training. They offer financial help for roofers, employees or their immediate family who are seeking to further their education. 

This year we awarded 13, $3,000.00 scholarships. Since inception we’ve provided over $559,500.00 in financial assistance to your employees and their family members, a statistic the trustees are proud of yet feel motivated to increase. And now, we would like to invite you to join us and help with our Silent Auction. 

The silent auction will be held on March 2 and 3, 2022 at the North/East Roofing Contractor Association 94th Annual Convention and Trade Show, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey. 

Making a donation is a terrific way to show your support. Please consider supporting the foundation by donating items such as sports tickets, jewelry, weekend getaways, timeshares, rental property, golf clubs, golf foursomes, gift certificates, roofing products or tools, cash donation or any other idea you can think of. 

All proceeds from the auction will go to the North East Roofing Educational Foundation, so they may continue to provide scholarships and reach more roofing industries families. 

The success of the auction greatly depends on the participation and generosity of our valued members and industry friends. To contribute to the auction please fill out the attached form that can be found here. 

In appreciation of your continued support, we thank you. 

Learn more about NERCA in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.nerca.org.   

About North East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA):   

NERCA is a regional association for roofing contractors in the northeast part of the United States. Our organization covers many states, including: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Delaware.

By Lauren White, RCS Editor. 

Join RCA presidents as they discuss Regional Strategies for Post-COVID Success at IRE 2021. 

As we all continue to navigate the Coronavirus, many are wondering what a post-COVID world will look like and how to maintain success.  On August 10 at 7:45 a.m., Roofing Contractor Association (RCA) presidents will discuss Regional Strategies for Post-COVID Success at the International Roofing Expo (IRE).  This is a panel you won’t want to miss!  Our very own Heidi J. Ellsworth will be moderating and will be joined by Greta Bajrami, Kelly Lea and Leo Ibarra. 

Greta Bajrami, the CEO and founder of Golden Group Roofing in Massachusetts, migrated to the U.S. from Tirana, Albania when she was nine.  Her fierce leadership and female representation in the industry has gained her the respect and following of many entrepreneurs that are up and coming in the industry.  Greta is also the treasurer for the North East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA).  

Starting at the age of 13, Kelly Lea worked as a laborer at his father’s company Leaway Roofing, putting himself through college.  He earned a BS in Construction Engineering Technology and is now the general manager of Texas Roof Management.  Kelly has been on the board for the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) for over ten years and is looking forward to moving into the role of president in November. 

In 1988, Leo Ibarra started his roofing career at Saddleback Roofing.  And in 1991 he began working as an apprentice for Blue’s Roofing Company, a commercial roofing contractor in Milpitas, California.  He worked his way up to journeyman, foreman, project manager and is currently the vice president.  Leo is actively involved in the industry, serving as the president for Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA) and is on the board of directors for Associated Roofing Contractors of the Bay Area Counties, Inc. 

During the panel, RCA presidents will discuss: 

• Post-COVID world 

• Material shortages 

• Regulations and advocacy 

• Safety  

• Association involvement  

Register for the IRE today and make sure to attend Regional Strategies for Post-COVID Success. 

By North East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA).  

The health and safety of our members, attendees and staff is our top priority and we can’t wait to celebrate in person in 2022. 

The North East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA) Executive Committee and Board of Directors announced with heavy hearts that we will have to postpone the Annual Convention & Trade Show for another year. The trade show will now take place March 1-3, 2022.  

The Convention & Trade Show are part of the Association’s culture bringing together our contractor and associate members along with other roofers from across the northeast. Now more than ever, we recognize the value of meeting in person to exchange ideas, find a competitive edge and just have a few laughs. 

The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City is working with NERCA’s staff and Board of Directors to cover every contingency and ensure that the rescheduled event will be every bit as successful as we know it would have been before the pandemic. As we have proven repeatedly, the safety of our members, attendees and staff will always come first. 

Learn more about NERCA in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.nerca.org.  

Original article source: NERCA 

About North East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA):  

NERCA is a regional association for roofing contractors in the northeast part of the United States. Our organization covers many states, including: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Delaware. 

We have long-lasting relationships with other national organizations, notably National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) as well as other major players in the roofing industry. Our annual regional trade is also one of the largest in the country. You can become a member, contact the association office or visit our website for more information. 

By North East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA). 

NEREF provides scholarships to deserving individuals in the roofing community to assist in furthering their education.  

The North East Roofing Educational Foundation (NEREF) has instituted a scholarship program to support employees and their immediate family members who plan to pursue post-secondary education through college or vocational programs. Fifteen scholarships will be awarded each year for full-time study at any accredited post-secondary institution of the student’s choice. Payment will be made in August and checks will be mailed to the bursar of the school of the scholarship winner.  

To be eligible, applicants to the North East Roofing Educational Foundation Scholarship Program must be members of NERCA, their employees, or their respective immediate family (defined as self, spouse, or child) or high school seniors or graduates who plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study at an accredited two or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school. 

Application  

Interested students must complete this application and mail it along with a current and complete transcript of grades to NEREF postmarked no later than May 15, 2021. Applications may be reproduced as needed. 

Applicants are responsible for gathering and submitting all necessary information. Applications are evaluated on the information supplied; therefore, answer all questions as completely as possible. All information received is considered confidential. 

Selection of recipients 

Scholarship recipients are selected based on academic record, potential to succeed, leadership, and participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience, a statement of educational and career goals, and an outside appraisal. Financial need is not considered. 

Final selection of recipients is made by the NEREF Board of Trustees. Award recipients will be notified by June 30. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients. Students may reapply to the program each year they meet the eligibility requirements. 

Revisions 

The North East Roofing Educational Foundation reserves the right to review the conditions and procedures of this scholarship program and to make changes at any time including termination of the program. 

Additional information 

Questions regarding the scholarship program should be addressed to: 

North East Roofing Educational Foundation, Inc. 

Scholarship Program 

100 Grossman Drive Suite 300 

Braintree, MA 02184 

Telephone: (781) 849-0555 

Fax: (781) 849-3223 

Learn more about NERCA in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.nerca.org 

By Colin Sheehan, RCS Reporter. 

NEREF needs your help to award as many scholarships as possible to deserving students.  

The North East Roofing Educational Foundation (NEREF) was formed to provide financial assistance for relatives, employees or immediate family members of employees, who are seeking post-secondary education in college or vocational programs. 

The foundation provided fourteen scholarships this past spring and hopes to provide more this year. Scholarships, as well as other foundation events, operate solely on contributions through donations and fund-raising initiatives. Unfortunately, NEREF was unable to run their silent auction alongside their annual convention and golf outing due to the pandemic. Now more than ever NEREF needs your donations. 

There are a variety of scholarship donation options and payment plans. All contributions, no matter the amount, are appreciated by the foundation and make a difference. Since the Foundation is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit corporation, all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. These donations are also a great way for your company to help support future workers of the industry. 

Below are two programs for your consideration: 

Foundation Friends Program  

Corporate and personal donations from members of the roofing industry are accepted for this program. For this program, select a level of contribution and either make a one-time payment or your donation can be paid yearly for up to five years.  

The levels of contribution to choose from include: 

• Scholarship $60,000 
• Titanium $25,000 
• Diamond $12,000 
• Platinum $10,000 
• Gold $7,500 
• Silver $5,000 
• Bronze $2,500 
• Copper $1,000 

Corporations or individuals who make a donation of $60,000 or more have the great honor and opportunity to establish a scholarship in either their corporate or personal name for 20 years. This is an excellent way to make your mark and create continued support for students and their futures.  

Sponsor a Scholarship 

This entirely new program allows you to name a scholarship for the year if you donate $3,000 or more. You can name the scholarship in honor of someone, your family, your company or anything else of your choosing.  

The foundation is incredibly grateful to all corporations and individuals who choose to make a difference in the industry and support the pursuit of education. 

Download a Foundation Friends form 

Download a Sponsor a Scholarship form 

Learn more about NERCA in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.nerca.org. 

By Karen L. Edwards, RCS Editor.

Each week someone wins a prize for answering a question; next week’s winner could be you!

One of the best things about our contests and giveaways is getting to meet the winners and sharing their stories on our site. This week’s winner of Answer Me This, a fun, single question quiz sponsored by Gibraltar Building Accessories as part of their ‘Construction Solutions’ campaign was Joseph Metrando of JAM Associates, Inc. in Poughkeepsie, New York.  

Typically, we call and interview our winners, but Joseph took it one step further by sending us his roofing story. He shared that he has been roofing for 35 years, having started right after high school at the age of 17. In 1991, he started his own company called JAM Home Improvements where he specialized in residential roofing and siding.

They joined Bird Roofing’s Professional Roofing Contractor Certification program and has been a member since 1995. After meeting Monroe Porter while attending a CertainTeed seminar, Joseph became part of Porter’s PROSULT™ networking program in 2001. This gave Joseph the opportunity to network with other contractor members throughout the United States.

“Through that networking we learned about Duro-Last® Roofing,” writes Joseph. “We became a Duro-Last contractor in 2003 and started transitioning our business from residential roofing to commercial flat and low-slope roofing.”

As part of the transition, Joseph changed the name of his business. “We incorporated our business in 2005 as JAM Associates, Inc,” writes Joseph. "We then joined the North East Roofing Contractors Assocation (NERCA) in 2013.  

To market his new commercial business, he created www.JoeTheRoofer.com and his daughter Tanya worked with a postcard company out of Florida to spread the word about JAM Associates, Inc.

“We joined the National Roofing Contractors Assocation (NRCA) in 2017. Today, we only market and install Duro-Last Roofing systems. We are an Elite Duro-Last Contractor, with multiple awards for sales and quality service, Joseph shared.

JAM Associates in a true family business. Joseph runs the business with his wife Michele and their son Joey manages the field operations. The business motto is "Above all your Roof."

Want to try to be next week’s Answer Me This! winner? Find the link to the latest question in our Forum here.

The Department of Labor (DOL) recently released a proposal that would clarify whether workers are independent contractors or employees under federal minimum wage and overtime law. 

The proposed rule, which is expected to be published in the Federal Register by early next week, would create an "economic realities" test to determine independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Specifically, the test created under the proposal would weigh whether workers are economically dependent on an employer or in business for themselves by analyzing how much control workers have over their job duties and their opportunities for profit or loss. If a worker's status is still unclear after reviewing those factors, the test then considers the skill required for the job, "the degree of permanence of the working relationship" and if the work is "part of an integrated unit of production." 

The Obama administration clarified the rule in a 2015 guidance document, in an effort aimed at limiting the misclassification of employees as independent contractors. However, businesses argued that the Obama DOL’s interpretation of the law would increase litigation against employers. The Trump administration withdrew the guidance in June 2017. 

Senior administration officials indicated this September 24th that they plan to finalize the rule before the end of the year. But the timing of the rule would make it vulnerable to repeal under the Congressional Review Act if Democrats were to win the White House and take control of the Senate. 

Belonging to your industry associations helps you stay informed about changes in the industry. Learn more about membership in NERCA. 

About NERCA

NERCA is the founder of the NEREF scholarship. They are the regional association for roofing contractors covering the northeast part of the country.  Their territory includes: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Delaware.

NERCA maintains relationships with national organizations like the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and other major roof industry players. They also host one of the largest regional trade show’s in the country. Forms are available to become a member! If you need more information you can contact the association office!

Source: NERCA Newsletter

By North East Roofing Contractors Association.  

OSHA has now started fining companies for employee outbreaks across the country, including New Jersey and the northeast.  

The recent COVID-19 citations rely on the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s general duty clause:  

Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees’ employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.  

It appears that most of the citations being issued are related to events from Spring 2020, but there is little information about them in the DOL press releases.  

For roofing contractors, who are always a target for OSHA, this means that employers must know and understand the guidance that was issued regarding their work. For many workers, simply being outdoors offers them enough reassurance to go mask less. However, employers are responsible for enforcing any COVID-19 related work guidance including social distancing and mask wearing when necessary.  

COVID-19 safety measures must be enforced just as you would if there were an employee not wearing fall protection or other personal protective equipment. Contractors should have updated employee handbooks and signage regarding the dangers of COVID-19. In addition, any workplace illnesses or transmission on site should be recorded in your company logs to be reported to OSHA. 

Belonging to your industry associations helps you stay informed about changes in the industry.  

Learn more about NERCA and the benefits of membership in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory.  

About NERCA 

NERCA is the founder of the NEREF scholarship. They are the regional association for roofing contractors covering the northeast part of the country.  Their territory includes: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Delaware. 

NERCA maintains relationships with national organizations like the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and other major roof industry players. They also host one of the largest regional trade shows in the country. Forms are available to become a member! If you need more information you can contact the association office! 

Source: NERCA Newsletter

MacDonald Sprague Jr., 71, of Marshfield, Massachusetts, passed away on August 19th after years of fighting numerous health challenges.

MacDonald Sprague Junior was born in Randolph to Ruth and Macdonald Sprague Sr. He graduated from North Eastern College with honors and began his journey with his father and brothers to become a titan in the roofing industry. Mac was a staple in the lives of his family and friends. He provided support through challenging times, invaluable life lessons and worked relentlessly to improve himself and the lives of the people around him. He built and raced cars as a younger man and then spent many years creating priceless memories with his siblings, nieces and nephews snowmobiling in New Hampshire & Vermont. Ultimately Mac found his passion on the ocean in tuna fishing. Like most things he did, he excelled at fishing and for many years one of his biggest joys was sharing his boat and the ocean with the people he loved.

MacDonald is survived by not only his three children MacDonald Sprague, III, Meredith and Michael Sprague, but also countless nieces and nephews that he treated as if they were his own children. His sisters Mary Ellen and Susan and his brothers Gerald, Rod and Peter will continue to carry the Sprague family legacy into the future.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, August 28, 2020 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the MacDonald Funeral Home, 1755 Ocean Street in Marshfield. (Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the Governor's orders, the funeral home will be limited on the number of people allowed at one time. Social distancing and facial coverings are mandatory inside and out of the funeral home at all times). Family and friends are invited to join us for a reception to celebrate Mac's life on Saturday, August 29 at 1:00 p.m. at 467 Congress Street in Duxbury. And per his wishes, keep your hands off the woodwork.

Donations in Mac's memory can be made to the New England Wildlife Center, 500 Columbian Street, South Weymouth, Massachusetts 02190 or by visiting the website https://www.newildlife.org/

For online guest book, driving directions and other helpful information please visit the website macdonaldfuneralhome.com

To send a flower arrangement to the family of MacDonald Sprague, Jr., please visit our Sympathy Store.