b'Women In Roofing - WinRERA selects first female chairmanJennifer Ford-Smith , MRCA WinR Advisory CouncilBETHESDA, Md.Jennifer Ford-Smith was named chairman of the EPDM Roofing Association in February, making her the first woman to hold the position in Women in Roofing is athe associations 12-year history.volunteer based organizationFord-Smith succeeds John Geary, director of education and industry relations at with the goal to provideFirestone Building Products L.L.C., and will be the ERAs fifth different chairman, the networking, mentoringassociation said. She will serve a one-year term.and education for womenHer first goal will be more of the samecontinue to get the associations message roofing professionals. Without into the industry.a strong focus in mentoringWere going to continue to enhance and and education for incomingkeep our content relevant on the website, women into the roofingFord-Smith said. We have a list of white papers industry, the organizationthat we have our technical committee working will also create opportunitieson. Were actively pursuing to get those into for continuing education,publications.support and networking for professional success. Ford-Smith certainly brings strong The purpose of the MRCA Women incredentials to the job. She has spent 13 yearsJennifer Ford-Smith, director of marketing and single ply Roofing Council is to encourage andwith Johns Manville, initially joining the firm inproduct management at Johns Manville, was appointed 2002 as product manager and eventually beingchairman of the ERA in February. Ford-Smith also serves recognize professional excellence in womennamed strategic market manager, a title she saidon the WinR advisory councilwhile providing educational, networking,no longer exists.and mentoring opportunities for women roofing industry professionals who arePart of her job in that role was to identify JMs growth strategy in single-ply, which involved, working or retired from theled to the firm constructing its first manufacturing presence in the single-ply areasa roofing industry. thermoplastic polyolefin facility at Scottsboro, Ala., in 2008, and its EPDM facility in MRCA Women in Roofing (WinR) will focusMilan, Ohio, in 2012.on providing education specifically to assistShe assumed her current roledirector of marketing and single ply product women in the roofing industry to handlemanagementabout the time the firms EPDM plant opened, which also allowed it daily work and family challenges as wellto join the ERA. Ford-Smiths main role with Johns Manville is to commercialize the as increase the professional perceptionproducts that are produced out of Milan.of women in the industry. By cultivatingWe are fortunate to have Jennifer leading our efforts, Ellen Thorp, associate a safe environment that encouragesexecutive director of ERA, said in a statement. ERA is playing an increasingly open and honest discussion without fearactive role in code-setting and regulatory activities, as well as serving as a source of of repercussion, WinR will also assist ininformation for the industry about our products. Ford-Smith has the leadership skills providing mentoring opportunities to helpand in-depth knowledge of roofing membranes to take us to an even higher level of support those with less experience. WinRservice to the building industry.will operate under the bylaws, policies andFord-Smith said she doesnt expect the white vs. black roofing membrane debate procedures of the MRCA. to go away any time soon, but her primary goal to combat it is to continue to advance Through WinR, MRCA will help maximizethe curriculum and scientifically backed evidence on the strengths of EPDM and TPO the potential of women in the industryto ensure that the people installing the roof have the ability to make the best decision and encourage them to use their individualfor the building in question.skill sets to elevate their positions withinOur goal is to help our members use science to help build credibility around the industry as well as the reputationsEPDM and help them have a choice, Ford-Smith said. That will continue to be our of their respective companies.Thegoal. All the manufacturers that are part of ERA offer a breadth of roofing products. council will ultimately continue to plantWe want to give our specifiers, architects and roofers the ability to choose the right a positive footprint for women in theroof for the right situation. Our goal is to give them science and support to make that roofing industry, empowering them tocase.work at their best while promoting their professional perception in the roofingRegulations regarding volatile organic compounds are another issue Ford-Smith industry. sees the ERA addressing in the near term. States like California have proposed that certain chemicals not be used or drafted regulations that would require lower VOC content, citing one that would potentially drop VOC content down to 100 grams per liter, which she said would be a drastic change.8 www.mrca.orgMidwest Roofer'