RT3 members Jill Bloom of Roofing Contractor and Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese LLC talk about Chat GPT and what it means to the roofing industry. The legal expert discusses the AI’s capabilities, what it can do, and whether companies should consider policies on how to implement the program. Watch the conversation below.
Category: 2023
Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) Plans Activities Around the 2023 International Roofing Expo®
Activities include a meetup at SRS Distribution’s new headquarters and a future workforce-focused contractor educational panel.
Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry, announced activities scheduled for the International Roofing Expo (IRE) 2023.
Members will meet Monday, March 6 at the SRS Distribution Headquarters where they will tour the facility, hear from technology leaders at the company and then continue their work on the technology issues facing the industry. Members have been analyzing the lack of standardization among technology platforms and brainstorming ways to improve communications and integrations among these tools.
RT3 members will also participate in an educational panel on Thursday, March 9 at 9:30 a.m. The session is titled Finding Your Future Workforce. In this panel, RT3 contractor members share how they are leveraging their communities, engaging with youth, and using technology such as robotics, virtual reality and AI to appeal to the future workforce. They will share what they are doing, how they got started and tips for success.
The panel is moderated by Heidi J. Ellsworth and participants include RT3 contractor members John Peck of PB Roofing, Charles Antis, Antis Roofing & Waterproofing, Christee Holbrook of Graham Roofing, Josey Parks, CEO of J Wales Enterprises and John Kiesel of Division 7 Roofing and Imagine Technologies.
“We have all been challenged when it comes to recruiting young team members into our roofing companies,” stated Karen Edwards, RT3 Director. “Technology is going to play a key role in attracting the next generation into roofing, but engaging with our youth and communities is where it starts. This panel is a chance for other contractors to learn how to get started and gain ideas as to what might work in their service areas.”
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About Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3)
Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) strives to find innovative technology solutions to be used within the roofing industry. RT3 provides insights from progressive thought leaders both inside and outside the roofing industry along with practical resources for implementing potential solutions successfully. The organization will encourage and enable contractors to embrace technology as they seek to grow their businesses. With a commitment to disseminate technology advancement information, RT3 will help build the professionalism and appeal of the roofing industry. Learn more at www.rt3thinktank.com.
RT3 Member Mycocycle Joins Chicago H1-B Connect to Support Displaced Tech Workers
The member companies have come together to reinforce that Chicago is a welcoming city for all.
(Bolingbrook, Illinois) January 30, 2023 – Mycocycle, Inc., a leader in using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste, announced that it has joined Chicago H1-B Connect, a coalition of Chicagoland companies who are willing to sponsor the H1-B visas for technology workers who have been displaced in the nationwide technology industry layoffs.
According to the website Layoffs.fyi, over 157,000 tech workers lost their jobs in 2022, and the tech layoff rate isn’t slowing down. Over 50,000 workers at U.S.-based tech companies have been laid off this year alone. When an H1-B technology worker loses their job, they are left with 60 days to find a new one and the company must be willing to sponsor their visa.
“We are proud to be a member of this coalition and demonstrate our commitment to support and attract H-1B visa holders to the Chicago area,” stated Joanne Rodriguez, Mycocycle founder and CEO. “For foreign workers on H-1B status, losing their job jeopardizes their ability to stay in the U.S. Being part of this program is a win for all parties involved as companies benefit from the skills these workers bring to our businesses and the workers benefit by being able to continue living and working in this country.”
About Mycocycle
Mycocycle, Inc. was founded in October 2018. It is a woman-owned, early stage cleantech company using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste. Mycocycle was one-of-seventeen companies worldwide selected to The Circulars Accelerator in 2022 through the World Economic Forum and Accenture, was the winner of the 2021 1871 Momentum Awards as an Industry Disrupter and Chicago Innovation “Up and Comer” Award, recognized as a Finalist in FastCompany’s “2021 World Changing Ideas” Awards issue, recognized as a Forbes “Next1000” Entrepreneur and Energy+Environment Top 100 Leader, selected as a Top 100 Global Deeptech Pioneer by Hello Tomorrow, and a 2020 Innovation selection in the EPA’s Innovation and America Recycle’s Fair. For more information visit www.mycocycle.com.
About Chicago H-1B ConnectLed by P33 and World Business Chicago, the coalition brings together the city’s leading civic organizations including the Commercial Club of Chicago, 1871, the Executives’ Club of Chicago, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the Corporate Coalition of Chicago, and MATTER, along with Fortune 500 corporations and rapidly scaling, well-funded startups to help support and to retain highly skilled and valuable international talent. For more information, visit gotechchicago.com/h1b/
RT3 Member Roofing Contractor Magazine Announces Roofing Supply Pro to Support Roofing Distribution Industry
Roofing Contractor Magazine and its parent company, BNP Media, are proud to announce Roofing Supply Pro, a publication dedicated to serving professionals in the roofing distribution industry.
Set to launch during the 2023 International Roofing Expo in March, the online publication will deliver content crafted for the unique business needs of roofing supply professionals. Readers will enjoy coverage on a wide array of topics, ranging from news and products to operations, branch management, sales, logistics, and more.
“As these past few years have demonstrated, supply and distribution are critical to the roofing industry,” said Jill Bloom, publisher of Roofing Contractor and Roofing Supply Pro. “As the premier publication for commercial, residential and industrial roofing contractors, we are excited to expand our coverage of the roofing industry to serve roofing supply professionals.”
Roofing Supply Pro is for owners, sales representatives, branch managers, credit managers, fleet managers and everyone else involved in this essential industry. Readers can subscribe for free at www.roofingcontractor.com/RSP-Sign-Up as well as sign up for eNewsletters that will send the latest news, videos, podcasts and more directly to their inboxes. Readers can also find Roofing Supply Pro on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to stay on top of the latest news.
For more information, visit www.roofingcontractor.com/RSP-Sign-Up.
About Roofing Contractor
Roofing Contractor, a BNP Media publication, is the premier media publication for roofers in North America, and the businesses that supply and support them. Roofingcontractor.com covers the latest news and information impacting the roofing industry on a daily basis. In addition, every month RC publishes a newly-redesigned eMagazine that delivers articles, contractor profiles, product information, and insights into the latest business, legal and safety concerns that contractors face every day. Our editorial reaches an international audience covering all aspects of residential, commercial, industrial and institutional roofing.
About BNP Media
Founded in 1926, BNP Media is a fourth-generation, family-run media enterprise headquartered in Troy, Mich. Millions of B2B professionals worldwide rely on BNP Media for superior information in a variety of trusted formats. Their magazines, websites, events, custom media, webinars, continuing education coursework, and market research insights are known for helping industry professionals succeed in business and get closer to their customers.