Reid Ribble Returns to Roofing for IRE 2025 Keynote

Former Congressman, NRCA Chief will discuss ‘Is the American Dream Dead?’ During IRE 2025 keynote in San Antonio.

Reed Ribble - IRE 2025 — Former NRCA CEO Reid Ribble will deliver the keynote address during the 2024 International Roofing Expo in San Antonio.
Photo by J.R. Thomason

The 2025 International Roofing Expo organizers proudly announce they’ve selected the Honorable Reid Ribble to deliver the keynote address in San Antonio on Feb. 19, 2025.

Ribble, a roofing contractor from Wisconsin for three decades, served as CEO of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) for five years before retiring from the industry in 2022. That was the last time the former three-term congressman took the IRE stage to deliver a rousing and emotional keynote speech in which he reflected on a multi-faceted career and demonstrated his passion for the roofing trade.

“We can never expect young people to be drawn to our industry or respect what we do, until we respect what we do,” he said to a standing ovation in New Orleans. “Once you have self-respect, there is nothing that can pull that away.”

Show officials said they expect him to draw on some of the fiery passion and perspective after stepping away from the industry to deliver an update on the state of the American dream – and how it relates to the roofing industry.

Ribble will also provide his broad view of the actual state of the American dream and why so many people still seek it, despite what pundits, politicians, and economists are messaging.

The keynote address begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Lila Cockrell Theater at the Henry Gonzalez Convention Center. Registration for IRE 2025 is now open!

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Art Aisner is Editor-in-Chief of Roofing Contractor and Roofing Supply Pro. He spent the bulk of his career as a multi-media journalist for newspapers and television stations before joining the RC team in 2015. He is the driving force behind the publication’s content development, editorial strategy and other initiatives that serve growing audiences in the roofing space.