BONITA SPRINGS, Fla.— Roofing Contractor magazine publisher Jill Bloom was on-site days ahead of what has since become an industry standard event: the 20th annual Best of Success conference, which kicked off Dec. 4 at the Hyatt Regency in Bonita Springs, near Fort Myers, Fla.

Bringing together some of the roofing industry’s most dynamic leaders for a day and a half of lectures, networking, and (likely) deal-making, BOS is no longer a ‘teenager.’ Since its 2003 inaugural in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with 75 participants, BOS is now RC’s signature annual event, pulling in around 500 attendees. The affair features a line-up of the roofing industry’s who’s who, sharing lessons learned and personal growth stories. The magazine’s yearly commercial and residential Contractor of the Year awards are also awarded.

“It’s all about the energy,” Bloom said before kickoff. “The energy and the sharing … every single year, there's something unique, something authentic, and there are nuggets you don't expect from every single speaker.” 

As the event has matured, its scope has also expanded. Following RC’s Spanish-language eNews launch, Techos y Más, last Fall, this year’s BOS — practically speaking — began Wednesday. Nearly 50 Spanish-speaking contractors and other roofing professionals arrived a day early for discussions led by successful Latino contractors and moderated by RC partner Latinos en Roofing’s Amparo Sancen. 

As the industry has become increasingly focused on the Latino contractor space, so have the distributors and manufacturers that provide the materials a roofing contractor needs to execute the job. 

“ABC Supply … has noticed the potential that the Latino community is growing within this industry, so what we are trying to do — and it’s important to us because we value [our] customer and installers — we’re trying to help them grow their business,” explained Ramon Aguinaga, an ABC Supply outside sales rep in attendance. “That way, if we help them evolve and get better within the industry, that will also, in turn, give us more business, so it’s very important to us that they succeed."

The scale is reminiscent of tales Bloom has shared from that first BOS in South Carolina. If enthusiasm is an indicator, then Wednesday’s Techos y Más event attendees offer a portentous trajectory to its older cousin in the coming years. 

House Lights Dim

As the house lights dimmed, signaling the attendees to take their seats, Bloom took to the dais and welcomed the crowd. Anyone who has seen RC’s publisher in her element knows that even when she is talking — in this case, about the new BOS app — you would be forgiven thinking it was about solving child hunger. It’s not glib; it's her gift of authenticity.

Attendees were told that at the end of the event, one lucky attendee who downloaded the app would win free tickets for next year's BOS, which will take place in Arlington, Texas, from Dec. 3-5, 2025. BOS toggles back and forth between coasts and, sometimes, in the country's center for location diversity.

The first speaker, Chris Coryell of Coryell Roofing, took to the stage with two members of FM Approvals, the testing and standards insurer. Coryell has partnered with FM Approvals to develop formalized roofing system standards buy-in among states prone to severe hail events and inclement weather for primary and secondary schools nationwide.

Other speakers include Kirt Linington, Josey Parks, Gregg Wallick, Justin Dant and Victor Smolyanov, whose residential roofing firm, Victors Home Solutions, is a recent beneficiary of the cash infusion that private equity has brought to many firms. Victors has been on an aggressive expansion from its Michigan headquarters over the last several months.

Wayne Holloway, whose Best Choice Roofing was recently purchased by private equity, was geared up to discuss empowering employees for success. Following him on the agenda is Anissa Westfall of Westfall Roofing, who is examining the intricacies of branding. 

The roofing industry’s authority on legal issues, Trent Cotney, a partner at Adams and Reese who heads the law firm’s Construction Practice Group, is set to detail a litany of the industry's latest legal issues.

The last talk of the day is a powerhouse panel including: Steve Little of KPost Roofing, David Klein of Greenwood Industries and Brad Sutter of Sutter Roofing. The men shared their experiences in succession strategies.

The final event of the day, before the evening’s networking reception, will be announcing the 2024 residential and commercial Contractors of the Year. 

Wrapping Up 2024

Friday’s morning sessions will include a talk on philanthropy from Charles Antis of Antis Roofing & Waterproofing in Orange County, Calif., an update from McKay Daniels, the head of the National Roofing Contractors Association, and financial performance discussions by Josh Sparks of Infinity Home Services and Adam Quenneville, owner of Adam Quenneville Roofing and Siding, Inc.

The final speaker on Friday will be Sancen, sharing with the broad audience a planned talk on the value of inclusivity for the industry by ensuring Latino contractors are engaged within their native tongue.

Chris Gray contributed reporting to this article.