February 2019

Florida

February 2019

ROOFING A Publication of the FRSA – Florida’s Association of Roofing Professionals

Changes Coming in Florida Legislature Unraveling the Pot Knot Should Protection from Wind-Borne Debris be Just for Windows?

Game of Drones FRSA Educational Foundation Scholarships What is Your Customer Acquisition Experience?

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TABLE OF CONTENTS February 2019

Florida

ROOFING Available Online at www.floridaroof.com/florida-roofing-magazine/

FRSA-Florida Roofing Magazine Contacts: For advertising inquiries, contact: Heidi Ellsworth at: heidi@floridaroof.com (800) 767-3772 ext. 127 All feedback including Letters to the Editor and reprint permission requests (please include your full name, city and state) contact: Lisa Pate, Editor, at: lisapate@floridaroof.com (800) 767-3772 ext. 157 Florida Roofing Magazine, PO Box 4850 Winter Park, FL 32793-4850

22 | Should Protection from Wind-Borne Debris be Just for Windows?

View media kit at: www.floridaroof.com/ florida-roofing-magazine/

6 | Changes Coming in Florida Legislature

#RoofingProtects

15 | Unraveling the Pot Knot: What Roofers Need to Know About Medical Marijuana Can the roofing profession and legalized medical marijuana coexist? New state statutes complicate safe workplace and employer drug policies.

On the iPad

28 | Game of Drones: The Rise of Drone Inspections & How They Benefit You www.is.gd/iroofing

30 | 2019 FRSA Educational Foundation Scholarships 32 | What is Your Customer Acquisition Experience?

Providing searching prospects with useful information goes a long way to making them – and the search engine they are using – happy they found you.

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.

Florida Roofing (VOL. 4, NO. 2), February 2019, (ISSN 0191-4618) is published monthly by FRSA, 7071 University Boulevard, Winter Park, FL 32792. Periodicals Postage paid at Orlando, FL. POSTMASTER: Please send address corrections (form 3579) to Florida Roofing, PO Box 4850, Winter Park, FL 32793-4850.

www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Bruce Manson

Honoring Our Heritage: “War Stories” “It all comes out in the wash.”

Jeff Hilliard (1952 – 2018)

lived there had brought 90-pound rolls up the ladder.

Jeff may not have been the first person to say that, however, he said it quite often when a problem She then cooked arose, and, in the beginning of our roofing company, asphalt on her stove and hauled it up the there were lots of problems. ladder. Then she I met Jeff in high school and he was the easiest nailed the 90-pound going and nicest person you ever met, except if you threatened one of his friends (luckily he counted me right through the shingles with 2-1/2 a friend). inch roof nails 3 inchOne day, four big jocks were hassling an unes apart. We worked derclassman, and even though Jeff was only FRSA President Bruce Manson on the tearoff for five-foot-eight, he tore into them like a wildcat and Manson Roofing Inc. three weeks and still it was funny to see those four big guys run for the didn’t have half the roof off. It was Christmas and hills being chased by a kid half their size. This same we asked the contractor if he would pay us somewildcat also stole the girl I had a crush on, but we thing and he said not until the job was done. I never remained friends anyway. liked contractors after that. Jeff was crushed not It was Jeff who approached me and asked if I wanted to roof with him, and he said we could make having any money for his kids at Christmas. He finally quit roofing and became an EMS driver. all the money we wanted. (I was just married and Well, I’ve got to thank Jeff because, without him, working at a condo making $3 an hour.) When we I would have never started roofing. And as Jeff liked went to take the first job, we didn’t have a truck. I to say, everything still comes out in the wash! asked Jeff how we were going to get on the roof and he said, “See that tree there?” We had to climb the Best regards! tree to get on the roof. We were paid $6 per square.

The next job we went to didn’t have a tree nearby and I said, "And what now?" He grabbed some 2x4s and made a chicken ladder and said that we had a Bruce Manson stairway to heaven. We worked on lots of roofs over FRSA President the next year and finally bought a ladder that we bruce.manson@mansonroofing.com tied to the top of Barbara’s car.

Then one Christmas, the hammer came down.

We landed a job for $25 per square, which was a great price. Little did we know that the lady who

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www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

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FRSA LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL Cam Fentriss

Changes Coming in Florida Legislature We are getting close to the 2019 Florida regular legislative session that starts on Tuesday, March 5, 2019. We have no way of knowing yet whether this will be a good, or bad, or exciting, or dull session, but it’s safe to say it should be different – if only because we have a new governor and cabinet and a number of new legislators.

Our new governor, Ron DeSantis, is just getting started and staying busy appointing people to various posts and developing his plans for his first legislative session and year in office.

Also setting up and getting started are the other newly elected cabinet members:

political ranks will learn about Florida’s government and gain experience by first serving in the Florida House then, maybe, the Florida Senate, and then competing for an even higher office such as Governor or a Cabinet post. This usually results in electing very experienced people to serve at the highest posts in our state government. Not so this time and that may be great or it may ■■ Jeannette Nunez, Lieutenant Governor be a disaster – time will tell.

■■ Ashley Moody, Attorney General The early signs look good for this new group ■■ Jimmy Patronis, Chief Financial Officer (was apin Tallahassee. Governor DeSantis is making very pointed before running) thoughtful and balanced agency head appointments, and this may be a vast improvement for us. I am hope■■ Nikki Fried, Agriculture Commissioner ful. We have had some experience with CFO Patronis Florida’s legislative branch has new leaders: Senate (he is in charge of one of our most important topics: President Bill Galvano and House Speaker Jose Oliva. insurance) since he was appointed to this post about We can expect these leaders to be quite different fromFrequency Discounts two years before he was elected, and we have had good their predecessors, and we hope that will be helpful for experiences so far. construction issues.

As for expectations from Florida’s Legislature, we FRSA Membership Directory Of the 160 Florida legislators, approximately 50 just spent two years with leadership that avoided so are entirely new to the world of Tallahassee politics. many of our issues (such as litigation reform and our Most of those “newbies” are among the 120 members workforce needs) that it seems things can only get betyear-round. of the Florida House of Representatives. This is a large ter. We do think there is reason to expect better things number of new people who, along with our majority of from our new legislative leaders. We will know for sure entirely new Cabinet members, may bring some new by the end of the legislative session in early May. ideas and a fresh outlook.

Cover Wrap FRM Excellent front and back cover exposure.

Is it unusual to have so many new people in the Legislative and Executive branches in What Does Advertising in Florida Florida? Not in the Legislative branch, but it is unusual in the Executive branch. Since Roofing Magazine Buy You? Florida adopted term limits, the number of first-time legislators has been high as would Florida Government be expected. In today’s term limits world, Print Circulation many of the members of the Florida House Manufacturers, of Representatives will serve their maximum Distributors & Service Providers eight years, then run for the Florida Senate.

That’s good, but with as many as 120 House members ultimately competing for 40 Senate seats, it makes for some tough races where Roofing Contractors & INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS there are a lot of losers. It also means that Sheet Metal Contractors most of those serving in the Senate will arrive with two to eight years of experience from Unlimited Digital Exposure serving in the Florida House.

Outside Florida As for the number of new people in the Executive branch, typically people who are interested in moving up through the Florida

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Industry Updates Specs, Design Files for Metal Roof, Wall Panels Now on Digital Platforms

Architects, designers and specifiers now have multiple options for locating and specifying Petersen’s PAC-CLAD products during the specification and design phases of any project. The manufacturer of metal roof and wall panels now hosts roof and wall specs as well as a library of BIM, CAD and installation drawings on design platforms including MasterSpec, SpecLink-E, BIMobject.com, Sweets.com and Arcat.com.

"Presence on these platforms represents Petersen’s investment in improving ease of use for design professionals by making specs and digital design files available at the critical moments they need access to them," said Mike Petersen, CEO. “We know that to build familiarity and confidence with architects and designers we must have a presence in the spaces where they prefer to work. Today, these work spaces are digital. By investing in our digital footprint, we’re making it easier for spec writers and architects to do their jobs, and easier for those already familiar with our products to specify them. And, those who are unfamiliar with Petersen can now give us a chance to prove our value,” Petersen said.

Documents available on the MasterSpec and SpecLink-E digital specification-writing platforms include product specifications for PAC-CLAD metal roof and wall panels. Both MasterSpec and SpecLink-E are designed to help architecture and construction professionals dramatically speed up editing tasks and reduce specification production time while minimizing errors and omissions. MasterSpec is a product of the American Institute of Architects.

Petersen’s presence on the BIM object platform includes design files for 19 roof and wall products, plus 37 BIM files, 300 CAD files and 400 installation details.

These 3-D and 2-D files are available for users of Revit design software, or for any designer wanting to download product specifications in BIM, CAD or PDF format at bimobject.com.

Cotney Construction Law Launches Subscription Plan

Cotney Construction Law, a full-service national law firm for construction, specialty trades and OSHA law, is pleased to announce the new Cotney Construction Law Subscription Plan. This progressive law firm is changing how roofing contractors can reduce risk and budget for their legal spend.

Cotney Construction Law works with all types and sizes of construction companies and currently represents roofing companies across the country. With an understanding of how roofing businesses operate, Cotney Construction Law is able to provide legal

services with predictable billing to reduce risk and increase a company’s bottom line.

Cotney Construction Law subscription services provide a subscription-based plan that is tailored to the client. It provides the client with a predictable monthly billing plan for non-litigation matters. Clients will no longer be surprised by the receipt of a legal bill that is significantly higher than expected. Instead, clients will have the flexibility to select a subscription level that best suits their needs at a set monthly rate.

Roofing companies that enroll in a subscription-based plan are able to realize the benefit of retaining general counsel without the fees typically associated with doing so. Through the subscription plan, clients will have access to attorneys to assist with a variety of legal issues. Additionally, clients will be able to utilize law firm subscription-based services to ensure their companies follow laws and regulations that impact their businesses. In turn, clients will be able to better manage their risks and retain more of their hard-earned profits.

“Whether you are a sole proprietor starting a new company or a multi-national contractor that is several generations old, budgeting for legal spend is essential to the maintenance of a profitable roofing business,” states Trent Cotney, CEO of Cotney Construction Law. “Every roofing project consists of several moving parts that must be coordinated and balanced in order to complete the project and ultimately turn a profit. Cotney Construction Law helps their clients achieve this goal by managing risks in their contractual agreements, advising clients on good business practices and, when necessary, vigorously representing their clients in disputes.”

“For too long the costs of legal services have presented a hurdle to businesses in need of legal assistance.

However, times are changing, and by offering various subscription plan packages, our clients can not only budget for legal spend, but also take a proactive approach in protecting their businesses. We are proud to offer these types of services in the roofing industry and we know that it will make a difference for all roofing contractors.”

National Women in Roofing Announces NWIR Day Scholarship Recipients

National Women in Roofing (NWIR), a national organization focused on the empowerment of women within the roofing industry, has announced the recipients of its first-ever NWIR Day scholarships. This pilot sponsorship program was designed to encourage first time IRE attendees who work for a contractor to experience the benefits of professional development in the roofing industry. Attendance at these events can influence one’s career trajectory and benefit not just the attendee but www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

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her company and employer as well.

2019 recipients include: ■■ Veronica Licona, KMA Roofing, Fla., ■■ Meredith Marsh-Shaevitz, Pitch Perfect Roofing, Oka., ■■ Kristy Lynch, Rayco Construction, Min., and

on Saturday, February 9, right before the start of the International Roofing Expo. Learn more about the day, see the full schedule and find registration details at www.nationalwomeninroofing.org.

McElroy Metal Introduces E-book: "Tired of Replacing Your Shingle Roof?"

In its continuing effort to educate building owners, McElroy Metal has published a second E-book. "Tired of “We had so many interested in the scholarship and it Replacing Your Shingle Roof?" is available for download was very hard to choose just four recipients,” said Jennifer on the McElroy Metal website.

Stone, NWIR Vice Chair and scholarship coordinator.

"Tired of Replacing Your Shingle Roof?" discusses in“The number of applications supports our belief that stalling a metal-over-shingle recover system that offers a there is such a need for an organization such as NWIR long-term solution with cost-saving benefits. The E-book and reinforces the emphasis on the need to grow our local was produced to help commercial building owners undercouncils in order to reach more women in the industry.” stand a better way to recover a failing shingle roof than to The scholarship recipients will receive: apply another short-term asphalt shingle.

■■ Attendance at NWIR Day, the NRCA awards banquet, Along with the list of the advantages of metal, the a pass to the IRE trade show, and a Super Pass (comE-book discusses the growing variety of metal roofing pliments of International Roofing Expo) to education options. It also illustrates how the airspace created besessions tween the old roof and the metal roofing system enables energy to move and vent into the atmosphere and not get ■■ Hotel accommodations from Friday, February 8 absorbed into the building. This “above sheathing ventilathrough Wednesday, February 13 tion” reduces utility load and expenses.

■■ Roundtrip airfare McElroy Metal’s "Tired of Replacing Your Shingle ■■ A host/mentor assigned through the NWIR mentorRoof?" can be downloaded at: info.mcelroymetal.com/ ing program. tired-of-replacing-your-shingle-roof. Their first E-book, Need a "New Roof? How Building Owners Reduce Cost The second NWIR Day will be held in Nashville ■■ Jennifer Wrightson, Rockwell Roofing, Mass.

Continued on page 12

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FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

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Industry Updates... continued from page 10

with a Metal Roof," can also be downloaded from the McElroy site.

SOPREMA Renews Scholarship Offer for Building Envelope Students in 2019

SOPREMA, a leading provider of roofing, waterproofing, wall protection and civil engineering products, has announced the renewal of the company’s annual scholarship program for students pursuing a degree in architecture, engineering, construction management or other fields related to the building envelope. Since the 2016–2017 school year, SOPREMA has awarded 19 students with financial backing, and the company once again intends to offer up to four grants of $5,000 to students for the 2019–2020 academic year.

The program is open to high school seniors and graduates, as well as current undergraduate and graduate students seeking a degree in one of the disciplines.

Applicants must be planning to enroll in full-time undergraduate or graduate study at an accredited four-year college or university for the entire 2019–2020 academic year. The deadline for application submissions is March 29, 2019.

“Our company is known for the value we place on education and a relentless pursuit of technological

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FRSA-Poster-2019-Final.pdf

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FRSA’s 97th Annual Convention and the Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Expo

97th Annual Convention JULY 17-19, 2019 & Expo • July 17-19

Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center Kissimmee, FL | w w w. F l o r i d a Ro o f. c o m

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FRSA’s 97th Annual Convention and the Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Expo

FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

JULY 17-19, 2019

Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center Kissimmee, FL | w w w. F l o r i d a Ro o f.c o m

advancement, so we are pleased to once again do our part to help empower bright minds to enter and shine within our field,” said Sara Jonas, Marketing Manager, SOPREMA. “We are committed to the continual success of our industry, and that starts by encouraging sharp students to become the building envelope innovators of tomorrow.”

For more information on the SOPREMA scholarship program, please reach out to soprema@scholarship america.org.

OMG, Inc. Named Company of the Year by SmartDollar

The statistics are alarming: 70 percent of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck. At work, stress over finances can take a toll on employee performance and impact productivity. Almost ten years ago, OMG, Inc. saw this as a factor limiting employee success and took action.

OMG used SmartDollar, the financial wellness program created by money expert and best-selling author Dave Ramsey, to teach employees how to take better care of themselves financially. “This has been a game-changer for us,” said Sarah Corrigan, Vice President of Human Resources. “More than 300 employees have taken advantage of the tools we offer for free to create a financial plan for themselves and their families.”

Helping employees succeed financially is part of OMG’s overall wellness strategy. “Reducing the worry over money allows employees to focus on their work and, more importantly, on themselves and their future,” said Corrigan. Using SmartDollar, the average OMG participant pays off more than $8,000 in debt and saves more than $5,000. Collectively, participants have achieved a positive swing of almost a million dollars through debt reduction and savings contributions.

SmartDollar has recognized OMG as its 2018 Company of the Year. “Our team absolutely loved hearing about what’s happening at OMG,” said Brian Hamilton, Vice President of SmartDollar. “They did it. They made the kind of behavior change it takes to change their lives and their families’ futures.”

“We’re very proud of what our employees have accomplished,” said Hubert McGovern, OMG President and CEO. “There’s nothing more satisfying for us as a business than to help our employees succeed not only professionally, but personally as well.”

SmartDollar is a financial wellness program that educates, inspires and empowers employees to proactively take control of their money and get on track for retirement. The mission of SmartDollar is to help participants change their behavior toward money and, in turn, use their largest wealth-building tool, their income, to save and invest instead of paying consumer debt. SmartDollar is offered as an online, mobile-friendly program and is available to companies of all sizes.

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FRSA LEGAL COUNSEL Cotney Construction Law, LLP

Unraveling the Pot Knot: What Roofers Need to Know About Medical Marijuana Marci Britt, Attorney, Cotney Construction Law For better or for worse and for a myriad of reasons both sound and half-baked, Americans’ attitudes toward marijuana have mellowed, numbering the days of continued governmental animus to cannabis. On November 8, 2016, Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to legalize the use of medical marijuana in Florida. With this, Florida joined 32 other states to date that have legalized the use of medical marijuana, while 10 of these states and the District of Columbia have also legalized recreational use of marijuana. These ever-changing state laws on marijuana legality, coupled with the resulting rise in marijuana use among the American workforce, have caused many companies to question and wonder what impact these changes have on them and whether these laws affect their ability to establish and enforce company policies and procedures on employee drug use, drug-testing, and workplace safety. Throwing another wrench into the works is the fact that, under federal law, marijuana is still illegal to possess, grow, distribute, or prescribe anywhere in the country, regardless of state laws that may legalize it, and this federal prohibition does not appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Against this backdrop, this article discusses a few of the biggest concerns facing employers in the roofing industry, and highlights things roofing contractors in Florida should consider when making decisions on how to best manage and minimize the risks to their business posed by medical marijuana legalization and usage. It’s important to note that laws legalizing marijuana differ vastly from state to state, and Florida’s laws contain several express provisions that militate and inform the decisions on the questions discussed below, but which are absent from and even contradictory to many other states’ laws on the issue. Thus, if any legal concerns arise, a qualified attorney in your relevant jurisdiction should be consulted.

accommodations for medical marijuana users under the ADA or the FCRA, for instance, by allowing the employee to use marijuana while working or on break to help alleviate his or her medical condition. Fortunately, the answer to this question is clear, at least for now, and Florida employers are off the hook. Florida’s medical marijuana statute, Section 381.986(15), Fla. Stat., expressly states that employers are not required to accommodate medical marijuana use or impairment in the workplace or on the jobsite.

Additionally, courts have consistently held that employers are not required to accommodate workplace usage under the ADA because the ADA expressly states that a person using illegal drugs is not a qualified individual with a disability and since marijuana is still illegal under federal law, it is considered an illegal drug under the ADA. A word of caution, however: although Florida employers are not required to accommodate on-the-job marijuana use by the ADA or FCRA, they may still be obligated to provide reasonable accommodations under these statutes for an employee’s underlying disability or condition (i.e., the reason they have a medical marijuana prescription). Thus, if the situation arises, roofing contractors should bear in mind their duty to engage in the interactive process with their employees to determine whether an accommodation can be provided other than marijuana use.

Discrimination Concerns

A related concern is whether employers in Florida can be subjected to discrimination claims under the ADA or FCRA The Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) was enacted if they refuse to hire, discipline, or terminate an employee in 1990 to provide individuals with disabilities the same ave- because of his or her off-the-clock use of medical marijuana nues for gaining and retaining meaningful employment that or even based solely on their status as a cardholder. Although are available to people without disabilities. In short, the ADA the issue is cloudy in many states, the smoke is clear on this requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide hazy topic for Florida employers: Florida’s medical marijuana reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities statute specifically provides that it does not create a cause that will allow them to perform the essential functions of of action for discrimination or wrongful termination. And betheir job, and prohibits employers from discriminating against cause the ADA does not protect medical marijuana usage, any individuals on the basis of their disability. The Florida Civil discrimination claims brought under the ADA should fail as Rights Act (“FCRA”) imposes similar requirements on Florida well, as long as the adverse action was based on the medical employers. marijuana use and not on the employee’s underlying disability Not surprisingly, one of the most common questions or condition for which the medical marijuana was prescribed. employers ask is whether they are required to provide In contrast to Florida, at least nine other states prohibit

ADA Accommodation Concerns

www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

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discrimination based solely on an employee’s medical marijuana cardholder status or off-duty use, and courts in those states have consistently upheld requirements that employers must have evidence of on-the-job use or impairment before they can take disciplinary action against a medical marijuana cardholding employee. In other words, employees are protected as long as they are not showing up for work stoned or partaking on the job. A couple of recent federal court decisions are notable because neither found that the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act preempted the relevant state law, which means that even federal contractors must be aware of and follow state law with respect to marijuana use by employees.

In short, roofing contractors that work only in Florida should be in the clear on this issue, but companies that operate and have locations in other states, including federal contractors, should be mindful of these statutes and consult with counsel to ensure their employment policies are compliant across all states where they operate.

Drug-Testing and Zero Tolerance Policies

Most Florida roofing contractors likely incorporate some form of drug testing into their hiring and firing policies, given that Florida offers a discount on workers’ compensation insurance premiums for maintaining a compliant drug-free workplace program which requires a drug-testing component. Many companies choose to take it a step further by having “zero tolerance” policies, whereby employees who fail a single drug test are fired, regardless of whether the prohibited substance was obtained legally or whether it was used only while off duty and outside the workplace. Now that medical marijuana has been legalized in Florida, many in the roofing industry are left wondering if they can still enforce their drug-testing and zero tolerance policies as-is, or whether they need to start making exceptions for medical marijuana users.

In Florida, the short answer is yes. Florida’s medical marijuana statute expressly states that it does not limit the ability of employers to establish, continue, or enforce a drug-free workplace program. If companies want to continue receiving their workers’ comp discount, they should continue enforcing their drug-free workplace policies including the drug-testing component.

As for zero tolerance policies, Florida employers can continue to enforce these if they choose to do so or if they are required to do so for another reason, such as a workers’ comp policy requirement, a federal contract, or to comply with Department of Transportation regulations.

However, if companies are finding that they are losing too many good employees under their zero tolerance policy due to the employees’ off-duty, off-site lawful medical marijuana usage, the company can consider exempting medical marijuana users from their zero tolerance policy altogether. Another option would be to add in a “plus impairment” component to their zero tolerance policy, which requires evidence of on-the-job marijuana use or impairment in addition to a failed drug test in order for the employee to be subject to termination. If the company chooses to go this route, it should make

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FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

sure to provide comprehensive training to supervisors on how to detect and document signs of marijuana impairment.

Notably, several states, either by statute or court ruling, require employers to obtain and provide proof of on-duty impairment in addition to a positive drug test before an employee can be lawfully terminated. Roofing contractors who operate in a state other than Florida need to check the laws of that state to determine if it is a “plus impairment” state and if so, should revise their zero tolerance policies as necessary to comply with that state’s laws.

A final option to consider is using “last-chance” agreements under which an employee who has failed a drug test is allowed to remain employed for a set period of time with the understanding that if the employee does not comply with all terms of the agreement throughout the prescribed time period, he or she will then be subject to immediate termination.

Provisions commonly included in last-chance agreements include requirements for the employee to refrain from all prohibited drug use throughout the agreement period, to submit to periodic additional drug tests, and/or to attend substance abuse counseling or rehab.

Workplace Safety Concerns

It goes without saying that the roofing industry is an inherently dangerous profession, such that adding marijuana into the mix raises serious concerns about the safety of employees as well as third parties. Although the OSHA Act does not specifically prohibit drug use or impairment on the job site, it does require employers to maintain a place of employment “free from recognized hazards.” So what is a “recognized hazard” in regards to medical marijuana usage?

Employees tied off on a steep-slope roof while high as a kite?

Employees operating a crane, saw, or other heavy machinery while impaired? There would probably be little disagreement that these situations would present a recognized hazard. But what about a sales manager or office assistant working solo at their desk after taking prescribed medical marijuana pills on their way in to work? Perhaps this situation is a closer call.

Although there are no sure answers on where OSHA would draw the line, one thing is for sure: OSHA rarely entertains excuses from employers, and any leniency in enforcing a workplace safety protocol to accommodate a medical marijuana user may be all that’s needed to earn an employer an OSHA citation for a safety violation.

Thus, roofing contractors who may be considering revising their policies to accommodate and permit legal, off-duty medical marijuana use by employees should carefully consider all relevant safety rules and regulations, the duties performed by each individual employee, the risks of causing or exacerbating a workplace accident, and any and all other safety concerns before deciding whether to permit such usage by some or all employees. Employers should get in the habit of periodically reviewing their company policies, ideally at least once a year, to ensure they are in full compliance with the latest legal requirements governing the operation of their business and should provide comprehensive employee education and management training on those policies.

FRM

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A Hidden Treasure to be Discovered at the International Roofing Expo (IRE) NRCA Staff In the roofing industry, there are many ways to be involved: associations, tradeshows, conferences and online networks. Seldom does an industry have a group whose whole purpose is to “GIVE.” A hidden treasure in the roofing industry has been active since 1996, and they are currently making a stronger push to share what they are doing with all roofing and construction professionals. The hidden treasure is the Roofing Alliance, formerly The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress, the Foundation of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). It is a shining example of how the roofing industry keeps giving back and growing professionally.

The Roofing Alliance mirrors the best of the roofing industry. Roofing professionals, including manufacturers, distributors and contractors, sit next to each other with equal voting rights, working on how they can use hard-earned funding to give back to not just the roofing industry, but to society overall. There are important stories that need to be told concerning the work of the Roofing Alliance.

The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress was established within the National Roofing Foundation (NRF) to create a permanent endowment fund to serve as a highly focused resource for the roofing industry and its customers. There have been changes to terminology over the years but, as the Foundation of NRCA, its objectives are to fund research and education projects while also supporting and funding charitable and educational programs.

The Roofing Alliance members are inviting attendees of the International Roofing Expo (IRE) to join them at the conference where they will experience the best and brightest of the roofing industry, starting with the Construction Management Student Competition and leading up to NRCA’s Industry Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception where MVP and Gold Circle award winners will be recognized. On the Expo show floor, attendees can visit Roofing Alliance booth #2523 to learn about the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which challenges roofing contractors across the country to adopt the roof of a Ronald McDonald House near

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FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

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them, and to provide donated roofing services. It is going to be a fun-filled week and roofing professionals do not want to miss what the Roofing Alliance has planned.

responsible for selecting the roofing contractor for the project.

Judging is based on the quality of the written proposals, project management and organization, feasibility 2018-2019 Construction Management of construction and program schedules, accuracy/feasiStudent Competition bility of conceptual costs, quality of safety, and quality During this year’s IRE, the Roofing Alliance will be cel- control assurance plans. Teams are also judged on the ebrating its fifth competition, with students competing overall quality of their oral presentations, feasibility of on February 12 from 8:00 am to 11:00 am at the conven- project management, organization and scheduling, accution center. The competition features four-person teams racy and completeness of project costs, and answers to of college and university students who will be tested for project questions. their roofing, project management, estimating, safety, Kyle Thomas, co-chair of the Alliance Construction quality control and presentation skills. The top five Management Schools Initiative Committee and owner teams will present full bid submittals to industry judges of Thomas Roofing of Mobile, Ala., sees this event as through oral presentations during the convention. The an open door to introduce roofing to a new generation. winning teams and the best individual presenter will be “We’ve known for years that the students graduating announced during NRCA’s Industry Awards Ceremony out of construction management programs often have and Cocktail Reception and will receive scholarship priz- very limited exposure and education related to roofing,” es of $5,000 and $2,500. he explained. “This program provides an opportunity The top five teams selected from a slate of twelve for these students to learn about the many facets of the schools will be tasked with submitting a qualified bid roofing business. We certainly hope that some of the package for installing a roof system on the Hilton students become interested enough to pursue a career Franklin Cool Springs Hotel in Franklin, Tennessee. in the roofing industry. But even for those who go the The roof was originally installed by Rackley Roofing of more traditional route and choose to work for a general Carthage, Tenn. Chris Baxter, Vice President of Rackley, contractor, they will have a much better understanding of the roofing portion of the projects that they will be will be one of the judges. During the 15-minute oral working on.” presentation, each team will present its proposal as if they were meeting with the owner and design team

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The 2019 competition finalist teams include: 1. Auburn University, The McWhorter School of Building Science, Auburn, Alabama 2. Colorado State University, Department of Construction, Fort Collins, Colorado 3. Louisiana State University, Department of Construction, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

1

4. Minnesota State University – Mankato, Department of Construction, Mankato, Minnesota 5. University of Florida, M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Building Construction, Gainesville, Florida The event will be broadcast via Facebook Live on the Roofing Alliance Facebook page. The Roofing Alliance is encouraging attendees of the International Roofing Expo to attend the competition and, for those who cannot attend, to watch via Facebook.

2

3

NRCA’s Industry Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception

The winning student competition team and the best individual presenter will be announced at NRCA’s Industry Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception, February 12 at 5:00 p.m. This is a must-attend event for convention attendees. Not only are the winners of the student competition announced, but the Roofing Alliance also announces the winners of the MVP Awards, and the well-recognized Gold Circle Awards.

In its 19th year, the MVP Program honors leadership in the field. Roofing contracting firms can nominate any field roofing worker, foreman or superintendent.

Distributors and supplier firms may nominate warehouse employees, warehouse foremen, drivers or equipment operators. Individuals can be nominated for their outstanding on-the-job performance or workmanship as well as for their charitable deeds or other outstanding contributions outside the workplace.

This year’s recognized MVP awards will be presented to: ■■ Bobby Ainsworth, Venture Construction Group of Florida, Inc., Stuart, Florida

4

■■ Miguel Lopez, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing, Houston, Texas ■■ Brandon Reese, Korellis Roofing Inc., Hammond, Indiana ■■ Drew Thomas, Reliant Roofing, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida ■■ Jose de Jesus Zermeno, Antis Roofing & Waterproofing, Irvine, California

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FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

One winner will be chosen as Professional Roofing’s Best of the Best, an honor co-sponsored by OMG Roofing Products and Professional Roofing magazine.

Since the program’s inception 19 years ago, 632 employees have been nominated and 234 winners and finalists have been recognized.

The prestigious Gold Circle Awards honors outstanding contributions and unique roofing-related jobs and services. Roofing Alliance and NRCA members are encouraged to submit their best work in the following categories: ■■ Outstanding Workmanship ■■ Innovative Solutions and ■■ Safety Preparedness and Performance Entries include detailed descriptions of the project and examples of what made it challenging, working conditions and materials used. More than 99 winning companies have been recognized for their achievements since the award’s inception.

Visit the Roofing Alliance Booth #2523

There are many new and upcoming initiatives including work with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), vocational and technical school involvement, support for NRCA’s Pro-Certification Training Program, scholarships and planned-giving. Attendees at IRE can learn about all of these initiatives and much more at the Roofing Alliance’s booth, which is part of the greater NRCA booth.

“We want to be sure that every roofing professional understands the mission and accomplishments of the Roofing Alliance,” states Rodney Petrick, Roofing Alliance President. “Membership in this organization

is all about giving back and we are doing it every day. Not only do we want to continue to grow the Roofing Alliance, but we also want to keep our members actively involved, especially with the RMHC and construction management initiatives. We really would like to see all 165 Ronald McDonald Houses adopted and a great turnout for our student competition presentations at IRE. We ask that everyone in the industry stay engaged, and we plan to facilitate involvement with strong, consistent information exchanges that will inspire the industry and help promote its professional image.”

To learn more about all Roofing Alliance programs, please visit www.roofingalliance.net. To learn more about the IRE schedule, please visit www.roofingexpo.com.

www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

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Should Protection from Wind-Borne Debris be Just for Windows?

Mike Silvers, CPRC, Silvers Systems Inc. & FRSA Director of Technical Services Anyone who has witnessed the aftermath of a major hurricane knows that one thing they all have in common is an abundance of debris. It is everywhere, and the contents of this debris is just about everything imaginable. The type of

debris that I want to concentrate on is debris that becomes wind-borne.

One thing that’s clear: in a 150-mph wind, almost anything can fly. In Panama City after Hurricane Michael, on a fairly isolated roof with the bay on one side and large parking lots on the other three sides and a roof height of approximately 35 feet, I witnessed a piece of cast iron about the size of a candy bar penetrated the roof surface. Considering the ratio of weight to surface area one would think that nothing short of being used as cannon fodder could cause it to become air-borne. But there it was, stuck in the roof. This was obviously very unusual even by hurricane standards.

Typically, objects like limbs, furniture and pieces of surrounding buildings, including lumber, glass, mechanical equipment or components and sheet metal are thrown around everywhere. Very few unpowered things have the ability to take flight like a piece of corrugated metal does when exposed to high wind speeds. The panels are not only from roofs, but also from sheds, siding, soffit, fences, equipment screens, etc. These items typically have sharp points and edges that can cause damage to buildings, and low slope roof systems in particular.

We have added impact resistance requirements to the building code for windows, doors and skylights in windborne debris regions, but the impact resistance of roofs (other than for hail) is seldom considered. I am not suggesting code requirements to address these concerns, but some understanding of the wind-borne debris resistance of different roof systems would be helpful. A building's use and its contents may make a more impact-resistant roof covering a smart choice. We have incorporated secondary water barriers in steep slope roofing, but very little consideration is given to how well low slope roofs resist breeches from debris impact. There is currently limited data available that would help a designer evaluate this type of impact resistance and, just as importantly, what happens after a breech in the membrane occurs. Does the breech expand when exposed to additional high wind pressures? How much water enters through different roof types when a given size cut or slice is present?

These are questions that we should want answers to. I am not aware of existing test methods that deal with these concerns. If they don’t currently exist, maybe it is time to consider developing them. We are all familiar with the old expression “when the stuff (s#*t) hits the fan” – it’s time to begin to better understand “when the stuff hits the roof.”

FRM Mike Silvers, CPRC, is owner of Silver 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

22

FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

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When Military Veterans and Roofing Contractors Connect, There’s No Stopping Them!

FRSA Staff What do military veterans who have fought in The Marshall Islands, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia have in common with Florida roofing contractors? Passion for sporting clays, the outdoors, and good old-fashioned fellowship. At the January 11 First Annual West Coast Roofing Contractors Association (WCRCA) Clay Shoot, the FRSA affiliate honored and supported military veterans through a Florida all-volunteer nonprofit, the Black Dagger Military Hunt Club Inc. based in Tampa.

The Black Dagger team serves veterans from all eras, without limitation to when or where they served. It is a community partner with the James A. Haley VA Hospital’s Adaptive Sports Program in Tampa, Fla.; the United States Special Operations Command Care Coalition; and active duty military members on MacDill Air Force Base. In addition, on a case-by-case basis, Black Dagger works with veterans supported by other agencies to meet a specific needs that it can accomodate. The organization serves veterans recovering from – and learning to adjust to life with – spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, loss of sight, and post-traumatic stress. It provides specialized equipment to accommodate some of the most injured military heroes, helping our honored veterans find their “new normal.”

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FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

The Tampa Bay Sporting Clays and Archery complex provided a superb Florida backdrop for a perfect day. There was a WWII Pacific Theater veteran a few months shy of 95 years old, who knocked down clays with the best of them. Many of the veterans joined shooting teams with some of the roofing contractors. The event was aired on two local Tampa news outlets, highlighting the good done by WCRCA for these men and women who have sacrificed so much for our nation. The relationship between the two groups has grown over the past few years. The funds raised from this event will be used to aid in Black Dagger’s Adaptive Sports programs that get some of Florida’s most injured veterans outdoors hunting, shooting and fishing.

The nonprofit takes no salaries and operates a lean but robust program, and helps hundreds of veterans each year.

For seven years, 97 percent of donations received have gone directly to the veteran programs. You can learn more about Black Dagger at youtube.com/blackdaggermhc. Anyone can help by donating or offering shooting, hunting or fishing opportunities for some of the veterans in its programs.

For more information, visit www.blackdaggermhc.org or www.facebook.com/bdmhc; or contact Dave Winters at FRM dave@blackdaggermhc.org.

The FRSA Self Insurers Fund Declares Another Historic Dividend The Trustees of the FRSA Self Insurers Fund announced in December that they had declared another dividend totaling $3.5 million dollars payable to all eligible FRSA-SIF members who were in the fund as of December 31, 2017. The dividend checks were mailed to the FRSA-SIF membership just in time for the 2018 holiday season. This latest dividend, when added to the previous $6.5 million paid in June of last year, made 2018 another historic dividend return to the members of the FRSA Self Insurers Fund. This total $10 million dividend represents an incredible average 36.9 percent dividend premium return to members. The FRSA Self Insurers Fund stresses

safety and loss prevention to its members, and the results speak for themselves. Fewer accidents leads to increased productivity, safer workplaces, healthier employees, and better profitability for all involved. There is no other provider of workers’ compensation coverage for the roofing industry that can match the incredible results of the FRSA Self Insurers Fund and its members. If you are a quality, safety-conscious contractor and you are not in the FRSA-SIF, call workers' comp coverage Underwriting Manager, Debbie Guidry, CPCU at 800-767-3772, ext. 233 to see if you qualify.

FRM

Workers' Compensation 2019 Rate Changes by Classification Classification/Code

Jan 18 Rate

Jan 19 Rate*

5.32

4.48

-15.78%

11.05

9.39

-15.02%

7.35

6

-18.36%

20.35

16.98

-16.56%

Executive Supervisor — 5606

1.84

1.47

-20.10%

Sales Estimator — 8742

0.45

0.38

-15.56%

Clerical — 8810

0.23

0.18

-21.73%

Contractors Permanent Yard — 8227

8.34

6.72

-19.42%

Painting NOC — 5474

10.53

9.13

-13.29%

Carpentry Residential — 5645

19.79

16.59

-16.16%

Carpentry NOC — 5403

11.96

9.38

-21.57%

Masonry NOC — 5022

13.49

10.52

-22.01%

Sheet Metal Products Mfg. Only — 3076 Sheet Metal Installation — 5535 Heating, Ventilation, A/C, Refrigeration — 5537 Roofing — All Kinds & Drivers — 5551

NCCI Overall Rate Decrease of 13.8%

Change

*policy renewal rates

What's Wrong with These Pictures?

www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

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Mark Your Calendar to Attend FRSA’s 97th Annual Convention & Expo Cheryl Sulock, CMP, CSEP, FRSA Director of Convention & Expo With another turn of the calendar behind us, the FRSA Convention & Expo will be here before you know it! Now is the perfect time to review the amazing educational and networking opportunities that will take place during the event and to make sure you set aside time to join us in Kissimmee, Fla. FRSA’s 97th Annual Convention and the Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Expo will return to the Gaylord Palms

Resort and Convention Center, July 17-19, 2019. We’ll get started with a full day of educational seminars on Wednesday. FRSA’s Educational & Research Foundation will again offer the NRCA For Foremen Only Program, Level One. This program will focus on communication, leadership and management skills for field managers.

New for 2019, the Foundation will also offer NRCA's For Foremen Only Program, Level Two. This program dives deeper into the management techniques learned in Level One, with a special focus on handling relationships with customers and bosses.

Both programs will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to 25 participants, with deeply discounted rates available for FRSA members.

The Foundation has also planned many educational opportunities for Thursday and Friday, including the OSHA 10-Hour Training for P R E M I E R B U T Y L S E A L A N T TA P E S Construction. This course, suitable for workers, supervisors, and management, is designed to help workers stay up-to-date with their OSHA safety requirements, including fall protection, ladders and scaffolding, project documentation, supervisory techniques, and OSHA Focus Four Construction Hazards. Students who complete the class successfully will receive the OSHA 10-Hour certification.

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FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

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Networking

FRSA’s carefully planned seminar schedule still leaves plenty of opportunities for great networking events.

On Wednesday, bring your crew and treat them to one of our exciting sports tournaments. Enjoy golfing at Celebration Golf Club, fishing in Port Canaveral, or clay shooting at Tenoroc Shooting Range. New for 2019, test your aim in our pistol target competition that will also take place at Tenoroc.

Be sure to be back at the Gaylord Palms Resort on Wednesday for FRSA’s Welcome Reception at Wreckers Sports Bar. This two-story sports bar features a 37-foot sports

screen, over 50 HDTVs, and the coldest beer in town. Stop by for delicious food stations, an open bar, and the perfect opportunity to network with industry peers.

The Florida Roofing & Sheet Metal Expo, the largest regional roofing expo in the country, will be open on Thursday from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm and on Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Over 3,000 roofing contractors, architects, building officials, and industry suppliers will gather to learn about the latest products and services of more than 220 industry exhibitors. The Expo will offer plenty of networking opportunities, cash prizes, the FRSA 25 Square Challenge, a Silent Auction, and daily beer busts.

On Thursday night, make plans to join us for the FRSA Officer Installation Dinner and S.T.A.R. Awards. The evening will highlight the best-of-the-best in the roofing industry in four categories, with one project winning FRSA’s Shining Star and taking home bragging rights for the best roofing project in Florida. New this year, expect to see some unique entertainment and fun surprises. Be sure to stick around for the S.T.A.R. Awards After-Party complete with a DJ, drinks, and plenty of dancing!

Applications for the 2019 S.T.A.R. Awards are currently being accepted and must be submitted by April 10, 2019.

Visit www.floridaroof.com to apply today. Be sure to note the new categories for 2019, including Craftsmenship in Roofing, which will honor superior levels of workmanship that make a project unique in fit, finish or use. Also new for 2019, project videos will now be accepted and reviewed by the judges to help get a complete understanding of the project. Several high-resolution still photographs showing the project before, in-progress, and after are still required.

As you finalize your schedule for FRSA’s Convention and Expo, remember to include your family in the plans!

The Ladies of FRSA will gather for a delicious Chocolate Workshop on Thursday where they’ll learn how to make their own chocolate truffles. On Friday, the group will enjoy a Healthy Mind, Body, and Spirit Workshop with gentle yoga led by FRSA First Lady and yoga instructor, Barbara Manson. The Kids Program will offer a Mad Science Workshop, a pool party, and an off-site day at Andretti Indoor Karting and Games, complete with go-karts, laser-tag and plenty of arcade games.

Ready to Book?

Registration and instructions for booking hotel rooms will be available later this month. Be sure to stay up to date on the latest FRSA news by visiting www.floridaroof.com, liking FRSA on Facebook (www.facebook.com/flroof), and following the FRSA Expo on Twitter (@FRSAExpo).

For more information on FRSA’s Convention & Expo or to learn about sponsorship and advertising opportunities, please contact Cheryl Sulock at 800-767-3772 ext. 177 or cheryl@floridaroof.com.

FRM

www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

27

Game of Drones: The Rise of Drone Inspections & How They Benefit You Dennis Sbrusch Jr., Marketing Consultant, Sure Thing Media

Brace yourselves… with a projected market share of $11.2 billion by 2020, the construction industry is listed

by Goldman Sachs as having the greatest market potential for drone integration. So, what exactly is the “drone” fuss all about? Technology is not only changing the way consumers live, but it’s also transforming the daily operations of businesses across the globe. For instance, PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates that drone-powered solutions could help save the insurance industry as much as $6.8 billion per year by enhancing procedures such as risk monitoring and fraud prevention.

By now you might be asking, “How exactly can investing in drones benefit my roofing company?” As a business owner, wiping out unnecessary costs and improving your workflow are great returns on investment (ROI). Now I’m no mathematician, but I do believe we all know how to count money! Let’s dig in to finding out why taking your roofing business to the skies may be your greatest investment of 2019.

Safer Inspections

Traditional “boots on the roof” inspections are quite risky. Deteriorated roofs and heights pose a possibility of endangering yourself or your employees. In fact, falls on the job are OSHA’s leading cause of death in the roofing industry. The use of drones eliminates putting the lives of workers at risk.

Finish the Job Faster and More Efficiently

measurements of square footage, surface area, pitch, and roofing features – all completed in a matter of minutes. This information is crucial when formulating a precise bid in the roof repair process. For roofing contractors, drone mapping delivers more than just useful data. By capturing the entire roof and areas of damage in high-resolution detail, you’re gaining readily shareable images for your customers as well as powerful multi-channel marketing tools to grow your roofing business.

Be the “WOW” Roofer

If you’re looking for an outstanding way to impress customers, roof inspections done by drone are a heck of a way to do it. Technology is improving every single day.

Seriously, just Google technology improvements and see for yourself! By harnessing technological advancements in the drone business and turning complex data into easily digestible information, you’re well on your way to obtaining that “wow” response from your customers.

Roof Inspection Savings

Consider how much money you could save in vehicle and No more lugging ladders fuel expenses if you no longer to the job site and spendneeded to roll a large truck ing valuable time assessing with ladders to every inspecdamaged areas. Where human tion. Your roofing company’s capability falls short, machines ability to survey more sites in a pick up the slack. Drones drasday increases, which potentially tically reduce the time it takes to leads to more revenue. complete a roof inspection, allowing Drones are helping companies of all roofers to focus on other important assizes achieve results that would otherwise be pects of their job, such as business development. Drone impractical or impossible. Given their undeniable benefits, companies, like Panton Inc., measure entire roofs as well as make 2019 the year that your company takes flight! pinpoint all areas and types of damage within 10 to 15 minFRM utes. For homeowners making insurance claims, drone roof Dennis Sbrusch Jr. is a Marketing Consultant at Sure Thing inspections can substantially speed up the entire process!

Media. Hailing from small-town USA, he is a marketing enthusi-

Rich Data and Strong ROI

Through high-quality image, video, and even thermal cameras, drones can access nearly any part of a structure, collecting detailed information. The data includes accurate 28

FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

ast with a knack for helping companies of all sizes develop clear marketing messages and strategies that produce results. To contact Dennis, email him at dennis@surethingmedia.com or follow him on Facebook.

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2019 FRSA Educational Foundation Scholorships Meghan Roth, FRSA Director of Foundation Activities Did you know that the FRSA Educational & Research will not be returned to the applicant.

Foundation has awarded more than $230,000 in scholarships to deserving high school and college students since Application Deadline: March 31, 2019 1982? Each year during the FRSA Annual Convention ■■ Application must include official transcript(s) and letter Business Lunch, students are awarded industry sponsored of recommendation. scholarships to help further their education. FRSA mem■■ Applications must be mailed to: FRSA Educational & bers, employees, and their families who plan to pursue Research Foundation, PO Box 4850, Winter Park, FL post-secondary education in college or vocational programs 32793. on a full-time basis are eligible for the merit-based scholar■■ All applicants will be contacted by the FRSA Educational ships. Though not a requirement, preference will be given & Research Foundation by the end of June 2019. Not all to students pursuing a degree in architecture, engineering, applicants will be selected as recipients. construction management, or a similar field. The criteria for selecting scholarship recipients include but are not limited to: ■■ Awards will be distributed at the FRSA's Convention at the Gaylord Palms Resort on July 18, 2019.

■■ Academic Performance ■■ Leadership in school and community ■■ Honors ■■ Work experience ■■ Education and career goals Applications are reviewed and scored by the Educational & Research Foundation Trustees. Scholarship recipients will receive funding for full-time study at an accredited post-secondary institution. Scholarship amounts range from $1,000 to $2,500. The amount awarded and number of scholarships distributed is based on funding available in any given year.

Awards are not renewable, but previous award recipients may reapply as long as they have maintained a 3.0 GPA (or the equivalent). Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or national origin.

Interested students must complete a scholarship application for their undergraduate or graduate studies program.

Completed applications and all required materials (official transcripts, letter of recommendation) must be received by the deadline date of March 31, 2019. Applicants are responsible for gathering and submitting all necessary information.

Since applicants are evaluated on the information supplied, questions must be answered as completely as possible. All information received will be kept confidential and paperwork

Abby Logan 30

FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

Lance Manson

■■ Scholarship awards are tax exempt if used for educational expenses including tuition, books and materials.

Many FRSA scholarship recipients return to the roofing industry once they complete their education. Current FRSA Educational & Research Foundation Director Meghan Roth was a two-time scholarship recipient while she attended the University of Florida. FRSA Director Lance Manson received two scholarships during his studies at Everglades University and currently works for Delta Engineering. Abby Logan, who has received a scholarship for the past two years while she attends the University of Central Florida, also works as an Administrative Assistant at CORE Roofing Systems.

Five years ago, past scholarship recipient Cole Springer decided that he wanted to give back to the scholarship program. He donated $3,000 and set up the Cole Springer Pay It Forward scholarship that was awarded for the three years following his donation.

These past recipients are all proof of the impact that the FRSA Educational & Research Foundation’s scholarship program can have on students and the roofing industry.

Recipients are given the chance to further their education and, in return, many give back to the industry that has provided us with so much.

2019 Educational and Research Foundation scholarship applications are currently available on the FRSA website.

Visit www.floridaroof.com today to download an application. If you have any questions or need assistance with the application process, please contact Meghan Roth at 800-767-3772 ext. 123 or meghan@floridaroof.com.

FRM

Meghan Roth

What is Your Customer Acquisition Experience?

Heidi J. Ellsworth, HJE Consulting Over the last few decades, advertising has had various goals: gather leads, brand, educate, change opinions, etc.

And every couple of years there is a “new” way of making the most of your advertising dollars. Now with the age of digital marketing, contractors usually just want to bring in that lead but are getting caught up in advertising practices that may not direct the consumer through the buying process for a conversion to a sale.

Too often we are seeing advertising that does not direct the consumer to the advertiser’s end goal: to make them a customer. I am sure you see ads all the time that talk about how great the company or product is, but those ads never really ask potential customers to engage. It may seem that if a person likes the ad, they would click, but that is not true. They need to be invited.

According to Google, the average click-thru rate for banners is 0.06 percent. And according to a survey from mobile location firm Retale, 60 percent of clicks on mobile banner ads are mistakes as users encounter the banner ads when checking the news (65 percent), using social media (50 percent), playing games (47 percent), watching videos (45 percent) and listening to music (45 percent).

So, if you are engaging in digital advertising, it is critical

32

FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

that you think about what you want from your efforts. Since most advertisers are looking for qualified leads, it is good to start at the end and set goals.

Setting a goal of obtaining a certain number of leads per month that can provide a 50 percent closing rate is a good place to start. Sitting down and understanding what those leads need to look like to convert them to customers is critical; not just in developing the advertisement, but also in selecting online advertising search criteria.

As noted above, the placement of your ads is important.

You don’t want “fat finger” clicks from sports or unrelated websites. You want to find customers who are looking for exterior solutions and truly want to talk to your company.

They want to know that they can get valuable information from you to help with their buying decision. In your ads, let them know that if they click now and provide their

information then they will receive something they need.

Education of the consumer is valuable in gaining trust, which moves them through the buying process to eventually become a customer. If they feel you are providing information to help in the decision-making process, they will be more likely to trust your company and the sales person. Another method is to offer to inspect the customer's roof. If they know they need a roof, but they don’t want the hard sell, a roofing company that says that up front can be very appealing. Tell them you can provide the inspection and offer various solutions: from simple repairs to value-added replacements. But let them know up front.

In developing ads, straightforward advertising can make a significant difference, but clever fun advertising can also gain the click if the consumer knows why they are clicking. Providing downloadable content (white papers, case studies or product information) is a terrific way of pulling in customers to start the buying process. Here are some pointers: ■■ Create content for real people based on questions they ask.

■■ Track questions that you receive every day on the phone and during sales calls.

■■ Write them down and then commit the answers to a document.

A potential educational piece could be offering, “Top twenty roofing questions you may be afraid to ask.” Create

an online digital ad that communicates that they can get the answers without needing to ask. Then, on your landing page, explain again that it is OK to not know all the answers because your company is there to help. They download the top twenty questions and then your sales team follows up on the information you shared with them. It is just one example, but as you develop informational pieces for your potential customers, make it something that takes care of their pain and helps them get to the answers they need.

Create the Content People Want and Search Engines Love

Educational information is what people are looking for and search engines love it. Education is key for any consumer today. Just talking about how great your company or product is does not work. Prospective customers want to understand what is the best solution. It is not always about price, but if it is they want to know they are getting the best value, not just rock-bottom pricing that can turn into an unpleasant experience. An educated and happy consumer not only becomes your customer, but they provide positive reviews and referrals. The more meat and less fluff that you put out there the better.

Solve the Pain

When the roof is leaking, there is pain. When a homeowner is trying to sell their home and they need a new roof fast, there is pain. Determine what is causing your

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FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

customers' pain and advertise the solution directly. “Trying to sell your home and need a roof inspection? Click for a 24-hour inspection.” Make it simple so it grabs attention and eases the pain.

Look at Your Timing

Getting qualified leads is usually about getting in front of the customers at the right time. When they are googling roofing, or looking at exterior remodeling online, you can start finding customers that are ready for your services.

Customers also like to know that they will get immediate attention from knowledgeable representatives when they take the time to click on your ad and provide their information.

Have Some Fun

Be human, and maybe even a little funny. Try it. Who knows, your audience might love it. Most of all, use common sense. You are a consumer too, what would make you click on an ad?

One of the most important parts of digital advertising is to be sure that your message is consistent throughout the process. Whatever messaging you use to entice the click must be repeated on the landing page where they fill out the form to get more information. It is crucial that you don’t just send them to your home page and have them search your site for that free inspection you offered. You need a page dedicated to the free inspection that entices them to fill out the form and read the information.

Customer service and sales need to understand where the lead came from and use the same verbiage and messaging that was in the ad and on the landing page. If your sales team does not know about the exclusive offer or downloadable article, they will look less trustworthy to the potential customer. Everyone is afraid of being scammed, so be sure consistent messaging is strong across the board.

Finally, follow through. Deliver what you say you will deliver in the ad and make it timely. If they are looking for that 24-hour inspection you promised, be sure to deliver.

Word will spread and we all know that at the end of the day, referrals from friends and family are what really drive continued and scalable sales.

FRM Heidi J. Ellsworth has worked in the roofing industry for over twenty years. Previously leading sales and marketing initiatives for EagleView Technologies and Carlisle, Ellsworth launched HJE Consulting Group in 2015. This sales and marketing consulting firm focuses on supporting overall marketing strategies and implementation along with providing consulting to build strong collaboration between sales and marketing teams for business profitability and success.

Ellsworth leads advertising sales for Florida Roofing Magazine. She also provides sales and marketing consultation for NRCA contractors, along with consulting for the NRCA and The Roofing Alliance. She recently helped establish the National Women in Roofing (NWIR).

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www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

35

BOOTH 1735

Giving Back

FRSA Members Giving Back to the Community

Stormseal Supports Donalsonville Hurricane without damaging underlying materials. Stormseal is designed to replace tarps that often flap, leak and rip, Hero Joe Fletcher in His Community leading to further property damage. It helps roofers to Rebuilding Mission

better manage reconstruction efforts following severe Hurricane Michael wrought inconceivable destrucweather events. tion on the small farming community of Donalsonville Matthew Lennox happened to be less than two in Seminole County, Georgia. While the municipality hours away and, moved by the plight of the roofer, lies more than three hours inland from the coast, the agreed to drive to Donalsonville to meet him. He mega-storm which made landfall in the early hours of October 10, 2018 had somehow lost almost none of its was instantly impressed with the roofer’s spirit of intensity when 150-mph winds carved a path of devas- generosity.

“He’d been so busy helping out other people in the tation through the once picturesque – now barren and community, he hadn’t even had the time to think about windswept – country town later that day. his property. He’s a good bloke. He’s a good person. He’s Joe Fletcher is a local contractor who lives in lost pretty much the lot but since the storm happened, Donalsonville with his three children next door to his he’s been out around the clock, helping people put tarps parents and he’s never been more grateful for this on their roofs,” Lennox noted. proximity.

Lennox had the opportunity to meet with Joe “I was here to begin with, but when the roof started Fletcher’s family, his mother, father, brother and three coming off, we went to my brother's. Thank Jesus my children and gained first-hand insight into the impact of mother and father live next door to me, that’s where the hurricane. we’ve been staying.”

“Joe’s mother told me she had not had the courage Many of Fletcher’s family, friends and neighbors may yet to go outside, she simply could not stand the sight of be thanking him more than anyone else as the roofing contractor has spent every available moment since the devastation surrounding her property. She said she had such a lovely garden, and she just couldn’t bear to look storm hit going from house to house, using tarps to try at the space where it used to be. I asked Joe if he was and protect those whose houses are still standing. insured and he said they always talked about it but he One of Fletcher’s clients had heard through the never did take it out,” Lennox stated. grapevine about a new make-safe system called Stormseal. After getting the tip-off after a hard day of tarping, Fletcher sent an email to Stormseal Managing Director Matthew Lennox to tell him his story and ask if Stormseal could help.

Stormseal is a strong polyethylene film that covers a damaged structure, staying in place until permanent repairs can be made. Manufactured from low-density polyethylene resins that are combined with fire-retardant and ultraviolet-resistant additives, the resulting mix forms a strong plastic film when applied on a Joe Fletcher (right) along with his three children and his brother Hugh (left). damaged roof or wall, enhancing the structure’s strength www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

37

The Stormseal Director said he was staggered by the severity of the destruction.

“Joe’s house is blown apart. There are trees ripped up all around. He’s lost everything. I heard it was once a serene country landscape, green all over with lots of trees. But when I arrived there was nothing like that.

The place looked like it had been napalmed. Everything was dead. Nearly all the houses were damaged. The ones that were still standing all had some form of temporary roof protection,” Lennox stated.

Fletcher’s kindness is not an anomaly. News outlets have reported on numerous acts of generosity and neighborly goodwill with many in the town pitching in to help cut up fallen trees and lend a helping hand.

Lennox explained to Fletcher the benefits of using Stormseal and how he could register for training but soon realized that he wanted to find a way to give a helping hand to the man who had helped so many.

“Driving home that night I couldn’t believe what I had just witnessed, how displaced the community was and that this was just one story of the hundreds of thousands affected by Hurricane Michael. The next day I rang Joe and offered to pay for his training in Orlando and told him Stormseal would donate a Stormseal startup kit so he could continue to assist with relief efforts with a greater set of resources,” Lennox noted.

“The tarps are going to be on homes for a long time because there have been so many people affected. The

tarps will fail, they won’t last three months. Stormseal lasts at least a year, which will give Joe and his community some security and peace of mind while they try to get back into some kind of normality. It’s better to be able to focus on permanent repairs rather than the constant crisis management of replacing blown away and leaking tarps.”

The donation from Stormseal was welcomed by Joe. He said he would take any help he could get to assist in getting his community back on their feet.

“All we’ve done since the storm is try to help out where we can. I believe Stormseal will help a lot, it’ll be a nice tool to have,” commented Fletcher.

VFW Post 2185 Receives Free New Roof

Hurricane Michael blew the roof off of VFW Post 2185 in Panama City and members weren’t sure if they would be able to reopen until CMR Construction and Roofing came along to fix their roof for free.

Mary Bizien of CMR Construction said, “We’re excited beyond belief to do this for these people because we know that they need this building. This is their second home, where they come together. It’s actually a place where they get healing too because they get to sit down and talk with one another about their war stories and what they’ve experienced, and they need a gathering place and this is it.”

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FLORIDA ROOFING | February 2019

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Officials with the post say they had a wind exclusion in their insurance policy, so they wouldn’t have been able to replace the roof on their own. They say the post is more than just a building.

Jamie Warrick, the Quartermaster for VFW Post 2185 said, “This is a family for a lot of veterans. Some veterans don’t have that family structure that they can go to so this is their livelihood for some people. This generates funds so we can do other programs to help other people.”

Others also came in to help the post. A group called All Hands and Hearts came in to help clean out the interior.

Emily Wilmoth from All Hands and Hearts said, “It’s good to have some places that help out the entire community and it’s not just one homeowner, it’s something that means a lot to a lot of people. So, if we can help in any way, it means a lot to our organization.”

Officials with the post hope to reopen by May. FRM

FRSA wants to share your story of giving back to your community. For more information, please contact Lisa Pate at lisapate@floridaroof.com.

www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

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The DNA of Your Accounting System Lee Rust, Owner, Florida Corporate Finance I would never recommend finding a comfortable chair, sitting down, and reading the white pages of the telephone book. There are, however, some business chores that approach the tedium of that exercise but are important nevertheless. One of those is a periodic review and revision, or perhaps even a complete rewrite, of your code of accounts. That code is the DNA of your accounting software. It determines how your financial statements will be presented, what line items are shown, what sub-accounts are used to create those line items, and how much underlying detail is available for each revenue, expense, asset, and liability line on your financial statements.

Because concise, timely, and accurate financial statements should be one of your principal corporate control tools, how your financial statements are compiled and presented is of vital importance. Your code of accounts is the foundation for that presentation. The format for those codes is established by your accounting software.

Usually the codes are four to eight or more digits which can be either all numerical or alphanumeric. In any case, a single code is assigned to each accounting item you want to capture as a separate piece of financial information.

How the individual codes are handled, subtotaled, and totaled will also be established by your accounting software. Your software manual, another excruciatingly boring piece of reading, will determine how you compose the account codes to accumulate data that will total to a single line item on your statements. It will also tell you how to have a specific code become a line on your income statement or balance sheet. If your accounting software is adequate, it will also allow you to investigate any single line item, see the underlying codes and related dollar amounts that total to that line, and continue to drill down to individual invoices or other revenue, expense, or additional accounting data.

Start a review of your code of accounts with a review of your monthly financial statements in their current format. You should look at each line item to determine whether it is important enough to be shown separately.

I’ve had clients managing companies with annual sales exceeding $20 million and found line items on their financial statements which totaled less than $75 per year. Those lines did not provide any valuable control information and should have been combined as one element of a more appropriate category or line item.

I’ve also had clients with fifty or more line items in their General & Administrative accounts but only a single line for revenues and another for direct cost or cost of goods sold. Ask yourself which is more important to track, understand, and control: the cost of postage or manufacturing labor and material costs. The answer

should be obvious.

The first line or lines of your income statement show your company’s revenue. Those revenue items should be divided into appropriate control categories with a single account code and line item for each. If, for instance, you produce or sell several different product lines, you should have a revenue line item for each. If you sell similar products into several different markets, you should have a revenue line for each of those markets. Determine what revenue categories you should track over time and make sure each has a separate account code and is shown as a separate line on your income statement.

Next, consider your direct cost or cost of goods sold.

If you are a manufacturer, those direct costs should include line items for production labor, raw material purchases, and factory overhead. If your company is only a distributor, your direct costs might include separate lines for each category of purchased goods for resale.

By the way, in regard to labor costs, either direct or G&A, I always like to show only a total that includes all payroll taxes, employee benefit costs, and workers’ compensation premiums. In regard to labor, your primary concern is the total cost of employing the staff necessary to perform each company function, not the amount of FUTA tax you incurred. If you need to study such underlying details, an appropriate code of accounts and accounting software should allow you to expand any labor cost line to show its individual components.

Of course, the difference between your total revenues and direct costs defines your company’s gross profits, perhaps your most important single accounting item and the one that most closely relates to your company’s ability to generate profits. A single revenue line and a single direct cost line are not sufficient to monitor, track, and control gross profits.

Some companies should have three direct cost line items, some should have six, and some should also capture various indirect production costs. You use your code of accounts to make those distinctions and format your financial statements for maximum utility.

In that regard, you should be careful to capture as individual line items only those G&A or operating expenses necessary for a summary presentation. For instance, I frequently recommend an “Occupancy Cost” line item that includes facility rent, all utility expense, janitorial expense, landscaping costs, and property taxes. If you need to see those subcategories, your code of accounts and accounting software should allow you to expand the Occupancy Costs line to show those items.

Once you determine what line items on your income www.floridaroof.com | FLORIDA ROOFING

41

statement and balance sheet are important, you can then review your code of accounts, usually with your accounting manager, to determine how the individual codes should be structured to produce the statements that will have the greatest utility. When establishing your individual codes, it’s a good idea to leave plenty of unused numbers. Over time, you may find that you need to add a code to a subtotal or even add a line item to your financial statements. If an appropriate code number is not available, that can be a difficult task.

In addition, changing code numbers can also be difficult depending upon your accounting software and how it both formats and uses the code of accounts. For that reason, it is often best to review your code of accounts near the end of your fiscal year and make all changes on the first day of the new year.

In addition to formatting your financial statements for ease of review, tracking, and control, your code of accounts review will also tell you whether your accounting software is appropriate. If that software will not show each line item as a percent of revenues, it is not adequate. Those percentages allow you to track changes in a way that dollar amounts only cannot.

I recently reviewed the financial statements for a product sales and distribution client and recommended format and line item changes for his income statement and balance sheet together with explanatory notes. If

you would like to have a copy of that review, just let me know. I’ll be glad to e-mail it to you. Meanwhile, think about your financial statements and how they are used.

Your code of accounts may need some adjustment.

FRM Lee Rust, owner of Florida Corporate Finance, specializes in Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Sales, Strategic Planning, Financing and Operations Audits. He can be reached by phone at 407-841-5676 or by email at hleerust@att.net.

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