b'Industry NewsNRCA announces its 2017-18 slate of officers and directors at its 130th Annual ConventionThe National Roofing ContractorsJacksonville, Fla.Association (NRCA) announced its 2017-18 slate ofBryan Karel, project manager/ofLfiacesr Vse agnads directors at its 130th Annual Convention heldsupervisor at Garlock-French March 1-3 in Las Vegas. Corp., MinneapolisJim Barr, president of Barr Roofing Co., Abilene, Texas,Hunter Merrill, owner of Mountain Roofing Inc., has been elected NRCA chairman of the board, and KentRoanoke, Va.Schwickert, senior vice presidentnational business unit,Bob Morgan, chief executive officer of Upstate Schwickerts Tecta America of Mankato LLC, Mankato,Roofing and Painting Inc., Rochester, N.Y.Minn., was elected chairman of the board-elect. David Hesse, vice president of Kalkreuth Roofing and SheetTim Stevens, service department manager at Ben Metal Inc., Wheeling, W. Va.; Nick Sabino, president ofHill Roofing and Siding Co. Inc., Douglasville, Ga.Deer Park Roofing Inc., Cincinnati; J.J. Smithey, presidentAll 2017-18 officers and directors will assume their of Frost Roofing Inc., Wapakoneta, Ohio; and David Tilsen,NRCA is one of the construction industrys most roles June 1, 2017.president, Tilsen Roofing Co. Inc., Madison, Wis., wererespected trade associations and the voice of roofing elected vice chairmen. professionals and leading authority in the roofing industry Additionally, the following were elected NRCA directors: for information, education, technology and advocacy. It Charles Antis, founder and chief executive officer ofrepresents all segments of the roofing industry, including Antis Roofing & Waterproofing, Irvine, Calif. Chadcontractors; manufacturers; distributors; architects; Collins, president of Bone Dry Roofing Co., Bogart,consultants; engineers; building owners; and city, state Ga. and government agencies. NRCAs mission is to inform and Luke Duffy, vice president of Elens and Maichinassist the roofing industry, act as its principal advocate and Roofing and Sheet Metal Inc., Joliet, Ill. help members in serving their customers. NRCA continually Alex Hernandez, president of Clark Roofing Inc.,strives to enhance every aspect of the roofing industry. For Broadview, Ill. information about NRCA and its services and offerings, visit Erica Jackson, president of CYE Enterprises,www.nrca.net.Multiemployer Plans:Cleveland-Area Iron Workers Approve Pension Cuts Members of Iron Workers Local 17 in Cleveland haveAll other pension funds that have asked for similar approved cuts to their pension benefits in an effort tomeasures have been rejected by Treasury.keep their pension plan from going insolvent, and itsPrior to the MPRA, pension plans were unable the funds retirees who are going to take the hardestto voluntarily cut benefits under the Employee hit. Retirement Income Security Act.The Treasury Department Jan. 27 informed theBenefit cuts, under the MPRA, are allowed only if the plans trustees of the voting results. Its the firstplan trustees determine that all reasonable measures time a multiemployer pension fund has conductedto avoid insolvency have been and continue to be such a vote and now the first time a pension fundtaken and that the suspension would allow the plan has been able to make benefit reductions under theto avoid insolvency, assuming the suspension of Multiemployer Pension Reform Act. benefits continues until it expires by its own terms Of the nearly 2,000 plan participants, fewer than halfor, if no such expiration is set, indefinitely. Cuts submitted a vote. Thats significant because undercan be made to no more than 110 percent of the the MPRA, not casting a vote is the same as voting toPension Benefit Guaranty Corporations limits for approve the pension cuts. Of the 936 members whomultiemployer plans. did vote, two-thirds voted in favor of the cuts.In December, the fund became the first to get Treasurys approval to proceed with the process of collecting votes on its proposal to cut benefits. 20 www.mrca.orgMidwest Roofer'