Tag: <span>RT3</span>

Tag: RT3

RT3 Member Roofing Contractor Magazine Announces Roofing Supply Pro to Support Roofing Distribution Industry

Posted on

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.

Innovator of the Year Nominee Profile: John Kiesel, Division 7 Roofing & Imagine Technologies

Posted on

“If you can dream it, you can have it.”

Each year, RT3 receives so many great nominations for its Innovator of the Year award, but ultimately there can only be one winner. This is why we decided to spotlight some of those who should be recognized with an honorable mention.

John Kiesel began roofing at the age of 17 working for his father’s roofing business. He worked his way up from field worker to superintendent to general manager and today is president of Division 7 Roofing.  “I feel the pain of roofing and recognize that when innovation or technology is able to disrupt the barbaric nature of roofing, I embrace that and I want to see roofing be a more accommodating career,” he said.

The innovation and technology that John went on to create to improve the industry almost didn’t happen. When he was in need of a superintendent, a very bright individual applied and was hired. They had a roofing background and also shared some ideas on 3D models and visualization. It turned out that this bright individual wasn’t suited for the field, but rather than terminate their employment, John decided to give them a chance to see if the 3D modeling idea could help his roofing company. They thought that maybe flying a drone and creatively creating a scene could deliver value to their business and to their customers.

John invested in this idea for a year to develop resources, the technology platform, and whatever else was needed in order to get this from what seemed sketchy at first to an awesome deliverable. And once they saw the deliverable, and how it was improving their processes, reducing time, improving estimating, saving them from safety infractions, they knew they needed to make this a product and share it with the rest of the industry.

John wanted to deliver a tool to contractors where they could hire intellectual people and bring them into the industry with a starting point that wasn’t as difficult as his own. This is how Imagine Technologies was born.

The company uses photogrammetry and 3D models to enable more accurate everything across a roofing contractor’s business. It’s able to be put into an augmented reality environment as well that really helps customers understand their roof and what is happening on it.

John says that the development and implementation of this technology has shifted the culture in their company. They look at problems and now ask themselves if technology can fix it.

He is also taking this technology into the trade schools to change their mindsets about careers in roofing. Many youth never thought of it as an option but after seeing the technology, they are clamoring for summer internships with the company.

John believes in giving back to his community and supporting industry organizations like National Women in Roofing. They sponsor a local minor league baseball team and arranged for their local NWiR council to throw out the first pitch. They also organized a diaper drive for a nonprofit where people would get a ‘buy one get one free’ ticket to the game if they brought a pack of diapers. The minor league team also uses the technology John developed to power their virtual seating chart which allows fans to see the view from their seat before purchasing a ticket.

John truly believes that the roofing industry is a blue ocean for technology change and says, “if you can dream it, you can have it.”

Learn more about Division 7 Roofing and Imagine Technologies.

RT3 member AccuLynx, recognized as Best SaaS Product for the Construction Industry

Posted on

International Software Awards Program announces initial shortlist for Best SaaS Product for the Construction Industry.

AccuLynx, the leading provider of all-in-one business management software for roofing contractors, today announced it has been recognized in the 2022 SaaS Awards program shortlist for Best SaaS Product for the Construction Industry.

The SaaS Awards program, which celebrates software innovation across the US, Canada, Australasia, EMEA, and the UK, annually recognizes the best solutions in each category. AccuLynx demonstrated its leadership position in the roofing industry through years of innovative software development and proven success across thousands of customers.

“The shortlisted candidates announced today have proven to be truly innovative thinkers in the SaaS industry,” said James Williams, Head of Operations for the SaaS Awards.
“We are delighted to be recognized by the SaaS Awards program as one of the best SaaS products for the construction and roofing categories,” said Mike Stein, CEO of AccuLynx. “We’ve continued to put innovation and customer satisfaction at the forefront, and this award underlines those efforts.”

This recognition follows a stream of recent awards for AccuLynx’s roofing software in the Construction Management Software and Construction Management CRM categories from large software review sites including Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice. To read more about the SaaS Awards and other recognized solutions, visit the awards page.

About AccuLynx
AccuLynx is the leading provider of cloud-based business management software for roofing contractors. Recognized as a pioneer in the industry, AccuLynx has helped thousands of companies—from rapidly-growing start-ups to multi-location operations—streamline their processes and grow their business. Used by more contractors than any other roofing software, AccuLynx’s simple business management tools include CRM, estimating, production scheduling, project management, aerial measurements, material ordering, photo sharing, payment processing, custom reporting, and homeowner financing, and more. AccuLynx has direct integrations with Beacon Building Products, SRS Distribution, ABC Supply, QuickBooks, HomeAdvisor, GAF, GreenSky, EagleView Technologies, and others. For more information, visit acculynx.com.

Roofing Technology Think Tank Announces New Board Members and Officers

Posted on

The board supports the RT3 mission and leads the organization in its efforts to educate and advance technology in the roofing industry. 

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3), a group of progressive roofing professionals focused on technology solutions for the roofing industry, announced Jeremy Dickmann, CEO, Appollo Primm Commercial Roofing, Forest Park, Georgia and Jon Gardner, National Training and Development Leader, Owens Corning, Toledo, Ohio as its newest board members.

“We are looking forward to having Jon and Jeremy join the board,” said Karen Edwards, RT3 director. “They have both been active members of RT3 and will help us continue to educate and advance the roofing industry by working to share how technology can elevate us all.”

RT3 would also like to extend its gratitude to Anna Anderson of Art Unlimited and Tracey Prociw, former director of RCAW, for their commitment to the organization. “Anna and Tracey both played important roles in the growth and evolution of RT3. Anna continues to volunteer her time as a member of the tactical task team as well as the awards task team. We wish Tracey the best in her retirement,” said Edwards.

Other board members include:

  • Deryl Kratzer, President/COO, National Roofing Partners, will serve as RT3 president
  • Wendy Marvin, CEO, Matrix Roofing & Home Solutions, will serve as RT3 treasurer
  • Andrew Centauro, COO and Director of Marketing, Elmer W. Davis, Inc. Commercial Roofing
  • John Kenney, CEO, Cotney Consulting Group

The Think Tank meets throughout the year, with a combination of virtual and live meetups that focus on learning about new and emerging technologies.  Past live meetups have been held at innovative locations that help educate the group on progressive technologies that can make a difference in the roofing industry, including Texas A&M, Boxabl, 3M Innovation Center and Roofing Granule Lab, OMG Roofing Products, Vanderbilt Wond’ry, Microsoft Innovation Lab, Georgia Tech, BuiltWorlds and the U.S. Capitol. 

The next live meetup is planned for the fall 2022. RT3 contractor members will also be participating in educational panels during industry tradeshows and appearing on podcasts and webinars to share tips and information to other contractors about how using technology is helping them recruit their future workforce.  

Stay up to date with RT3 news and events by signing up for the RT3 SmartBrief e-Newsletter at www.rt3thinktank.com. Listen to the RT3 podcast on your favorite listening platform.

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 RoofersCoffeeShop® Announces MetalCoffeeShop™

Posted on

RoofersCoffeeShop launches second Coffee Shop focused on Metal, brought to the industry by Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings.

RT 3 member RoofersCoffeeShop®, celebrating 20 years as the award-winning website where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business announces a new website for the industry, MetalCoffeeShop™.  Offering the same resources as RoofersCoffeeShop (RCS), the new site will focus on metal construction including roofing, walls, gutters, HVAC and more.

MetalCoffeeShop offers a one-of-a-kind educational, informational and community experience for metal contractors and the metal industry – brought to you by Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings.  This new Coffee Shop delivers the same industry-leading content wholly focused on metal construction while creating a unique online community for metal professionals overall.

“For twenty years RoofersCoffeeShop has offered one of the strongest online communities for roofing professionals,” stated Heidi J. Ellsworth, RCS president.  “Working with Sherwin-Williams, we are thrilled to launch MetalCoffeeShop.com for the metal construction industry.  We are proud to have metal associations including Metal Construction Association (MCA), Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA), National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and METALCON, the leading metal conference, on the site where we can share their information along with thought leadership from manufacturers, distributors and service providers daily.”

“Sherwin-Williams is committed to helping contractors grow their businesses within the metal market and this new online community is the ideal platform for us to help them achieve success,” said Christian Zimprich, Marketing Manager for Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings. “We were drawn to creating this digital community with RoofersCoffeeShop because of their construction knowledge and expertise, along with their demonstrated ability to bring news, information, education and learning opportunities to the industry. This will be a unique online community that will expand the knowledge of metal building products to the overall market.”

In conjunction with Sherwin-Williams, leading metal construction product and service providers will share information for metal-focused contractors on new products, initiatives and services that improve the industry.  With a focus on providing education for the growth and success of metal construction companies, the site offers thought leadership for ongoing metal construction business success.  Supported by metal-focused social media and eNews, MetalCoffeeShop is opening a brand-new opportunity to build community, business and networking for metal contractors.

About RoofersCoffeeShop

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 is “Where the Industry Meets!” For more information, visit www.rooferscoffeeshop.com.

About MetalCoffeeShop

MetalCoffeeShop is committed to being an advocate and supporter of the metal construction industry.  With Sherwin-Williams and industry thought leader’s contributions, the site supplies consistent information, education and networking avenues for all metal construction professionals.  Visitors to the site will not only find education and information but thought-leading editorial, multimedia and Influencer content that elevates the metal construction industry.  Like RoofersCoffeeShop, MetalCoffeeShop is “Where the Metal Industry Meets!”  For more information and involvement opportunities, visit www.metalcoffeeshop.com.

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.

Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) Plans Activities Around the 2022 International Roofing Expo

Posted on

Activities include a virtual reality experience 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) 2022.

Members will meet Monday, January 31 at the Pan American Life Center in New Orleans. Together they will hear updates on Tesla Solar roofs, recent technology company acquisitions and then will participate in a hands-on virtual reality experience to understand how the tool can benefit the roofing industry.

RT3 will also host an educational panel on Tuesday, February 1 at 7:45 a.m. The session is titled Casting the Net for Your Future Workforce. In this panel, RT3 contractor members share 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 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, and Josey Parks, CEO of J Wales Enterprises.

“Building our future workforce has been and will continue to be a challenge for our industry,” stated Karen Edwards, RT3 Director. “Several of our members have implemented initiatives that are working to attract and retain workers and we wanted to share that with the rest of the industry. This is a chance for other contractors to learn how to get started and get ideas as to what might work in their service areas.”

# # #

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 Named in 2021 Top Women in Media

Posted on

Heidi J. Ellsworth was an honoree in the Changemaker category.

RoofersCoffeeShop®, the award-winning place where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business, announced that Heidi J. Ellsworth was named in Folio: and AdMonsters’ 2021 class of Top Women in Media as a Changemaker. 

Each year, an elite group of women who have made a lasting impact on their brands, organizations and markets are recognized for spotlighting the diversity and progress within the media industry. The Top Women in Media class recognizes an impressive who’s who of noteworthy women from the dynamic media community.

“This is an incredible honor to be recognized among these powerful women in media,” stated Ellsworth. “The team at RoofersCoffeeShop has been incredibly supportive of bringing our industry-changing ideas to life so that we can better serve our roofing contractors and industry partners to elevate the professionalism of the roofing industry. We are committed to always being a changemaker and delivering the best information, tools and experiences to our roofing community.”

“Women are a mega-force behind today’s growth and innovation in media,” said Bill Amstutz, group publisher of Folio: and AdMonsters in a statement. “It is our honor to highlight the tremendous impact of the many brilliant women leading our industry forward and inspiring what comes next.”

See the full list of honorees here. 

About RoofersCoffeeShop
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.