b'Presidents MessageThe MRCA 70 thAnnual Conference and ExpoKevin Gwaltney, MRCA PresidentI t is the end of June as I sit down to write this column and the summer is in full swing. I recently traveled to Newport, Rhode Island to attend the summer MRCA Board and Committee Meetings and I am very pleased with the accomplishments of the meetings.The Technical and Research Committee put the final touches on and approved a study of low-rise foam used as ISO insulation adhesive, as well as a scrub test study of granule loss of SBS modified bitumen membranes.I look forward to the results at our Annual Conference in Overland Park, KS this November 20-22.The Safety Committee, along with ESC Safety Consultants, has revamped almost two hundred tool box talks that are getting ready to hit the street.They are in English and Spanish, easy to understand, short and to the point.The committee felt strongly about providing tool box talks that can be easily communicated and retained in the field.The Safety Committee is also working on putting together a short video series on common safety practices, such as how to set a ladder and how to wear a personal fall arrest harness.In the YouTube age of learning, this is another means to reach our industry with safety training.Finally, we spent much of our time planning for our upcoming convention. The schedule of events is set and I am excited to share with you that Daniel Comier, a mixed martial artist and UFC Champion, will be our keynote speaker.The Steep Slope Committee is putting on Steep Slope University which is jam-packed with education and networking opportunities.We will also be holding the 1st Annual Roofing Olympics with 4 events including Fastest Shingler, Fastest Pre-Taped Lap, Fastest Heat Welder, and Fast Fastener with the Gold Medal winner receiving $1,000. I would encourage you to plan to attend the convention and bring your Fastest Roofer to compete!I appreciate the support of our staff, directors and committees at our recent meetings.I feel it is important for the MRCA membership to understand that our Directors and Advisory Council are volunteers, spending their own resources trying to improve our industry we work in.However, time in Newport, Rhode Island was not all business.The group shared some downtime on a sailing excursion in the Narragansett Bay of the town of Newport and had cocktails in White Horse Tavern, Americas Oldest Tavern, where George Washington used to do the same.The spouses went on a mansion tour of The Breakers, a summer home of the Vanderbilts railroad fortune, followed by a trolley tour of the Newport area.As always, I truly enjoyed sharing time with industry colleagues that I share common struggles and successes with.My roofing operation is hard at work facing the daily to-do lists of removing and installing roofs while dealing with the major challenge of more work than human resources to complete.Our company is fortunate to have assembled a team of talent that is willing and able to navigate the work schedule while remaining true to the companys core values of safety, quality, productivity, communication and teamwork.I am very appreciative of their efforts and thank them for their dedication.Always stay safe and productive,Sincerely,Kevin GwaltneyMRCA PresidentDiamond Roofingkevin@diamond-roofing.com4 www.mrca.orgMidwest Roofer'