By Jenny Yu.  

Strong attendance and meaningful conversations defined this year’s event in Connecticut. 

The North East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA) 98th Annual Convention and Trade Show brought energy and engagement to Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, where contractors, manufacturers and industry leaders gathered for education and connection. Karen Edwards of The Coffee Shops™ attended the show and shared that the event delivered meaningful networking opportunities and powerful stories from across the industry.  

Among the standout moments were interviews with two women forging their own paths in roofing: Kate Russo of Crown Contracting in Massachusetts and Lauren Begg of Aetna Roofing Corporation in New Jersey. “They shared their stories about how they got into roofing and their thoughts on being in this industry, and they were some excellent interviews,” Karen said, encouraging people to hear directly from them and other voices from the event, including some from All Weather Insulated Panels (AWIP), Brava, Terial and BITEC®.  

Another key moment was when Karen spoke with John Peck of PB Roofing, the outgoing president of NERCA. “He reflected on what they've accomplished in the last year and where they hope to be moving forward,” Karen stated. John passed the reins to Greta Bajrami of Golden Group Roofing, the first female president of the association. “They are excited about getting more women involved in the industry and getting the next generation more involved in the leadership for the association.” 

The trade show floor was bustling and engaging. One company presented a live safety demonstration, showing the dangers that can occur if roofing tools fall from 18-20 feet. Using a watermelon in place of a person, presenters demonstrated just how effective a hard hat is in avoiding serious injury. The lesson? Wear your hard hat at all times, think about pedestrians below and make sure that you're using things like tool tie offs to keep those tools from falling off the roof. 

“All in all, it was a really great event,” Karen expressed. “Small but mighty, with lots of quality conversations.” RoofersCoffeeShop® is looking forward to next year’s event, which will be held in Boston. 

Watch the interviews from the trade show floor and visit NERCA’s directory to learn more about what’s in store for 2026! 

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Durable, beautiful and storm-resistant, this roofing material is turning heads for a reason. 

Contractors, manufacturers and roofing professionals from across the Northeast gathered at the Northeast Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA) Expo, but one company in particular caught the eye of attendees and industry insiders alike. Brava Roof Tile, known for its compression-molded synthetic tiles, stood out not just for its eye-catching booth but for its promise: high-performance roofing that doesn’t sacrifice aesthetics. 

“It really raises the roof on any steep-slope project,” said Brian Canavan, North Atlantic sales manager for Brava Roof Tile. “We make a stronger, more resilient copy of those natural materials, we add our technology to it so it last far longer.” Brava’s product is engineered to handle the full spectrum of extreme conditions, an increasingly relevant feature as homeowners face rising insurance premiums and more volatile weather. From the freezing cold of Vermont to the hurricanes off the Jersey Shore, Brava stands up to it. 

The company’s tiles are fortified not only in name but in certification. Brava is part of the FORTIFIED program, a designation supported by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) and backed by major insurance providers. The goal: reduce losses and build more disaster-resilient homes. As severe weather increases, materials like Brava’s are more than a smart choice, they’re a strategic investment. Insurance companies are looking for resilient materials for all the right reasons. 

While Brava Roof Tile may be a familiar name to some, the buzz at NERCA suggests a new wave of interest. Between the advanced materials, storm-readiness credentials and architectural appeal, there’s a lot more behind this product than meets the eye. 

Watch the full interview to learn more about how this standout roofing innovation is meeting the moment with strength, style and storm-ready performance!

By Emma Peterson. 

Don’t miss the chance to attend one of the biggest regional trade shows in the U.S.  

The North/East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA) will be hosting their 98th annual Roofing Convention and Trade Show at the beginning of February! The show, which is sponsored by ABC Supply and QXO, will be held at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut from February 10 to February 12, 2026. This is an incredible opportunity for contractors and other roofing professionals to learn and grow together. 

The show not only features an exhibit hall (open Wednesday, February 11, 2026 from 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.) full of the newest technologies and solutions designed specifically for roofers, but also an extensive schedule of exciting events.  

Tuesday, February 10  

• Roofing Liability, Warranty Exposure and Contract Obligations: Kick off the day at 11 a.m. with this class all about liability in the roofing industry. This course is taught by C. Leanne Prybylski Esq. of Hendrick, Phillips, Salzman & Siegel, PC. 
• AI in the Trades: PM and PE Guide to Working Smarter – Workshop Overview: Taught by Carl Britton Jr. From Iron Thread Consulting, this 12 p.m. class will showcase how you can use AI to generate contract reviews, analyze project schedules and more!  
• NRCA Update on Current Roofing Industry Technical Issues: Hear directly from the National Roofing Contractor Association (NRCA)’s VP of Technical Services, Mark S. Graham, about the biggest technical issues in the industry. The class starts at 1 p.m. 
• Fleet Safety – Driving Toward Success: This class, which starts at 2 p.m., is presented by Hettrick, Cyr & Associates (HC&A) and explores the “evolving requirements and best practices for managing safe and compliant vehicle operations.” 
• Run It Like a Brand: The New Rules of Roofing Business Success: This two hour-long workshop (starting at 3 p.m.) is designed to help roofers simplify their operations, amplify their reputations and grow their businesses sustainably.  
• My Employees are Legal! Beware of the ICE Raid and Form I-9 Audit: Taught by Philip J. Siegel of Hendrick, Phillips, Salzman & Siegel, PC, this 4 p.m. class is all about protecting both your business and your employees in a constantly evolving landscape regarding immigration. 
• Welcome Reception: Close out your first day at the show with the much-anticipated Welcome Reception (the party kicks off at 5:30 p.m.). With complimentary beverages and appetizers, this is a great way to network and have fun with your colleagues and friends.  

Wednesday, February 11  

• Technical Issues in the Roofing Industry panel: Start day two bright and early with an 8 a.m. panel about the top issues facing the roofing industry in the new year. This panel will feature Mark Graham (NRCA), C. Leanne Prybylski Esq. (Hendrick, Phillips, Salzman and Siegel P.C.) and John Peck (NERCA president, PB Roofing CEO). 
• NERCA’s Annual Business Meeting and Brunch: Continue the day with the 10 a.m. NERCA meeting and brunch. This is a ticketed event ($60 per person) and features Lonnie Bedwell as a guest speaker. Lonnie is a “blind extreme-sports athlete, Navy veteran and National Geographic 2015 Adventurer of the Year,” as well as a construction professional from Indiana.  
• Happy Hour Reception: And as you explore the show floor (which opens at 11:30 a.m.), make sure to pause for some “complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks and a light snack” at 3 p.m. 
• Latinos in Roofing Reception: Closing out the show is the Latinos in Roofing Reception, which will be hosted at 5:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity for Hispanic contractors to chat with their peers in the roofing industry while enjoying light appetizers and complimentary beverages.  

Crew from the The Coffee Shops will be there, so make sure to stop by booth 105 during the exhibit hall hours to say hello! And if you haven’t already, make sure to register for the show!

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Automation and AI-driven tools are quietly transforming rooftops, one battery pack at a time. 

While the North East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA) convention in Atlantic City was filled with the usual camaraderie and community spirit, it was the rise of smart tools and labor-saving tech that truly caught the attention of John Peck, incoming 2025 NERCA president and co-founder of PB Roofing. John, stepping into his leadership role with a disruptor’s mindset, shared his observations from this year’s trade show during this Roofing Road Trips® podcast. For John, it wasn’t just the flashy booths or traditional networking that made an impression, it was also the shift in tool innovation and technology that hint at change in the roofing industry's near future. 

“When I walked the floor of the convention,” John said, “I continue to go back to something that was said to me years ago at an earlier NERCA convention: What's the biggest challenge for a contractor in our industry? And it's always going to be continuing to have enough resources of labor to sustain the growth.” John pointed to a surge in battery-powered equipment, robotics and AI-enabled tools being developed specifically for roofing contractors as resources to help ease the strain of labor shortages. 

“We're starting to get an increase in battery technology,” he said. “We can kind of house it within a safer environment and not have as many open flames or combustible materials on the roof.” Even more intriguing? The robots. Not the hypothetical kind, but the actual, on-site machines now being called “dogs” or “bots” by contractors in the field. “I’m actually really waiting for these  to have a computer learning component,” John said. “They’re going to continue to help us augment our own ability and install roofing in a safer way.” 

This evolution isn’t just about flashy tools, it’s also about advocacy. John expressed that contractors must stay active in conversations around innovation so that their voices are not lost in a market dominated by large manufacturers and clients. 

“Sometimes I feel like we're the lonely little contractors,” John noted. “We have very big corporate manufacturing on one side and we have very big corporate clients on the other side. Having the voice of the contractor being more than just a consumer of equipment and technology, I think is important.” 

As the roofing industry balances tradition and transformation, leaders like John are calling on contractors to be not just consumers of technology, but active participants in shaping its direction. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the episode to dig deeper into the strategies John has for keeping NERCA responsive, inclusive and ahead of the curve! 

By Jenny Yu.  

With a focus on collaboration and innovation, Leap continues to grow its platform and impact with technology innovations. 

At the North East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA) show in March 2025, Farith Odar, sales manager at Leap, spoke with Karen Edwards at The Coffee Shops™ Sound Stage to discuss the brand’s dedication to customer experience. Karen and Farith reflected on Leap’s acquisition of JobProgress and how it brought Leap into a rich community and loyal customer base. 

“JobProgress is a very strong brand,” Farith stated. “We’re super proud of that because the primary reason why we acquired JobProgress was because of their branding, their roots and the robust product in the community that they were serving. It’s a very loyal base.” 

Loyalty is something that Leap prioritizes when working with partners and customers alike. In partnering with industry leaders like QXO, SRS, ABC Supply, Siro, and even competitors like AccuLynx, Farith explains that everything is done with the customer’s experience in mind. “We shake all hands; it’s all very customer centric,” he said. “If we can work together on connecting the dots, we're game.” 

To help connect the dots further in the future of technological advancements, Leap is bounding right into the AI game with a new customer support system centered on AI. 

“We’re using a lot of AI on the backend to get our customer support and knowledge base tuned in so that customers can eventually have all the answers they need,” Farith shared. “We’re making it so that the customer doesn't have to rely on multiple brands. If we can provide solutions under one roof, it makes more sense and it’s also a better customer experience.” 

Watch the conversation to hear more from Farith about how Leap is shaping the future of contractor technology!

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with John Peck, co-founder of PB Roofing and the incoming 2025 President of the North East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA). You can read the interview below or listen to the podcast.

Intro: Welcome to Roofing Road Trips, the podcast that takes you on a thrilling journey across the world of roofing. From fascinating interviews with roofing experts to on-the-road adventures, we'll uncover the stories, innovations and challenges that shape the rooftops over our heads. So fasten your seatbelts and join us as we embark on this exciting roofing road trip. Hello everyone. My name is Megan Ellsworth here at rooferscoffeeshop com and you are listening to a Roofing Road trip. I am really excited because we have the new president of the Northeast Roofing Contractors Association, John Peck. Hi, how are you? 

John Peck: Hi. I'm doing fantastic. I love RoofersCoffeeShop. I'm so excited to be on a podcast with you right now. It's a pretty great day for me. 

Megan Ellsworth: Wow. Oh my gosh, that's awesome. Thank you. Well, let's start out with having you just tell us a little bit about you and your company. 

John Peck: Yeah, certainly. So my name's John Peck. I'm the co-Founder, President of PB Roofing. We've been in business for about 18 years and for probably half of my time I've been working within the Northeast Roofing Contractors Association. 

Megan Ellsworth: Cool. 

John Peck: So I've been putting about 10 or 11 years into the association and I think it's a great collaboration of a whole bunch of different people that I've grown completely fond of, so. 

Megan Ellsworth: Oh, that's awesome. We've been attending that trade show for quite a few years now and it's a really fun one. And you all just had your trade show in Atlantic City, which is always a fun spot. So we're happy to be chatting with you today. 

John Peck: Thank you. 

Megan Ellsworth: So you're the incoming president for 2025 of NERCA. What are some of your initial thoughts about taking on such a role? 

John Peck: It hit me when we were at the convention because someone had reminded me, we've been an association for 97 years and- 

Megan Ellsworth: Wow. 

John Peck: It carries some weight with me. There's a sense of responsibility that comes with the sequencing of the presidents and the past presidents that have gone back for 97 years really shaping the roofing industry, especially in the Northeast. And I'm a New Jersey boy, grew up in New Jersey, born and raised. And the Northeast Roofing Contractors Association has such deep roots in the New England marketplace. So for me, I take that very seriously and I want to make sure that it's completely inclusive for everybody. So we've been working hard over the last years, the 10 plus years that I've been involved and I want to continue to make sure that we set the stage for the Northeast Roofing Contractors Association to have another 97 years. So the work we're doing today is going to really help set that stage. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah, that's awesome. Wow. And coming up on 100 years. 

John Peck: Yeah, it's big deal. 

Megan Ellsworth: That's a huge deal. How has your experience in the industry shaped your approach to leading NERCA? 

John Peck: I think it's actually the lack of experience I have in the industry. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

John Peck: So I'm 41. I had my business since, for the last 18 years. And if you do the simple math on it, I think the lack of experience as having not been a generational roofing contractor, having not grown up in the industry, having no prior examples, I think actually allowed me to come into the association with almost an outsider's look on it. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

John Peck: I didn't know what I was really in for. So when I walk into these meetings and these conversations, I tend to have an opinion and it's a good thing and it's a bad thing because I'll ask questions, I'll listen to what everyone's saying and I mean, I'll raise a few eyebrows, I'll challenge the status quo. I've been called a disruptor. In a way, I guess it kind of comes with the territory, but what I think it allowed the association, my involvement over these last 10 years was to kind of question, okay, why are we doing this? What makes sense for the future? And I continue to carry that into the executive board roles that I've been a part of over the last six years. So it's really kind of just about questioning, not just for the sake of questioning, but really asking, okay, how are we evolving with the industry? We are a 97-year-old association. We should not act like we're 97 years old from our inability to respond, we should act like we're 97 years old because we can evolve and continue to evolve. 

Megan Ellsworth: What a great answer. I think that really honestly shows why you're in this role, because that is so true. Learning from, you never stop learning, you never stop gathering from others around you. And I think that's just, that was a great answer. 

John Peck: Thank you. Thank you. And if I may, it's and we might have more opportunity to talk about this concept, but I think you just nailed it, Megan, right on the nail. Right. You hit it with the hammer straight on. It's about the connection with those who have also come up through the industry. I mean, I was a young gun, I guess I don't feel so young anymore, but I was a young gun coming up in NERCA. And that connection with the individuals that are past presidents that they might be twice my age or they have so much more experience, that ability to connect with them, be enamored with their stories and how they got from where they were to where they're going. I mean, that was for me, the biggest opportunity within the association was to connect. And I don't want to lose that momentum moving forward. It's that community connection. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yes. And I think that's why NERCA's been such a great association for so long, is that's such a tight-knit community, the Northeast because it's, I mean, you're all next to each other. 

John Peck: Yeah. Yeah. 

Megan Ellsworth: And it's easy to get state to state and you all are just a close tight-knit, like you said, community. And I think leaning into that is why NERCA has always been such a great association. 

John Peck: Thank you. Yeah. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah, totally. I mean, I wish sometimes, I live in Colorado and it's hard to get to even sometimes the bottom or the top of the state in one day. And so it's nice that you're so close to your neighbors and fellow contractors out there. 

John Peck: I think if you like Colorado out and you impose it over the Northeast, it probably encompasses almost half of the Northeast territory. But no, I get what you're saying. I'm in New Jersey and we have a lot of our meetings and we have our trade shows up in the Northeast sometimes and I get it too. It's a four or five hour drive. You can take a plane flight from New Jersey to Boston and get there in a couple of hours, but at some times to get to the bottom of our region and let's not forget, our region ends in Delaware. We have Delaware, Pennsylvania, all the way up to Maine. Now we're talking, if we go from the tip of our Southern region in NERCA to the top of Maine and all the contractors in between, that is quite a trip. That's got to be every bit of 15 hours to get that distance. 

And going from New Jersey, it's a multiple day excursion for me. It's a four or five hour drive to go up to our events and to attend. But that's the commitment we put in it. So there's so much opportunity. Yeah, the proximity's close and we have such tight-knit communities within NERCA and the friends that we've kind of collected over the years. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

John Peck: But there's so much more to come. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah. So what are some of the standout moments for you at this year's show that happened? 

John Peck: Yeah. This is the first year where I kind of, I took my roofing contractor hard hat off for- 

Megan Ellsworth: Cool. 

John Peck: For the event and I said, I'm going to really just kind of explore it as the incoming president, the executive board member of the association. But what I love the most about our trade show this year is the interaction that for me, I kind of geek out a little bit on product demonstrations. So I love- 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

John Peck: Yeah, I love when the product vendors bring in their solutions and they kind of show us how it works and how it can solve some of our problems. But I also like asking them questions about what's driving their business, what challenges they have and how are they feeling about the event that we had this year. So I kind of get to wear that hat and it's really fun, but I got to say, nothing's better when there's something that really draws in the people walking around the floor to interact with the exhibitors booth. I mean, for me, it's competitive, it's fun, it's a challenge. But who doesn't want to try to get a hole in one on a golf simulator? 

Megan Ellsworth: Heck yeah. 

John Peck: And then compete for a prize. That's fun stuff. That's really fun stuff. And those are the memorable experience that get you in there, get you to feel comfortable and then in the meantime, still get to meet those exhibitors that are driving the innovation within the products and driving where the industry needs to go. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah, that's so true. And also those are the experiences that bring people back the next year to learn more, even more and meet more people and other exhibitors. So that's so true. So during the trade show, you mentioned product demos. I know there was a lot of innovative products, technologies. What trends or innovations did you see that you think are going to make a big impact in the coming years? 

John Peck: Yeah. I wish I was a fortune-teller in this so we can get ahead of it. 

Megan Ellsworth: Me too. 

John Peck: Maybe there's some good opportunity there. When I walked the floor of the convention, I continue to go back to something that was said to me years ago at NERCA convention where what's the biggest challenge as a contractor in our industry? And it's always going to be continuing to have enough resources of labor to sustain the growth that we have in our construction industry. So when I look at the exhibitors and the vendors, what I kind of notice and I think stands out for me in the short to near term future is those continued, the manufacturers that are investing in equipment and materials that are offering the labor savings component of it. We're starting to get an increase in battery technology, which is going to allow the machines to move from it requiring multiple units, that we can kind of house it within a safer environment and not have as many open flames or combustible materials on the roof. And I also think smarter tools. As we continue to see- 

Megan Ellsworth: Totally. 

John Peck: The AI revolution, we have machines that we call robots on the roof. Oh, we're going to use the robot, we're going to use a dog, we're going to use, whatever the name might be. I'm actually really waiting for these to become, to have a computer learning component, that they're going to continue to help us augment our own ability and install roofing in a safer way as well. So I'm seeing that. There is a side of me that looks at it. I want to make sure that as a contractor association, we are still standing up for and understanding how we can enhance ourselves as roofing contractors. We don't want to be in a position that we're kind of squeezing on both ends. And I do want to add this to it as well. Sometimes I feel like we're the lonely little contractors. We have very big corporate manufacturing on one side and we have very big corporate clients on the other side and we're generational roofing contractors. We're small, we're medium, some of us are large. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yep. 

John Peck: And having the voice of the contractor being more than just a consumer of equipment and technology, I think is important. And that's kind of a lot of what I'm talking about and the core of what we need to continue to do on a national level for contractor association, on a regional level for the contractor associations and then even getting down to the state and more local levels. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. That's so true. Really being contractor led and those contractors really are, I mean, leading the charge in the industry as a whole because we're all here to support the contractor, right? That's, yeah. Absolutely. So how do you plan to build on what you just said through this year as president and also build on the success of this year's trade show? 

John Peck: Yeah. You know what, I look at our trade show and we have some great successes with it, but I did get to walk the floor and talk and interact with individuals, other contractors or exhibitors, sponsors and I get to have some private conversations and we're trying to determine the what's working, what's not working situation. 

Megan Ellsworth: For sure. 

John Peck: We want the association to have a thriving trade show that is going to kind of engage our industry. It's going to bring contractors into the mix, it's going to bring exhibitors and innovation into the association. But we're in this chicken or the egg scenario within the Northeast Contractors Association. And I talk privately, so I'll keep it kind of general, but we're looking at our vendor base. Our vendor base, of course, they want to see more turnout. Everyone wants to have more people walking the floor. 

Megan Ellsworth: Right. 

John Peck: We want engagement. We want registrations and attendees and by all means, we want that too. And then you look at it from a contractor side, they say, well, we want to be excited. We want to have a reason to show up. We want to see something that's new and different. We want to interact and have a good time and be fun and not just come here and shake hands and see the same people, so. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

John Peck: For all the successes that we've accomplished, we have to really look at that. And in those dialogues, again, I go back to that kind of the rhetorical question, is what can we be doing differently? Maybe we try some things out to bring in a new structure of how we're going to approach the trade show, something that continues to provide a level of excitement. You want to be able to look forward to say, wow, NERCA is going to be in New Jersey this year. It's going to be in Connecticut next year. It's going to be in New England the year after that. And I want people to be able look forward to it, just like we talk about with other associations and trade shows. 

Megan Ellsworth: Totally. So going off of that, members really are the key to your success. What do you think members will gain under your leadership this year? 

John Peck: We may be a 97-year-old organization, but we're kind of young in the way that we're operating. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

John Peck: We're going through so many great enhancements. We've invested tens of thousands of dollars into our marketing endeavor to really rebrand the association so that people can see there's tremendous value and digital connection and a sense of community within NERCA. But when I really look at what I'm going to continue to try to do is I want to provide the association with a true vision. We kind of can all say we want more members, we want more engagement. 

But that's great aspirational to talk about, but what is our real strategic plan? How are we going to measure ourselves against a success? Where are we going in the next five to 10 years? How are we going to measure ourselves against that? If we're a 400 member strong association, what's the strategic plan that's going to get us from 400 to 1000? And if you look at the whole entire Northeast and you see the quantity of roofing contractors of all different sizes and specialties and you talk about the states that we have, 1000 is, it's almost too small of a number. It takes a tremendous amount of work to get to that point. No question. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

John Peck: But we could be a 5,000 member strong association. And that's where I start. I get goosebumps thinking about it and I've seen that potential 10 years ago when I started getting involved, that to me there's so much opportunity and so much opportunity to give back to an industry that has given me so much. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah, I love that. I love that because I mean, going back to the very beginning, the Northeast might seem small, but it is a big territory with lots of contractors and roofing professionals scattered throughout the entire region. And I love that. It's not a bad thing to have lofty goals. And I think that is awesome. 

John Peck: Yeah. Aim high. Aim high. If you aim high and you miss a little bit, you still come in a little short, but it's a huge success regardless. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah, exactly. It's that saying like, shoot for the moon and you'll land in the stars or something. 

John Peck: Oh yeah, that's it. That's perfect. 

Megan Ellsworth: That's good. Yeah, no, totally. So I love that. So with that, wanting to recruit more members, one of your main focuses as president is enhancing member benefits. What are some specific initiatives you have in mind? 

John Peck: There's a list of member benefits that we have as an association. Here's the value of it, whether it's providing you additional resources, connections with professionals, giving you the ability to curate a template for a health and safety plan, depending on what's really needed for you. But when I look at the NERCA and kind of beyond just enhancement of the specific member benefits, I really look at it as, okay, great, here's the bullet points of the tangible things you're going to get. But then there's a series of intangible things that you just will not experience from the manual. You're going to get it from the connection with the legacy that has come before you, with the other contractors that are in our ability, with going to our trade shows and connecting with you, Megan, on RoofersCoffeeShop and opening up our minds to that experience that NERCA needs to be that regional hub of connection. 

And I have an analogy that it's not innovative, but it's kind of a story I've told myself over the years and I share it with friends and colleagues. When I was starting as a contractor and I kind of empathize with other contractors that are either starting out or maybe they're still kind of growing their organization. When they are experiencing the roofing industry, their industry to them is their, I'll call it their zip codes. It's their zip codes and it's their local distribution. And their connection with the industry really exists with the person behind the counter at distribution. And we have a duty to continue to connect our distributors, the people behind the counters with the distributors, with the industry at large to experience what's happening in the Northeast. 

And going back to when I first started as a contractor, that was kind of my experience. And I remember, you open up and you expand your mind and you meet new people, you go to trade shows, then you connect with other industry events, then you're in peer groups and you're, all of a sudden you're like, oh my goodness, this roofing industry, this massive multi tens of billions of dollars industry kind of makes so much more sense. You almost shrink it down to a level that is a little bit more easy to grasp, but along that road, you just get to connect, you get to connect, you get to experience, you get to be involved. And that's the intangible of the community. We need to continue to foster that collaboration, provide resources. I want to make sure that the NERCA is when a contractor is in trouble and something's going on, they're having an issue in their business on a job site, they have a resource they can go to, to help them solve it. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I loved what you said about having the people behind the counter at the distribution sites, get them involved, get the janitor at the distribution involved, get everybody involved, because that just creates so much of a feeling of belonging and bringing everyone, no matter how big or small into the community is so important. And yeah, I love that. So as we look at NERCA growing its membership, what steps are you planning to make sure the association is inclusive and welcoming to all roofing professionals? 

John Peck: Yeah. Two things that come to mind and I'll kind of start with the easier one because it segues from our conversation before. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

John Peck: We and I realized over the years of being involved in NERCA, we're trying to meet and connect with and collaborate with other contractors. We're trying to grow the membership base. And in that search and meeting contractors, I found that I was meeting residential contractors that were not affiliated with the NERCA. And it was surprising to me. Over the years, I realized that we have so much opportunity to increase and enhance our connection in the residential roofing space. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

John Peck: I think there's a majority of quote, unquote commercial roofing contractors. And roofing is not simply just commercial. Roofing is a much larger scope than we realize and it's those particular professionals that I've connected with and brought them into the association and almost asked them, hey, what can we be doing differently and better? So we're going to continue to put steps in place to drive and foster those connections within our residential contractor community. There's a tremendous amount of potential of growth there. And they also, in a lot of ways, the resource available to them, we can provide and the connection within our roofing industry. The other one, beyond that, we had attempted it. Probably it was right around 2019, we were attempting, me and some of my, I'll call them my friends and colleagues. We had representation from manufacturing, from distribution, other contractors. We were forming and we did form an affiliate of the NERCA in New Jersey. And I, through a little bit of searching, we realized that New Jersey used to have a roofing contractor association. 

Megan Ellsworth: Okay. 

John Peck: And it went defunct at some point over the decades. And it was our goal to bring it back as an affiliate of the NERCA, because I think when you start to try to become inclusive, the NERCA does a great job from a 50,000-foot level. We then need to take it from a regional level and bring it down a little bit closer to the ground. But then you get into the specific jurisdictions of the states and the different laws and licensing requirements and you start to have a different conversation. So really it's about bringing back that concept that we started and we ran into Covid, which challenged everything. 

Megan Ellsworth: Right. 

John Peck: But we've been continuing to dabble in it. So we're going to continue to see us work at a regional level, bring it down to that state level. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah. 

John Peck: Connect with the existing state affiliate, the existing state associations, create new state associations that are affiliates of the NERCA so that we can really be more inclusive. And I think within those particular dialogues, you have the ability to say, now okay, we're going to have local conversations and then we can continue to build a bench, we can build membership and we can continue to kind of elevate from a state level to a regional level. And I think we'll have a lot more ability in that case. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yeah, I love that idea, starting with state and moving from there. I think that's really cool that you're bringing back the roots of that New Jersey RCA. I think that's really cool. 

John Peck: Thank you. 

Megan Ellsworth: So to wrap things up, what message do you have for the roofing industry, for those in the roofing industry that aren't members of NERCA yet or any RCA, why should they consider joining this year? 

John Peck: I got this question a few times over the years and I got it recently at the trade show and my answer, I get the, "Well, what's in it for me? Or why should I join NERCA?" 

Megan Ellsworth: Right. 

John Peck: "What do I get for the money that I spend?" And I try to pivot because I ask them, I return it with a question. I say, "Well, what do you want out of your business? Do you plan on growing your business? Do you plan on, maybe you are trying to create a succession plan? Do you want to generate more income? Do you want to hire better, hire more people?" So I flip it around on them and I say, "Well, the benefit you're going to get from joining NERCA is what you put into it. You're only going to get out of it what you put into it." So really what it comes down to is the best way to shape the future of your company and our industry, you got to be a part of it. 

Megan Ellsworth: Totally. 

John Peck: You got to be a part of it. So be a part of it. Get involved in the associate level, get involved in the board. Get involved in your local government and talking to your State House of Representatives. Get involved in our efforts here in the Northeast Roofing Contract Association and you'll see what it can really become when we're all working together. 

Megan Ellsworth: That's beautiful. And I completely agree. Get involved and start a state association. Follow John's lead. That's so cool. This has been fabulous. I'm really excited to see where NERCA goes and hope to join you all at the trade show next year. Thank you so much for chatting with me and congratulations. 

John Peck: Absolutely. Thank you so much for having Megan. My first podcast. I'm excited to be on it. This is fantastic. 

Megan Ellsworth: Yay. 

John Peck: And I'm looking forward to seeing you again and welcome you back at our trade show in 2026. 

Outro: Yay. Ugh, I'm so excited. And seriously congrats. It seems like you are really already filling this role perfectly, so I'm just thrilled to see where you guys go and what ends up happening this year. Everyone can go to the NERCA directory on rooferscoffeeshop.com to learn more, find their website, join, get involved and also find information. If you have questions, there's contact information on there as well. And I hope to see everyone on the next Roofing Road Trip. Thank you so much, John. If you've enjoyed the ride, don't forget to hit that subscribe button and join us on every roofing adventure. Make sure to visit rooferscoffeeshop.com to learn more. Thanks for tuning in and we'll catch you on the next Roofing Road Trip. 

By Emma Peterson.

Incoming NERCA President John Peck shares his thoughts on the future of the association.

In an new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Megan Ellsworth got the chance to sit down with John Peck, co-founder of PB Roofing and the incoming 2025 president of the North / East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA). This year marked the 97th year of NERCA's existence and the show was one to remember. John shared, “What I loved the most about this year is the interactions. I loved getting to hear about companies’ solutions, how their products work and how they can solve some of our industry’s problems. Also getting to ask questions about the business challenges they are facing. Just really talking to the people who know where the industry needs to go.”

John did mention that attending the show this year was a bit different than previous years for him, as he came not just as a contractor but the incoming president. He elaborated, “There is a sense of responsibility that comes with following in the footsteps of the past presidents going back for 97 years. They really shaped the roofing industry, especially in the Northeast and I'm New Jersey born, raised and working. So it really means a lot to me.”

As he moves into his new role as NERCA president, John wants to balance the large amount of respect he holds for NERCA’s history and influence with his nature as a bit of an innovator and changemaker. He explained, “I’ve had my business for the last 18 years, but I don't come from a generational roofing family. That means I come into the association with almost an outsider’s look. So when I walk into these meetings and these conversations, I'll listen to what everyone's saying and then I often challenge the status quo. It’s really just about questioning not for the sake of questioning but really asking, ‘Okay, the industry is evolving, we are a 97-year-old association, how do we evolve with it to last more years?’”  

Read the transcript or Listen to the episode for more about John, NERCA and the future of the industry.

By Emma Peterson.

TRA Snow & Sun elevates snow retention with color, customization and creativity.

Here at The Coffee Shops™, our crew members have been on the road for weeks. We’ve had people at the 2025 Colorado Roofing Association’s show, the Montana Roofing Association’s convention, the International Roofing Expo and most recently the North / East Roofing Contractors Association’s show. While all the travel can be tiring, we love getting to catch up with all of our friends in the industry, like Mindy Dahlquist, the business development manager at TRA Snow & Sun, one of the leaders in the snow retention sector.

We love running into Mindy and getting to hear everything about what TRA is working on! In one such encounter at the 2025 IRE, she spoke to Megan Ellsworth about the variety of customizable options TRA provides. Their snow retention systems are available in a whopping 50 different colors. Mindy added, “For such a small manufacturer to have 50 available colors is just amazing. And we can also color match. If we're going to a specific color that's outside of our 50 colors, there is an additional charge because we do have to buy a whole additional box of color, but it is well within our ability to color match almost anything.”

In addition to offering such a wide selection of color options, TRA can also customize the snow retention system itself. And by customize we don’t just mean that they can engineer a unique set up of rails, brackets and more for each roof (though they do offer engineering help for any project!). No, you can go as far as to customize the look of products, such as your bracket. Mindy explained, “If you want a bear, a moose, a maple leaf, there are so many different options. We have a laser, so we can cut whatever.”  

A great example of these customizable options is TRA’s DecoGuard, which is also Mindy’s personal favorite product. She shared a bit about it, saying, “It's a product for standing seam metal panels, but it functions more like a bracket. So it's not going to be the fences that everyone's used to seeing on standing seam. It's more of a pad style, but it still clamps to that seam so you don't have penetrations. We can make them in all different kinds of shapes and it's very aesthetically pleasing.”

Watch the full interview from IRE 2025 to learn more about Mindy, TRA and their work in the industry.

By Emma Peterson.

Experience an incredible regional tradeshow through The Coffee Shops crew!  

Recently, Karen Edwards and Alex Tolle of The Coffee Shops™ headed over to New Jersey for the The North / East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA)'s 97th Annual Convention & Trade Show! Hosted at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, this incredible show kicked off on March 18, 2025, and continued until March 20. This is the biggest regional event for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Delaware. With hours of free seminars, a variety of networking opportunities and an expansive show floor to explore, this convention built incredible connections and success in the roofing community.

Karen and Alex were busy during the show hosting a soundstage over in booth #604. They snuck a quick check in on March 19 to talk about what was happening at the show. Karen shared a bit of what had been happening at the convention, saying, “The show floor just opened so people have just started coming in making their way around the floor. Everything kicked off yesterday with the welcome reception and silent auction.” The proceeds from the auction go to support the North East Roofing Educational Foundation (NEREF) which is open to NERCA members' immediate family that is looking to pursue post-secondary education and vocational programs. This year, NERCA plans on awarding 14 scholarships of $3,000 each. Applications will be accepted up until May 23, 2025!

Later, after the show floor had been open for a bit, Alex checked back in. She shared, “It’s been great and really busy. We’ve had a lot of great conversations, both in our booth and walking around the trade show. It was a lot of fun and people are so excited!” Some of those conversations included interviews with Brava Roof Tile, TRA Snow & Sun and Leap. You can catch up on all the videos from the show on the RoofersCoffeeShop YouTube channel!

Overall, The Coffee Shops had a great time at this year’s NERCA convention and we are excited to come back again. Next year’s show is scheduled for February 10-12, 2026, at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. 

By Emma Peterson.

Get ready to figure out what exit you’re taking on the Jersey turnpike as you head to Atlantic City for one of the biggest regional roofing events in the country.

The North / East Roofing Contractors Association (NERCA) is a regional association for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Delaware. With connections to national organizations like the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and other major roof industry players, this organization builds success, fosters innovation and creates lasting connections between professionals in their area.  

Their biggest event is their regional tradeshow, which kicks off on March 18 this year! 2025 actually marks the 97th annual hosting of this show and you will not want to miss it. From quality education to an incredible exhibit hall (open March 19 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and March 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), there is so much to do. The Coffee Shops™ crew will also be on site, so make sure to stop by booth #604 and say hi to us! Beyond that, here is a summarized schedule of the other things happening.  

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

12:00 p.m. — Data-Driven Sales & Customer Trust: Optimizing Your Leads and Leveraging Reviews for Business

Taught by Greta Bajrami, the CEO and founder of Golden Group Roofing & Greta Bajrami Consulting, this two-hour seminar will help attendees learn essential, data-driven sales strategies. By learning these techniques and strategies, you can attract high-quality leads and build a sustainable customer base that fosters sustainable growth in your business.  

2:00 p.m. — NRCA Update on Current Roofing Industry Technical Issues

This two-hour presentation will cover a variety of technical topics that are timely and relevant to contractors. Taught by NRCA’s VP of Technical Services, Mark S. Graham, you will walk away with new understanding about the 2024 I-codes, FM’s field wind uplift testing and roof deck loading considerations. As a perk, this session will also help you get educational credits towards renewal of your Construction Supervisors License (CSL).

4:00 p.m. — pH7: The 7 Elements of the Prosperous Human

Jim Johnson, the head coach of ContractorCoachPRO will use this two-hour session to teach contractors how to build the life they want. His presentation will share “The 4 lies that keep us from living life, the 7 elements of the prosperous human and tips on thinking ‘orbitally instead of traditionally.’”

5:30 p.m. — Welcome Reception

You can close out your first day of the show in the Convention Registration Area for the NERCA Welcome Reception. This is a perfect way to connect and network with other professionals in the field. The two-hour event includes complementary beverages and appetizers. There will also be a silent auction!

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

9:00 a.m. — Re-roofing Contracts: Provisions to Include in Your Re-Roofing Contracts to Manage Liability

Kick off day two with a two-hour program from Stephen Phillips and C. Leanne Prybylski of Hendrick, Phillips, Salzman & Siegel, PC. They will share tips and suggestions on managing liability when it comes to reroofing projects. Not only will this help you better navigate contracts, it also is recognized by MA & RI as satisfying educational credits towards renewal of Construction Supervisors License (CSL) requirement.

11:00 a.m. — Technical Issues in the Roofing Industry Panel

The roofing industry is changing and evolving with each day and technology advances and regulations shift. This two-hour panel is a great way to keep up to date on everything happening. It will be moderated by NERCA with panelists Stephen Phillips and C. Leanne Prybylski of Hendrick, Phillips, Salzman & Siegel, PC along with Mark S. Graham from NRCA. Like many of the other educational offerings at the show, this is recognized by MA & RI as satisfying educational credits towards renewal of Construction Supervisors License (CSL) requirement.

4:00 p.m. — Happy Hour Reception

While the exhibit hall floor will have already opened at 1:00 p.m., this is a great opportunity to explore with some complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks and light snacks. It can often be hard to work in time to explore all the exhibitor booths at busy shows like this, so we love that they have built in this time!

6:00 p.m. — Latinos in Roofing Reception

Later, after the Happy Hour Reception, there will be another networking event specifically for Latinx professionals in the industry. This hour-long event is a great way to catch up with old colleagues and make new friends.

Thursday, March 20, 2025

7:30 a.m. — Material Handling: How to Safely Hoist Materials and Equipment

The final day of this year’s show starts bright and early with a two-hour presentation about handling materials and equipment safely. Taught by Peter Shackford, who is the director of safety & risk control services at Hettrick, Cyr & Associates, will help participants increase their ability to identify hazard risks, implement prevention methods and increase awareness of training and prevention methods. Like the other education sessions, you can get education credits towards renewal of your Construction Supervisors License (CSL) requirement by attending.

9:30 a.m. — NERCA’s Annual Business Meeting and Breakfast

Closing out the day and the show is NERCA’s annual meeting. Sponsored by ABC Supply and Beacon Building Products, this meeting has a full agenda with the presentation of the Clarence J. Carr Roofing Industry Annual Award, the election of executive committee & board of directors and greeting/updates from NRCA.  

There will also be a guest speaker in the form of David Tyree, former New York Giants special teams player. David, who was the 2003 Special Teams Rookie of the Year and one of the 2005 NFL All-Pro special teams players, will be sharing his insights on leadership development, career transitions, and total wellness.

Learn more about the NERCA show and plan your attendance online!