The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) met in Washington, D.C., to update the organization’s 5-year strategic plan, which was scheduled to be approved and launched at the next Board Meeting on Nov. 5-6, 2008, in Atlanta.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) met in Washington, D.C., to update the organization’s 5-year strategic plan, which was scheduled to be approved and launched at the next Board Meeting on Nov. 5-6, 2008, in Atlanta. In addition, ARMA introduced a new award, which was created to recognize a recently retired employee, Joe Hobson.

This past May the ARMA board also announced the winners of the 2007 Accident Prevention Contest. The timeframe of the contest was from January through December, 2007. A total of 107 asphalt roofing product-manufacturing facilities participated in the contest, which was directed by the ARMA Health, Safety and Environment Committee.

Awards were given in several categories to recognize plants with the least number of accidents and least amount of time lost to employee injuries. They included: the President’s Award, Perfect Record Award (based on the ARMA scoring system), Certificate of Improvement, and Award of Excellence. Awards of Excellence were chosen based on criteria developed by the Safety Contest Task Force.

The President’s Award, ARMA’s top award, was shared among three recipients: GAF-ELK Corporation of Fontana, Calif.; Owens Corning of Savannah, Ga., and Kearny, N.J.; and Johns Manville of Oklahoma City, Okla.

This year’s Award of Excellence also was awarded to GAF-ELK Corporation of Fontana, Calif., Chester, S.C., and Shafter, Calif. Additionally the Award of Excellence was shared by Owens Corning (Asphalt) of Illinois, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Colorado, and by U.S. Intec Inc. of Massachusetts and Texas. Thirty-eight facilities received Certificates of Achievement, and an equal number of facilities were given the ARMA Perfect Index Award.

A special citation introduced at the meeting, the Exemplary Service Award, was bestowed on Joseph Hobson, an esteemed ARMA employee for more than a decade, for his “continuous outstanding service, personal dedication and lifetime commitment to advancing the mission and goals of the asphalt roofing industry.”

Until an untimely illness forced him to retire in 2007, Hobson was Director of Communications and Member Services for both the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association and the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association. “He was admired by the entire membership as a dedicated employee,” ARMA colleague Jim Baker said. “Joe was a team player, fastidious and detail oriented, and a good friend to many people in this organization. If anyone deserves this honor, it would be Joe.”

Hobson has been recognized in the past for his commitment to the roofing industry. He was awarded the Martin A. Davis RCMA Industry Leadership Award in 2006. He is the first employee to receive the Exemplary Service Award from ARMA and the only individual to receive an award for leadership and commitment from both RCMA and ARMA.