Category: <span>Roofing</span>

Category: Roofing

RT3 member Cotney Construction Law Joins Adams & Reese

Posted on

This expansion creates one of the largest construction law practices in the country.


Adams and Reese LLP is pleased to announce the expansion of its nationally ranked construction practice with the combination of Tampa, Florida-based Cotney Construction Law LLP, a full-service legal and consulting firm serving the construction and infrastructure industries with 16 attorneys and professionals located across the United States. These additions join Adams and Reese’s current roster of 58 construction attorneys and takes the group to 75, now one of the largest construction practices in the country. The combination strengthens Adams and Reese’s capabilities in high-stakes commercial disputes and transactions. The combined practice now boasts eight Florida Bar board-certified construction lawyers, as well as two Florida certified general contractors.

The complete list of attorneys joining Adams and Reese today includes:

Trent Cotney
Tray Batcher
Benjamin Briggs
Christie Coston
Jacqueline Feliciano
Roscoe Green
Brian Lambert
Benjamin Lute
Steven McCommon
Hilary Morgan
Brian Oblow
Gabriel Pinilla
Mason Pokorny
Ashlee Poplin
Kyle Rea
Lee Tomlinson


“Our construction practice is a driver for the firm, and client needs are fueling its growth. Our strategic plan calls for doubling down on existing areas of strength,” said Gif Thornton, managing partner of Adams and Reese. “Trent and the Cotney team are national leaders in the construction law space, and their capabilities complement ours. This combination moves us toward dominance nationally and in the Southeast in particular, coinciding with the economic growth in the region.”

The team joining Adams and Reese brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in serving publicly traded companies, private businesses and individuals in transactions and disputes nationally and internationally. Their singular focus is meeting an array of legal, business and consulting needs in the construction space, as evidenced by national rankings by Chambers USA, Construction Executive, Construction Tech Review, Finance Monthly, Forbes and U.S. News & World Report, among others.

“We are excited about this opportunity to add our already deep bench to a national firm like Adams and Reese, whose resources and platform will take us to the next level,” said Trent Cotney, who served as chief executive officer of his firm and now becomes a partner at Adams and Reese. “As advocates for construction clients in the U.S. and around the world, our combined team has a deep understanding of what we must bring to bear when providing the most comprehensive counsel to our clients, and we can better meet their needs through our collective strengths. Our team shares Adams and Reese’s forward-thinking vision and commitment to diversity, which will exponentially grow our combined capabilities.”

The new team of attorneys relocates to Adams and Reese’s downtown Tampa office, located at 100 N. Tampa Street, Suite 4000.

“Every major city nationwide is seeing dramatic changes to its skyline, and the country is ripe with new construction and infrastructure projects that require the experience of trained construction lawyers,” said David Toney, leader of Adams and Reese’s Construction Team and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “This combination gives us the horsepower to respond to that need both now and into the future.”

“As the complexity of business challenges increases in response to a more interconnected global economy, our clients are seeking sophisticated advice at national and international levels,” said Jeffrey Brooks, chair of the Executive Committee at Adams and Reese. “The successful combination with Cotney will serve as a platform for our continued growth, as well as an exemplar of the partnership we seek in that mission.”

​​​​Adams and Reese, founded in 1951, is a multidisciplinary law firm with over 270 attorneys and advisors strategically located throughout the United States and Washington, D.C. The American Lawyer includes Adams and Reese on its distinguished list of the nation’s top law firms, the Am Law 200. The National Law Journal also includes the firm among the top 200 on the NLJ 500 list of the nation’s largest law firms. Learn more at www.adamsandreese.com.

RT3 members experience VR rooms and share future workforce tips at IRE 2022

Posted on

Members of the Roofing Technology Think Tank started the week of the 2022 International Roofing Expo by participating in a meetup where they learned about emerging technologies and how they will affect the roofing industry.

Tesla Solar Roofs

The group began its meetup on Monday, January 31 with several presentations. Ken Kelly, of Naples, Florida-based Kelly Roofing shared exciting updates related to Tesla Solar Roofs as his company nears their 100th installation.

Ken Kelly presents on his company’s experience installing Tesla Solar Roofs.

Automating Takeoffs

Following Ken’s presentation the topic moved on to the recent acquisition of Estimating Edge by Foundation Software. Adam Oaks, Estimating Edge CEO shared information about the acquisition and what it will mean for the advancement of technology within the roofing industry.

He then proceeded to give a demonstration of their newest program call Vector. The takeoff software automates the takeoff process, allowing users to spend more time on estimating and less on measuring, saving hours or even days.

Virtual Reality

Following the presentations, RT3 members were able to experience the power of virtual reality combined with photogrammetry to see how it has the ability to revolutionize the way we perform site inspections and even meet with our customers.

Thanks to RT# member John Kiesel of Division 7 Roofing and Imagine Technologies Group, members used Oculus VR headsets to enter virtual rooms that focused on different areas in the industry, including safety, sales and marketing and service.

For many members it was their first experience with the VR space and proved to be a fascinating adventure into what the possibilities for the future of roofing could be.

Future Workforce Panel

On the first day of the IRE, several RT3 members presented a panel titled Casting the Net for Your Future Workforce. In this session, RT3 contractor members shared how they are working with their schools, youth programs and communities to build a pipeline for the future roofing workforce. From multi-organizational apprenticeship programs to working with youth from schools who don’t want to pursue college to getting involved in the community and developing in-house training opportunities, these contractors shared what they are doing, how they got started and tips for success.

  • L-R, Charles Antis, Christee Holbrook, John Peck, Josey Parks, Karen Edwards

It was an exciting week for the RT3 members as they continue their mission to learn about new technologies and share that information with the rest of the industry.

RT3 members share tips on cybersecurity for contractors

Posted on

In a recent article from Roofing & Exteriors, editor Gary Thill spoke to RT3 members from Furman Insurance and Cotney Attorneys & Consultants about the ways contractors can protect themselves from cyber attacks. In fact, Thill writes that “construction companies are now the no. 1 target for ransomware attacks.”

John Kenney of Cotney Attorneys & Consultants said he has seen more than a dozen contractors who have been hit with ransomware attacks where hackers were asking for anywhere from $20,000 to $1 million, telling Thill, “There are a lot of contractors getting hit with ransomware, but the truth is no one wants to talk about it because you don’t want it out there.”

Furman Insurance’s Nick Ondo, a commercial risk advisor, says that contractors have become targets because hackers know that they do not have strong IT departments with protective measures in place. He told Thill, “A lot of our clients don’t have sophisticated IT departments. These hackers know that, and then they get into the system and passively monitor it and track every move.”

Kenney and Ondo share six ways that contractors can better protect themselves from these attacks ranging from education to software updates to purchasing cyber insurance. See all the tips and read the full article here.

RT3 member Joanne Rodriguez of Mycocycle named to 2021 Environment+Energy Leader 100 Honoree List

Posted on

The list includes CEOs, VPs, managers and engineers who are all making a difference.

Mycocycle, Inc., a leader in using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste, announced that CEO Joanne Rodriguez has been named to the 2021 Environment+Energy Leader 100 Honoree List.

“It’s exciting to be included among such an elite group of changemakers who are committed to helping the environment,” stated Rodriguez. “Together, this group of honorees will have an impact on the future of how efficiently we use our resources through the development of innovative solutions that lead to a more sustainable environment for coming generations.”

In its fifth year, the annual Environment+Energy Leader 100 recognizes those environment and energy “doers” who break trail in creating new solutions, programs, platforms, best practices, and products to help their companies – or other companies – achieve greater success in commercial and industrial environment and energy management.

“The Honorees on the annual list show groundbreaking work and dedication to the field of sustainability and energy management,” says Paul Nastu, President of Environment+Energy Leader. “We’re thrilled to recognize this year’s Honorees and congratulate all who made the list.”

Nominations for the E+E 100 are made by Environment+Energy Leader readers and others that work in the industry, are vetted and then Environment+Energy Leader team and a select group of advisors from the industry make the final Honoree selections.

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 the winner of the 2021 1871 Momentum Awards as an Industry Disrupter, recognized as a Finalist in FastCompany’s “2021 World Changing Ideas” Awards issue, recognized as a Forbes “Next1000” Entrepreneur, 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. Mycocycle has been named a 2021 Illinois Qualified New Business Venture under the Angel Investment Tax Credit Program. This program provides Illinois-based investors a state tax credit of 25 percent of their investment up to $2 million. For more information visit www.mycocycle.com.

About Environment+Energy Leader

For fifteen years, Environment+Energy Leader (www.environmentenergyleader.com) has provided news, best practices and research that has influenced environment, energy and sustainability conversations–and powered decision-making. We have a wide range of professional resources, including our website, newsletters, awards programs, webinars, reports, white papers and conferences to help you tackle environment and energy management challenges in order to reduce costs, increase efficiency and minimize resource waste. Environment+Energy Leader is published by Business Sector Media LLC.

RT3 Member RoofersCoffeeShop® is a Winner at the 2021 Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards

Posted on

RoofersCoffeeShop®, the award-winning place where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business, announced that it is a winner of the 2021 Folio: Eddie Award for Social Media / Online Community.  Having won honors for B2B Construction Website and honorable mention for Social Media in 2019 along with honorable mentions in 2017, RoofersCoffeeShop continues to make an impression on the publishing world.

As a 2021 winner, RoofersCoffeeShop is recognized with an elite group of editors, journalists, designers and publishing professionals who were honored on October 14, 2021 at the Eddie and Ozzie Awards Gala, held at New York City’s Metropolitan Pavilion. The Eddies and Ozzies recognize excellence in journalism and design across all sectors of the publishing industry. As one of the broadest and longest-running competitions for editors and designers, winning an Eddie or Ozzie comes with the added honor of being judged exceptional by one’s own peers — this year’s winners were determined by 82 judges, all of whom are experts in journalism or design.  

The 2021 winners list features the crème de la crème of content creators and designers—a pool of more than 200 winners narrowed down from over 1400 entries. For more than 25 years, the Eddie & Ozzie Awards have recognized excellence in uncompromising journalism and gorgeous design across all sectors of the publishing industry.

“We are incredibly proud,” stated Heidi J. Ellsworth, RoofersCoffeeShop Partner.  “Our team has worked very hard to create strong content and interesting information for our social media channels and online community that helps roofing contractors every day run a better business.  We believe it is critical to celebrate the roofing industry and the professionalism and character of the men and women who make this trade strong.  To be recognized for that by Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards for the third time is a great honor.”

About RoofersCoffeeShop.com

As an award-winning website and online community, RoofersCoffeeShop is committed to being a roofing professional advocate by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all roofing professionals, and especially contractors, while promoting the positive growth, education and success of the roofing industry overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and the overall roofing trade. From the rooftop to the board room, RoofersCoffeeShop.com is “Where the Industry Meets!” For more information, visit www.rooferscoffeeshop.com.

RT3 Plans Activities Around the 2021 International Roofing Expo

Posted on

July 28, 2021 –- 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) 2021.

Boxabl, a housing technology startup based in Las Vegas, Nevada will host RT3 members. to tour their new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Company executives will share their vision behind their Boxabl Casita, a 375-square-foot Accessory Dwelling Unit that is delivered with a full-size bathroom, kitchen, appliances and tall ceilings with big windows for under $50,000.

RT3 will also host an educational panel on Wednesday, August 10 at 7:45 a.m. The session is titled: Roadmapto end the paper trail and make your business 100% digital. It features four contractors sharing their successes and challenges with implementing technology to take their businesses to the cloud.

The panel will be moderated by RT3 member Heidi Ellsworth, Partner at RoofersCoffeeShop® and attendees will be able to:

  • Understand the first steps to taking a business digital
  • Learn from the mistakes made by others to ensure a smoother process
  • Hear tips on how to get the rest of the team on board
  • See what different solutions work for residential and commercial companies

The panel participants include RT3 contractor members Steve Little, President of KPOST Roofing and Waterproofing; Ken Kelly, President of Kelly Roofing; Curtis Sutton, CEO of Rackley Roofing; and Wendy Marvin, owner of Matrix Roofing.  

“The contractors on the panel are committed to helping their peers find success taking their businesses to an all-digital operation,” stated Karen Edwards, RT3 Director. “They share how they got started, pitfalls to watch out for, budget and tips for team success.”

# # #

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 Members Kelly Roofing and Reliant Roofing Announce Partnership

Posted on

Naples, FL. – Kelly Roofing, a Naples-based roofing company, announced today that on June 25, 2021, they formed a strategic and financial partnership with Reliant Roofing. Based in Jacksonville, FL, Reliant is a specialized residential and commercial roofing contractor who also installs solar systems and hurricane shutter protection.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Sean Shapiro, Cameron Shouppe and the talented team at Reliant,” said Ken Kelly, President of Kelly Roofing. “The combination of our businesses will expand our presence across the state of Florida and help us in our goal of creating the premier residential roofing company in our geography. We welcome Reliant and their clients to the Kelly Roofing family.”

“As we continued to build Reliant, it was critical for us to find a partner with similar aspirations in both growth and quality of service,” said Sean Shapiro and Cameron Shouppe of Reliant. “Kelly Roofing is the perfect fit for Reliant and we look forward to growing the combined business alongside their team.”

Kelly Roofing is a family-owned company, serving South Florida since 1972. They have helped over 60,000 roof owners save money and live a worry-free life. As the 2019 Roofing Contractor of the year, Kelly Roofing understands how to eliminate the stress of unexpected roof costs. All Kelly Roofing employees live by the core values of Care, Communicate and Consistency, allowing them to provide outstanding workmanship using the most advanced methods. To learn more about Kelly Roofing, go to www.kellyroofing.com.

RT3 member Mycocycle announces it has joined The REMADE® Institute

Posted on

REMADE is the only national institute focused entirely on the development of innovative technologies to accelerate the U.S.’s transition to a Circular Economy.

Mycocycle, Inc., a leader in using mycoremediation to process toxins out of waste, announced today that it has become a member of The REMADE Institute, a public-private partnership established by the United States Department of Energy.  

“It was important for Mycocycle to become a member of The REMADE Institute because our core values are aligned,” explained Mycocycle CEO and Founder Joanne Rodriguez. “As we continue to imagine a world without waste, the development of platforms that explore new uses for our waste streams is vital. Through the collaboration of industry, academia, and national labs we know we will get further faster.

Mycocycle has already joined forces with some of the REMADE members to tackle new opportunities around waste streams within the healthcare system. “We are excited about opportunities to work with all of the thought leaders represented through REMADE Institute focused on driving systemic changes in industrial processes which will result in lowering our carbon emissions now and in the future,” concluded Rodriguez.

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 recognized as a Finalist in Fast Company’s 2020 and 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards issue, a presenter for NREL’s 2020 Industry Growth Forum, a 2020 Innovation selection in the EPA’s Innovation and America Recycle’s Fair, and the winner of the Cleantech Open National 2020 Resiliency Challenge.  Mycocycle has been named a 2021 Illinois Qualified New Business Venture under the Angel Investment Tax Credit Program. This program provides Illinois-based investors a state tax credit of 25 percent of their investment up to $2 million.

For more information visit www.mycocycle.com.

About REMADE

Founded in 2017, REMADE is a Manufacturing USA™ Institute and public-private partnership established by the U.S. Department of Energy. REMADE is the only national institute focused entirely on the development of innovative technologies to accelerate the U.S.’s transition to a Circular Economy. In partnership with industry, academia, and national laboratories, REMADE enables early-stage applied research and development that will create jobs, dramatically reduce embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions, and increase the supply and use of recycled materials. The cumulative, five-year embodied energy savings, greenhouse gas reduction and increase in recycled materials use expected to result from REMADE’s investment is approximately 1 Quad of energy, about 50 million metric tons of CO2equivalent greenhouse gas reduction, and more than a 40 million metric tons per year increase in the supply and use of recycled materials, respectively. For additional information about REMADE, visit www.remadeinstitute.org.

RT3 member Kelly Roofing partners with HGTV and Velux on the HGTV Smart Home Sweepstakes

Posted on

Kelly Roofing is excited to announce being hand-picked by HGTV and Velux to take part in building the HGTV Smart Home 2021 for the HGTV Smart Home Sweepstakes. The episode of the build is airing now.

“I am honored a national television network chose Kelly Roofing for their roofing needs on this one-of-a-kind home,” states Kelly Roofing President Ken Kelly. “This was an opportunity to work with the best designers, builders, and engineers showing homeowners how easy it is to create a modern smart home while keeping the home warm, cozy, and inviting.”

The latest products and building techniques were used throughout the project. The HGTV® Smart Home 2021 home celebrates Naples, Florida, using a timeless, sophisticated design paired with a coastal style. The color palette includes an updated 1960’s flair of lime green, tones of cool blue, white, and black. Even the inviting backyard has space for relaxing, entertaining, and dining with all the latest smart technology.

Kelly Roofing participated by installing the concrete tile roofing and 14 skylights. These Velux “Fresh Air” Skylights bring natural light and air into the home and are brand new to the market. At the first sign of rain, a sensor automatically closes any opened skylights to keep water and worries out. The remote control operation of the blinds to control the amount of shade with the touch of a button. These skylights highlight how to create an innovative and smart home of the future. Even the roof was installed with the latest technology, including Kelly Roofing’s patented hybrid tile installation method. The installation combined with the materials used provides insulation (for lowering energy bills), secondary waterproofing (for lowering homeowner’s insurance costs), and increased wind uplift (for hurricane protection).

Most of the Kelly crew did not know at the time of building this home would be part of the HGTV Smart Home Sweepstakes. Due to the exclusivity, the team dubbed it “The Top Secret Project” before they knew what they were working on. They are now excited to see who will win the house they helped build.

The episode showcasing this project build is airing now on HGTV. This Smart Home is also part of the price in the national HGTV Smart Home Sweepstakes. Other prizes include a 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet and $100,000 from LendingTree. To take a virtual tour of the home, watch videos about the Smart Design, or enter the drawing to win the house, visit https://www.hgtv.com/sweepstakes/hgtv-smart-home.

Kelly Roofing is America’s Roofing Contractor of the Year, serving the Florida market since 1972. They are family-owned and have helped over 60,000 roof owners save money and live a worry-free life. Kelly Roofing understands how to eliminate the stress of unexpected roof costs. All Kelly Roofing employees live by the core values of Care, Communicate and Consistency, allowing them to provide outstanding workmanship using the most advanced methods. To learn more about Kelly Roofing, go to www.kellyroofing.com.

HGTV, HGTV Smart Home, HGTV Smart Home Giveaway and their associated logos are trademarks of Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All rights reserved. Photos © 2021 Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All rights reserved.