b'Presidents MessageYear in ReviewLarry Marshall, MRCA PresidentT he MRCA 66th Annual Conference and Expo held in Kansas City is now history. The Buzz throughout the educational conferences and on the floor of the Expo was extremely positive. The MRCA Foundation Auction was a standing room only event of contractors and roofing associates. It is great for all of us to witness the continued revival of the organization!Your Board of Directors embraced a very ambitious agenda in 2015 to better serve our members as The Contractors Advocate.It helps, now and then, to step back and review our accomplishments. While we never fully complete our agenda, we know seeds have been planted that will grow our Association. Consider the following 2015 MRCA highlights:The MRCA Strategic Plan was updated with 100% Board Participation. The result was the injection of new ideas and enthusiasm. Our plan is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time sensitive. Cash flow was improved by the implementation that all members dues be paid on a calendar year basis. Administration Operating expenses have been reduced by 30%, resulting in 2015 being a year that MRCA will be able to contribute back to reserves. The name of our annual conference has been changed to the annual Conference and Expo with the goal to improve how we market to our exhibitors and contractor attendees. Our MRCA/CERTA Task Force successfully negotiated a new working partnership agreement with NRCA with the plan of growing the CERTA Program for our members. We published and distributed the first Annual MRCA Financial and Informational Report. The report provides our membership a transparent review of our financials as well as a better understanding of the many member benefits. The Elite Contractor Program was launched at our Conference and Expo. This new Contractor Professional Development Program will formally help our members to work -on-their-business and grow. Board participation and recruitment has been enhanced by the creation of a formal Board Orientation Program. Five new AD Hoc Committees focused on the Architectural and Sheet Metal Market, Conference and Expo Promotion, Association Partners Communication, the Steep Slope Roofing Market, and New Revenue Opportunities. Their collective goal was to grow membership and improve member benefits. MRCA directed extra support to its core service of Technical Research. Through the continued success of the Foundation, T&R continues to be a dominant service of MRCA. The return of the Annual Past Presidents Dinner featured the creation of the Past Presidents Council. This new Council has been created to celebrate and enhance communication among those who continue to serve our Association in many ways. This is what your Board of Directors is about as we celebrate the end of 2015. Future boards will water the seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.Our work may be incomplete. Significant steps have been made through the efforts of many. We are Prophets of the Future. We know because of the work of many who have provided their gift of service to us all . MRCA has strong roots and a bright future. Best wishes for the new year ahead! Gratefully,Lawrence P. Marshall2015 MRCA PresidentL. Marshall Roofing & Sheet Metal, Inc., Glenview, ILlpmarshall@lmarshallroofing.com4 www.mrca.orgMidwest Roofer'