The Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA) has officially kicked off the 43rd Western Roofing expo at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.

Roofing contractors from all over the western United States gathered Sunday for a range of fundraising events for the Davis Memorial Foundation to kick-start the show, including the annual golf outing, a sporting clays tournament and silent auction. The foundation was established 20 years ago in memory of Larry and Mary Davis, who died in a plane crash returning from a WSRCA event in 1995.

The expo floor opens today and features a wide variety of exhibitors, giving attendees the opportunity to connect with manufacturers, suppliers and other industry contacts.

Some of the more notable events at this year’s show include keynote speaker Jay Johnson, a ventriloquist with more than thirty years of performing experience, as well as the 3^rd annual Roofing Games which will feature a steep-slope nailing competition. Attendees are also encouraged to attend seminar sessions to help network and grow their businesses. 

Roofing contractors from throughout America’s heartland converged on Kansas City, Mo., last week for the 66^th annual Midwest Roofing Contractors Association Expo. Located in the center of downtown at the Kansas City Convention Center, the convention from Nov. 11-13 featured a variety of different events and speakers that appealed to a wide array of contractors, suppliers, manufacturers and everyone in between.

Attendees had several insightful educational sessions to choose from throughout the event, ranging from CERTA demonstrations to Cynthia Ryan’s presentation on the small mentoring groups she helped implement at Johns Manville. The show floor consisted of several dozens of exhibitors and special demonstrations of some of the latest products hitting the market.

Other highlights included: a community service day at the local Harvesters Community Food Network; a keynote address by former Kansas City Royal-turned roofing contractor Frank White, just a week after the city celebrated the 2015 World Series crown; and a “roaring 20’s” themed auction to benefit the MRCA Foundation’s professional development and industry research programs.