Frigid weather and snow delays didn’t stop roofing professionals around the country from heading to Texas in February, resulting in what could be the largest International Roofing Expo to date in both attendance and exhibitors.

This year’s show saw a crowd of nearly 16,000 attendees exploring the show floor Feb. 19-21 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio. No matter where you went, the buzz of conversations, laughter, and the occasional hiss of an opened beer created a casual atmosphere that encouraged the sharing of knowledge among peers.

With more than 47 educational sessions and 600 exhibitors from over 15 countries spanning the length of 10 football fields, there was plenty to explore.

"Our expanded content, education and show floor space reflect the rapid growth in roofing and exteriors along with regulatory changes and infrastructure demands within the construction sector," said Rich Russo, IRE show director. "From our expanded content appealing to the Spanish-speaking community that reflects the demographic changes in the workforce, to education on key trending topics that incorporate technology and other growing segments, IRE has a finger on the pulse of the roofing industry to navigate what is on the horizon."

Roofing Volunteers Get To Work

Even before the show started, there was an anticipatory buzz — in some cases, quite literally. The sounds of thumping hammers, whizzing buzz saws and whirling lawn-care equipment filled the air around a San Antonio neighborhood on Feb. 18 as roofing volunteers rolled up their sleeves for Community Service Day 2025.

Roughly two dozen roofing contractors and industry professionals arrived early for the International Roofing Expo to help a San Antonio family in need with several exterior home improvement projects. For the 16th consecutive year, volunteers from all segments of the roofing industry donated their time and skills to give back to the local community that hosts the industry. Leading the charge again was Sika Corporation, the event’s chief sponsor for the past 15 years.

Several Sika volunteers and others presented Rebuilding Together Austin-San Antonio with a check for $15,000. Sika began its partnership with the IRE event in 2008 to create an opportunity for members of the roofing industry to give back to the local community wherever the show takes place.

“When you get to be part of the IRE and see what the industry has to offer, it just feels great to be able to give something back,” said Steven Minkler, a first-time Community Service Day volunteer with Greenwood Industries. “This is a representation of what we do as roofers, pushing forward and helping out.”

This year’s crews worked on neighboring homes belonging to the same family. The group completed extensive yard cleanup, landscaping, fence repair and construction of a raised wooden patio for Pastor Tim Adams and his elderly mother to enjoy their backyard. A new roof for one of the homes will be donated by San Antonio-based Fry Roofing Inc.

“It’s just such a blessing, it really is,” Adams said as he saw the volunteers at work.

Sika donated $15,000 to Rebuilding Together Austin-San Antonio as part of its Community Service Day involvement.

Supporting Latinos And Women In Roofing

The roofing industry continued championing the Latino and Spanish-speaking community. IRE show coordinators posted signage in multiple languages and offered Wordly, an AI translation software, to translate and transcribe educational sessions in real-time.

Latinos En Roofing presented seminars in Spanish, both at IRE sessions and NWIR Days. SRS Distribution returned with its Para Latinos lounge for its fourth year, where it held 15 seminars in Spanish covering topics like sales and how to identify roof damage. This included presentations from contractors known as “Most Valuable Presenters.”

“I’ve always been a believer of having an actual contractor who is doing the work and is in that contractor’s shoes be able to guide, mentor, and really relate with what practices are the best practices,” said Julissa Chavez, director of marketing at SRS Distribution.

Chavez said the Para Latinos programming expands each year, as does the booth, to accommodate the increasing number of Latinos attending IRE. The booth doubles as a way for vendors to connect with Hispanic contractors.

“It’s day three and the booth is still packed,” Chavez said on the final day of the show. “We’re just happy to be able to be a part of IRE another year.”

National Women in Roofing held its annual NWIR Days Feb. 16-17, where around 500 women and allies attended the event. The organization celebrated bringing on an additional 411 members since October, bringing the total to 2,602.

“I think it’s important to understand the health of this organization as a whole, right? And I’m so excited to be standing on this stage in front of you to say with confidence we are stronger than we have ever been,” Anna Anderson, outgoing NWIR chair, told the audience at NWIR Days.

This year’s theme was “Focus,” and with 32 educational sessions held on Feb. 17, women gained important information on products, digital trends, leadership and sales tactics.

Julia Farrell, president of WRYKER Construction Supply in Salisbury, N.C., attended NWIR Days for the first time, saying it made her feel welcomed at roofing’s largest event.

“It was an amazing event for any women in the industry,” she said. “I had an excellent time meeting other women in the industry. There are plenty of women in this space who are willing to share their knowledge.”

From left: NWIR's 2023 WORLD Award Veteran winner Stephanie Baird of Bliss Roofing in Oregon; 2025 WORLD Award Veteran winner Rachel Garcia of Malarkey Roofing; Anna Anderson, CEO of Art Unlimited and outgoing NWIR chair.

Recognizing Roofers

In addition to education and networking, the IRE serves as the stage for honoring exceptional roofing professionals with industry awards and recognition.

National Women in Roofing named its 2025 WORLD Award Veteran and Rising Star Award winners on Feb. 17 during NWIR Days. Rachel Garcia, director of contractor services for Malarkey Roofing, received the WORLD Award Veteran, while Sarah Sutton-Shouse, service manager at Raincoat Roofing in Chicago, earned the Rising Star Award.

Like previous years, Para Latinos recognized outstanding members of the industry with its Premios Exito awards. This year’s categories and winners include:

• Contractor of the Year – Hector Ceniseros, C&C Construction Services Inc.
• Emerging Contractor of the Year – Jeremy Lara, Baja Roofing Inc.
• Community Hero – Victor Lemus, Lemus Construction
• Successful Woman in Roofing – Francisca Rivadeneira, Upper Level Construction

The NRCA and Roofing Alliance presented its annual awards during its cocktail reception and awards ceremony on Feb. 20. Among them were the Alliance’s Most Valuable Player Awards. For the 25th year, six finalists were recognized for their outstanding performance and leadership or outstanding community involvement. This year’s winners are:

• Alex Garcia – Outstanding Performance and Leadership, Superintendent, Bliss Roofing Inc., Clackamas, Ore.
• Cliff Johnson – Outstanding Community Involvement, Driver, Beacon Building Products, Rochester, Minn.
• Best of the Best Award – Angel Arroyo, Superintendent, Raincoat Roofing Systems Inc., Broadview, Ill.

The recipient of the NRCA’s most prestigious award, the J.A. Piper Award, was given to Dennis Conway of Commercial Roofers. The NRCA lauded his involvement with the association since joining in 1986, from serving on multiple committees and as NRCA chairman of the board in 2016 to his service on the Roofing Alliance’s board of trustees.

He has played an instrumental role in establishing the construction management school at Colorado State University, his alma mater, and led efforts that created NRCA’s certification programs and the Alliance’s Student Competition.

“Being selected for this position, voted on by my peers, is really special,” he said. “You know, when you’re recognized by your peers, you kind of realize that you have done something good.”