News and happenings from the NRCA.

NRCA Elects 2003-04 Officers

During its 116th annual convention and exhibit, the National Roofing Contractors Association elected its new officers. Terms begin June 1.

John Gooding, chairman of the board of Gooding, Simpson & Mackes Inc., Ephrata, Pa., was elected president for a one-year term. Gooding has more than 35 years of experience in the roofing industry. He earned his associate’s degree in administration and accounting from Goldey-Beacom College, Wilmington, Del. Gooding’s company joined NRCA in 1969, and his involvement with NRCA includes four terms as a director and terms as vice president and senior vice president, as well as several committee appointments. Gooding’s company also is a member of the North/East Roofing Contractors Association, Associated Builders and Contractors and the Associated Roofing Contractors of Maryland Inc.

Dane Bradford, president of Bradford Roof Management, Billings, Mont., was elected senior vice president, also for a one-year term. Vice presidents for a two-year term are: Robert Daly Jr., president of Kaw Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Kansas City, Kan.; Mark Gaulin, president of MAGCO Inc., Jessup, Md.; and William Hamlin Jr., president of Hamlin Roofing Co. Inc., Garner, N.C.

The directors, for three-year terms are:

Melinda Cutrona, manager of General Works Inc. LLC, Orange City, Fla.

Timothy Davey, president of Davey Roofing Inc., Irvine, Calif.

John Dollar, vice president of Marton Roofing Industries Ltd., Houston

Ed Gallos, president of Master Roofing Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Michael Gustafson, president of Gustafson Industries Inc., Boynton Beach, Fla.

Michael Herlihy III, senior project manager for Olsson Roofing Co. Inc., Aurora, Ill.

Alex Hernandez, vice president of Clark Roofing Co., Broadview, Ill.

T. Allen Lancaster Jr., president of Metalcrafts Inc., Savannah, Ga.

Philip McKinney, president of Evans Service Co. Inc., Elmira, N.Y.

Thomas Miller, president of The Young Group Ltd., St. Louis

Tim Rainey, co-owner of Supreme Systems Inc., Dallas

Kent Schwickert, president of Schwickert Inc., Mankato, Minn.

Christopher Sears, vice president of John F. Shea Co. Inc., Mattapan, Mass.

Lisa Sprick, vice president of Sprick Roofing Co. Inc., Corvallis, Ore.

Rick Steinrock, president of American Roofing & Metal Co. Inc., Louisville, Ky.

David Tilsen, president of Tilsen Roofing Co. Inc., Madison, Wis.

The directors for two-year terms are:

William Bailey, president of Bailey Roofing Contractors Inc., Des Moines, Iowa

Ben Pickens Jr., president of Pickens Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Spartanburg, S.C.

Michael Satran, president of Interstate Roofing Inc., Portland, Ore.

NRCA Urges 108th Congress to Pass Association Health Plan

NRCA is calling on Congress to quickly pass the Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 (HR 660). Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 11, with a companion bill soon to follow in the Senate, the measure is supported strongly by President Bush. It would allow NRCA and other associations to offer quality health benefits to their members through association health plans (AHPs), health insurance purchasing and distribution pools that extend across state lines.

Currently, labor unions, medium-sized businesses and Fortune 500 companies can offer health benefits to members and employees under a uniform federal statute known as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974. ERISA saves labor unions and Fortune 500 companies from having to comply with cumbersome and costly health insurance rules, regulations and mandates that exist in each state. The Small Business Health Fairness Act would amend ERISA so bona fide trade and professional associations could establish AHPs.

AHPs have the potential to substantially reduce the number of uninsured Americans because more than 60 percent reside in a family in which the principal wage earner is employed by a small business. AHPs do not directly require funds from the U.S. Treasury and would help small businesses avoid skyrocketing insurance premiums, which are caused by a lack of competition in many states. According to a March 25, 2002, General Accounting Office report, “Private Health Insurance: Number and Market Share of Carriers in the Small Group Health Insurance Market,” a handful of large insurance companies control the small-business health insurance market, precluding meaningful competition.

Sen. Christopher Bond (R-Mo.) requested GAO conduct the report and stated, “You do not need to be an economist to understand when competition in health insurance is anemic, those who need coverage the most are going to suffer from high costs and few choices.”

Administrative costs also put small businesses at a disadvantage. A report issued Jan. 23 by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy, “Study of the Administrative Costs and Actuarial Values of Small Health Plans,” finds that small-business group health plans are more costly to administer than plans for large businesses.

Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and the Department of Labor issued a report on Sept. 12, 2002, “Association Health Plans, Improving Access to Affordable Quality Health Care for Small Businesses,” that states AHPs will provide small businesses economies of scale and purchasing powers now enjoyed by large businesses and unions. Chao also indicates AHPs will provide consumer protections to small businesses that presently are susceptible to health insurance scams. Also, AHPs would be subject to eligibility requirements, including financial and reporting criteria.

For more information about NRCA’s involvement in AHP legislation and other regulatory reform, contact Craig S. Brightup, NRCA’s vice president of government relations, at 202.546.7584 or e-mail cbrightup@nrca.net.

Workplace Partnership for Life

NRCA, in partnership with the U.S. Health and Human Services, has joined the nationwide effort to increase the number of organ, tissue, marrow and blood donations through the Workplace Partnership for Life program. The program provides resources and information to corporations, unions, local businesses and national associations to educate their employees and members about the need for organ, tissue, marrow and blood donation.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human services, about 80,000 U.S. citizens are waiting for organ transplants and thousands more need tissue, marrow or blood donations. As part of the program, NRCA encourages its members to sign donor cards and talk with their families about their donation decisions.

For more information about the Workplace Partnership for Life program or to download a donor card, visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Web site, www.organdonor.gov.