The Midwest Roofing Expo returns to St. Paul, Minn. Oct. 21-23 with a line-up of cutting-edge educational sessions, a packed show floor featuring the latest roofing products and innovations, plus fun networking events.

MRCA President Bob Poutre recalled his first MRCA expo and discussed his ability to build valuable contacts through the organization in this brief videochat with RC Editor-in-Chief Art Aisner. In addition to previewing the event, Poutre also gave his outlook on how MRCA members are fairing in this uncertain economy and with workforce shortages still impacting production.

MRCA 2024 Preview: Roofing Heads to St. Paul

The Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) will host their annual expo on Oct. 21-23 in St. Paul, Minn., and MRCA President Bob Poutre couldn’t be more proud.

“I consider St. Paul my hometown, and we're 35 minutes from there and 45 minutes from Minneapolis. It's going to be a great venue,” the founder of Roof Tech, Inc. said in this exclusive conversation with RC.

In this brief episode, Poutre breaks down the highlights of the event, hints at what he’s most looking forward to and reflects on what he’s gotten out of active participation with MRCA throughout his career.

“I think there needs to be a push to elevate that being blue collar, whether it's a plumber, electrician, roofer, that these are great paying jobs with great benefits,” he said. “We just really need to attract people to this industry. And then when we get them, we need to retain them.”

Check out the full conversation.