FRISCO, Texas – Hundreds of roofing contractors and industry professionals from around the country returned to the Lone Star State today for the launch of Roofing Contractor’s 19^th annual Best of Success conference at the Omni Frisco at the Star just outside Dallas.

The unique, two-day conference returned to the site of the Dallas Cowboys headquarters with a lineup of speakers and special events geared to help roofing contractors in any market close the year strong and start building momentum for 2024. The speakers also continued a long-standing tradition of Best of Success: roofers willing to share their wins and losses with a dose of authenticity.

“I always encourage our speakers to not just speak to our audience, but to tell their stories,” said RC Publisher Jill Bloom. “Every speaker taking the stage today and tomorrow should be admired for their courage and authenticity, because if they lacked either, they wouldn’t be up here and they wouldn’t have achieved the level of success we’re all trying to emulate.”

Highlights from day one included sessions on scaling your business to the next level presented by Feazel Inc. Owner and CEO Leo Ruberto and Mike Kearns of Kearns Brothers Roofing. Scott Mullins, owner of Legacy Restoration, discussed building a roofing company with purpose and vision, and Christian Madsen, CEO of Madsen Roofing & Waterproofing, led a panel discussion on practical uses of artificial intelligence and how his company found efficiency and innovative solutions to problems during an AI pilot project.  

Bloom, who launched the Best of Success conference in South Carolina in 2004 with 75 attendees, looked out to the crowd of several hundred and dedicated the conference to Kevin Gwaltney, the president of Diamond Roofing, who died earlier this year after battling cancer. She spoke about Gwaltney’s authenticity and how he displayed it on the Best of Success stage 10 years ago when sharing his challenges upon taking over the family business after his father’s unexpected death.

“Kevin shared his very personal story… and I know it had an impact,” she said. “He made me realize that the relationships in this industry are unlike anything I had ever experienced.”

Day two features a half-dozen sessions, including an update from the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) leadership, an understanding and engagement of the Latino workforce, finding success with private equity, and a forecast of the 2024 election and political landscape.