The roofing industry gathers in Arlington, Texas, this week for the return of one of its most influential annual events. RC's 21st annual Best of Success conference kicked off Dec. 3 at Live! by Loews, drawing more than 500 contractors, manufacturers, and industry leaders for three days of education, networking, and peer-to-peer learning.

During opening remarks, Group Publisher Jill Bloom reflected on the conference's two-decade evolution from a modest mission to connect industry minds into a major gathering that has shaped careers and influenced business practices across the roofing sector.

"This event is what it is because of the people who stand on this stage and put their heart and soul into helping others," Bloom said. Watching those moments — the honesty, the vulnerability, and the breakthroughs — that reminds me why we work so hard to produce Best of Success year after year."

Bloom welcomed guests with a reference to behavioral research on human energy frequencies, noting that authenticity registers as the strongest measurable signal the human body can emit—reportedly 4,000 times more powerful than love. She connected that observation directly to the conference's defining characteristic: unfiltered conversation and genuine connection among industry peers.

"For the past 21 years, this event has been defined by the contractors whose authenticity has shaped the very heart and mission of Best of Success," Bloom said.

Josh Sparks, CEO of Infinity Home Services, was the first speaker, offering inspirational guidance on building an unshakable business: “Create an ethos and a vision that people can get excited about getting up to work for.”

Ken Kelly, former president of Kelly Roofing, and Nick Sabino, president of Deer Park Roofing, gave insight into the promises and pitfalls of private equity. Anissa Westfall, CMO of Westfall Roofing, is empowering contractors with five marketing shifts to make when times are tough. Sam Stilley, CEO of Amstill Roofing, offers an inspirational story on coming back from setbacks. Trent Cotney, partners at Adams and Reese, will provide must-have intel on the legal issues every contractor faces. 

Thursday's afternoon sessions continue with Tony Taveras, vice president of sales acceleration at Stronghouse, who will discuss entrepreneurship; Jesse Torres, chief administrative officer of BEST Contracting Services, who will offer guidance on protecting your business against fraud; a candid discussion about worker's comp audits by Doug Cooper, CEO of Advocate Construction; and a panel "Game Changing Ideas from the Industry's Best." 

The day will conclude with RC's Contractor of the Year Awards.>

Friday’s morning sessions will include an industry update by McKay Daniels, CEO of the National Roofing Contractors Association; insight into building diversity in your business by Tony Flattum, CEO of Buildstrong; a panel discussion on recruiting, training and maintaining a successful workforce; and a session on how to launch a new roofing division with Matthew Jaynes, senior vice president of KPOST Roofing & Waterproofing.

Empowering the Latino Contractor

Nearly 40 Spanish-speaking contractors and other roofing professionals arrived a day early for discussions led by successful Latino contractors and RC partner Latinos en Roofing’s Amparo Sancen. RC's Techos y Más Spanish-language initiative provides resources, news, and a community for Latino roofing professionals. 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. 

Stay tuned for a full report on what contractors learned in the coming weeks.