LAS VEGAS — More than 4,300 people headed to Las Vegas for the Western States Roofing Contractors Association’s 2025 Western Roofing Expo for, arguably, one of the event’s most important years.

Attending industry events provides value in the form of networking, education and exposure to the latest products. A bonus takeaway from this year’s expo, held Sept. 28–30 at the Paris Las Vegas, was solidarity in a year colored by economic uncertainty, immigration crackdowns and an ongoing workforce shortage.

Despite the doom and gloom, attendees found themselves reinvigorated through camaraderie with their peers and new ideas to help them overcome hurdles.

“I think the people in our show, all the vendors, are having a fantastic time,” said Stan Robinson, WSRCA 2025-26 president. “I love talking to them, finding out how their interactions have been, and everyone I’ve been talking to is just super positive. It just gives me hope for the future.”

A Focus on Education

Contractors like Scott Barbour of Rain Defense shared best practices during a roundtable at the 2025 Western Roofing Expo. Photo by RC staff.

More than 30 educational sessions were held over two days. Among more evergreen topics like safety, leadership and details about roofing systems, topics reflected the issues on nearly every contractor’s mind in 2025: immigration and the advancement of artificial intelligence.

“We focus greatly on the educational portion of things,” said Joel Viera, WSRCA executive director. “It’s very important for us to have the serious contractor spoken for.”

Three sessions specifically addressed immigration, one of which was led by Philip Siegel, a construction attorney with Hendrick Phillips Salzman & Siegel. He spoke about Form I-9s and their relationship to hiring and ICE audits.

“A common call I’m getting these days … is what happens 1. When ICE agents in a worksite raid scenario actually show up with a search warrant, but the more practical concern I think these roofing contractors are facing around the country is what if ICE agents show up at my office looking for one of our employees?”

At a contractor roundtable, more than two dozen professionals shared best practices. Among them was Scott Barbour, CEO of Rain Defense in Hayward, Calif., and a first-time Western Roofing Expo attendee. He said his company is exploring initiatives such as providing pathways to citizenship.

“Something that we’re trying to do at my company, Rain Defense, is treating the team less like a family and more like a sports team, and having it be a group of elite athletes and trying to create an environment that attracts the best players in our space,” he said.

New this year to the education selections were sessions conducted in Spanish. It was a goal set by 2024-25 WSRCA President Kris Hitesman of Capitol Roofing, one she was happy to see come to fruition before passing the gavel to incoming president Robinson.

The event’s keynote presentation on Sept. 30 kindled hope for a better tomorrow. Motivational speaker Mike Schlappi shared the story of how, at the age of 14, his friend accidentally shot him in the chest with a rifle.

He could never walk again, shattering his dreams of becoming an athlete, until the people in his life inspired him not to give up. His mother told him that if he couldn’t stand up, stand out, and his father encouraged fortitude.

“[My dad said] ‘Mike, you can still be a great athlete, you’re just going to have to do it a little differently,’” Schlappi recalled.

He went on to become a formidable athlete in wheelchair basketball, representing the U.S. in the Olympics and winning both gold and bronze medals during his career.

“I hope you wake up with a sparkle in your eye and a bounce in your step knowing you belong to a wonderful and noble profession,” he told the audience.

Undergirding that message of hope — and putting education first — was the annual auction held at the beginning of the expo. Proceeds go to the Davis Memorial Foundation scholarship fund to support the next generation of leaders in the skilled trades.

And the Winners Are…

Greg Bloom was inducted into the WSRCA's Hall of Fame during the 2025 Western Roofing Expo. Photo by RC staff

The expo also recognized outstanding roofing professionals, both with awards from the WSRCA and competitive games.

Greg Bloom, vice president of national and strategic accounts at QXO, was inducted into the WSRCA Hall of Fame, the association’s highest honor. Surprised by the award (in no small part thanks to RC Publisher and his wife, Jill Bloom, keeping it a secret), a teary Bloom thanked the association and its members for their hard work.

“This industry has meant so much to me and my family,” he said. “To all of you, I just can’t thank you enough for what you do for our industry, for what you do for your families, for what you do for your employees’ families, and truly what we all do collectively together as an association.”

As it has in the past, event organizers capped off the WRE with the Roofing Feud Game Show and The Roofing Games. The latter, sponsored by Malarkey Roofing Products, drew a crowd as competitors raced to be the fastest and most accurate roofers to install shingles on a small deck.

This year’s winner, with a time of 2 minutes and 21 seconds, was Kevin Robbins of Robbins Roofing & Contracting in Canada, earning him the title belt and other prizes.