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Wednesday, October 18th, 1:00 PM-2:00 PM

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION (ROOM 209)
Are You Running Your Business or Is It Running You?
Melanie Towey – EOS Worldwide
Are you a business owner or a senior level executive and want to see your business consistently run better and grow faster? This talk delivers a powerful, inspirational presentation that will introduce you to the Six Key Components of a successful business. Maybe you grapple with some of these challenges in your business:
- Lack of control over time, markets, or your company.
- People who don’t listen, understand, or follow through.
- Profit that’s inconsistent and/or there’s not enough.
- Growth is happening, but you can’t break through to the next level.
- Quick fixes that come and go, bringing little change with continued frustrations.

SAFETY EDUCATION (ROOM 208)
OSHA Legal and Practical Update Including Deceptive State Plan Interpretations
Gary Auman – Auman, Mahan & Furry
Attendees will be updated on what is happening within OSHA regarding new procedures and standards as well as the recent state activities to "backdoor" roofing contractors by putting their own "spin" on the plain language in the standards and essentially "ambushing" contractors.
Gary Auman will also emphasize what you may need to do beyond ensuring basic safety to protect yourself from citations and the need for litigation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

TECHNICAL EDUCATION (ROOM 205-207)
NRCA Low Slope Update on Roofing Industry Technical Issues
Mark Graham – NRCA Vice President of Technical Services
You need to stay up to date with the latest technical information to ensure your company’s success. Make sure to attend this one-hour session during which Mark Graham, NRCA’s Vice President of Technical Services, will provide insider information into current technical issues in the roofing industry and answer your questions. This is a great way to keep abreast of technical developments and updates in the roofing industry.


Wednesday, October 18th, 2:15 PM-3:15 PM

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION (ROOM 209) 
Eliminating Language Barriers with Crews
Lynn Foster - Acculynx
Effective communication across a roofing business is essential to achieving successful project outcomes. But what happens if you have teams that do not speak the same language? Language barriers, which are becoming increasingly common as more roofing companies hire native Spanish-speaking crews, can introduce employers to a number of risks that are often overlooked.  When workers are not able to fully understand one another, a lot can go wrong—from simple missteps on the job site to more serious work-related accidents. In this session, we'll discuss different ways contractors are breaking down language barriers and explore simple, technology-based solutions that can help improve team productivity and eliminate miscommunications that can lead to project delays or unexpected costs.                 

SAFETY EDUCATION (ROOM 208)
It Takes More Than a Hard Hat to Keep a Head Safe: The Value of Mental Health Awareness in the Roofing Industry
Mandy McIntyre - Level Up Consultants
When you think about jobsite hazards, physical risks are probably at the top of the list - an unprotected fall, an unmarked restricted zone, etc. But what about the dangers you can’t see? Construction workers are statistically at a higher risk for mental health issues than virtually every other profession and have the highest suicide rates of all industries according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  A 2020 study found that 83% of construction workers have experienced a mental health issue. This session will provide solid solutions and resources on the value of mental health awareness initiatives to provide safer job sites, a more profitable business, and combat the labor shortage by helping to attract, engage and retain your workforce.     

TECHNICAL EDUCATION (ROOM 205-207)
Hail Impact and Granule Surfaced Modified Bitumen Study Findings
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
MRCA’s Technical & Research Committee has engaged WJE & Associates to answer the question, “How does hail impact affect granule surfaced modified bitumen membranes of various ages?”The objective of this testing and research program is to determine the extent of damage caused by hail impact to granular surfaced, modified bitumen membrane (one manufacturer/brand) of various ages through physical testing and laboratory review and analysis.  Many studies have been conducted on the effects of hail impact to low slope roofing materials, but this study focused specifically on the effects of granule loss and impact damage to new and weathered modified bitumen membrane (cap sheet and base ply) at 5- and 10-years age.  Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates is a global firm of engineers, architects, and materials scientists committed to helping clients solve, repair, and avoid problems in the built world.  WJE engineers and materials scientists conducted these tests at their own state of the art testing laboratory located in Northbrook, Illinois. At this session WJE and the T & R Committee will give details of the testing procedure and methods, and the findings of the research program. WJE and MRCA’s T&R Committee will then discuss what the results could mean to MRCA Member contractors.


Thursday, October 19th, 8:30 AM-9:30 AM

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION (ROOM 209)
Workforce Development and the Employee Lifecycle
Bill Elliott – Bill Elliott Coaching
In this job seekers market there are no rules, and the construction trades will not be overlooked anymore for career opportunities.
With this presentation you will learn what motivates job seekers and your current colleagues so you can get started on your organization’s work force development plan and have an even stronger understanding of the employee lifecycle.         

SAFETY EDUCATION (ROOM 208)
What Does a Great Safety Program Have?: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Gary Auman – Auman, Mahan, & Furry
Gary Auman will take the audience on a guided tour of the MRCA Safety Manual Template. He will explain how to use the template to modify an existing safety program or to use it to "start from scratch." He will emphasize the resources the MRCA provides contractors to help them fine tune their program, emphasizing the Elite Contractor Safety Recognition Program. He will discuss some of the generic points that need to be covered in any safety program as well as how to use the template to identify other areas that may apply to your business. Finally, he will point out the errors he has seen contractors make over his 46 years of safety-related law and how to avoid them. 
         

TECHNICAL EDUCATION (ROOM 205-207)
Damage to Plywood and OSB Substrates Under Shingle Roofing as a Consequence to Repetitive Shingle Replacements
Rich Koziol – Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
This study was developed by MRCA’s Technical & Research Committee along with WJE & Associates to investigate the attachment integrity of plywood and OSB substrates under shingle roofing as a consequence of repetitive roof replacements.  Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates is a global firm of engineers, architects, and materials scientists committed to helping clients solve, repair, and avoid problems in the built world.  WJE engineers and materials scientists conducted these tests at their own state of the art testing laboratory located in Northbrook, Illinois. At this session WJE and the T & R Committee will give details of the testing procedure and the results of the research program. WJE and MRCA’s T&R Committee will then discuss what the results could mean to MRCA Member contractors.


Thursday, October 19th, 9:40 AM-10:40 AM

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION (ROOM 209)
Insurance Coverage and the Dangers of Subcontracting Labor
Justin L. Sullivan – Whitfield & Eddy Law
As subcontracted labor becomes more and more common in both residential and commercial construction, contractors should know what legal and financial risk is at stake. This presentation will cover the differing insurance types available for injuries and workmanship, i.e. workers compensation insurance, errors and omissions, and commercial general liability.  Contractors will also learn the differences when it comes to classifying a worker as an employee or independent contractors and how it may trigger insurance coverage.BUSINESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION (ROOM 209)

SAFETY EDUCATION (ROOM 205-207)
An Introduction to MRCA’s Hot Air Welding & Induction Welding Safety Training Program
HAWT Chair, Jim Ramser – Highland Roofing, T&R Chair. Randy Adams – R. Adams Roofing, and HAWT Instructor, Chris Paulin
MRCA’s new Hot Air and Induction Welding Safety program (HAWT) was developed with the intention to improve the way workers safely utilize hot air and induction welding equipment and electrical generating equipment.  When you commit to providing HAWT training to your crews you are making significant steps forward in improving the safety of the property and the people working on your projects. Come learn what this innovative safety training covers, how you can get your employees trained and how you or a member of your company can become a Certified HAWT Instructor with MRCA helping you every step of the way.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION (ROOM 208)
Drones in Construction
Randall Warnas – Enterprise UAS
Drones are becoming standard in a number of industrial verticals around the world, with architecture, engineering, and construction amongst those most benefiting from aerial data capture. This presentation will give anyone who has yet to add drones to their workflow the current landscape of what drones are out there, what they do, and what the deliverables look like for anyone building or inspecting structures. Dispel the mystery of drones by joining this session hosted by one of the most influential figures in the drone space.