At a time of political upheaval and uncertainty, the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) has turned to two-term Congressman — and outspoken Donald Trump critic — Reid Ribble, as its new CEO.
A roofing contractor by trade, Ribble previously served on several NRCA committees as well as board chairman and president of The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress’ Board of Trustees.
In 2010, Ribble was elected to Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District, where he served on a number of committees including Transportation and Infrastructure. While in Congress, he made headlines for refusing to support then-candidate Trump for president.
Here’s a look at his vision for NRCA including how the Trump administration can help — and hurt — roofers:
As the new CEO of NRCA, what is your vision for the organization and the industry?
I believe that there are far more things that the industry agrees on than not. The entire industry from the suppliers of raw materials, to manufacturers, distributors, design community, contractors and customers will all benefit when we speak as one voice. State, local, and federal governments as well as codes bodies and others impose regulations and taxation in ways that often go to or away from the loudest and largest voice. If we wish to have more impact in those arenas we would be better served by speaking together.
We also have a stake in a larger, better trained and more productive workforce. For some reason construction workers in the United States as well as others who work in trades are no longer viewed positively in society. The men and women who choose to install roofs for a living work in hostile weather conditions and in many cases a dangerous work environment. They deserve our respect and I intend to speak out loudly on their behalf.
How would you describe the state of the industry as we look toward 2017?
It’s good to be a roofing contractor today. Our industry is safer and our roof systems deliver more value than at any time in history. NRCA member companies report optimism in our economy and for the most part are doing well.
How do you see new Trump administration helping the industry?
President Trump has already made some moves to help the roofing industry — especially in the area of regulations. Even before taking office he was requesting a target list of egregious regulations from members of congress and from industry. We were more than happy to oblige this request. I believe he will begin to remove some of the obstacles that the federal government has put in place to make it more difficult on our members to grow their companies and expand employment.
He is also sending positive signals in relation to our country’s overly complicated tax code with an emphasis on lower rates and dramatic simplification. There is no logical reason whatsoever for roof depreciation to be set at 39 years when actual performance is about half of that. Why should commercial property owners be forced to depreciate an expense for a roof that currently resides in a landfill? We are hopeful that the administration will work with Congress to correct flaws in the tax code like that one.
How do you see the new Trump administration hindering the industry?
It appears that many in his administration have little to no understanding of today’s workforce issues as it relates to legal immigration and construction. President Trump’s own past incendiary rhetoric about illegal immigrants has not been helpful. He needs to reinforce his support for an improved legal process for immigrants to come to the United States.
Without regard to the untenable and simply wrong claims by some that industry just wants cheap workers, he now needs to move out of campaign mode and finally address the nation’s seriously broken immigration system with a new one that is more welcoming and supportive of legal entry of immigrants into the country. Our economy cannot expand much without a growing and productive workforce. Legal immigration has always spurred our economy forward and 200 plus years of history bear this out.
What is your biggest concern as you look toward the future?
Changing demographics. Like most “first-world” countries the United States is facing an aging population and declining birth rates. This is a significant threat to our economy and industry. If policy makers and industry leaders do not begin to recognize this change, we will likely be on the outside looking in at countries and industries who have adapted work processes and policies to meet this challenge.
What should the industry do to improve the market?
The industry must come together with a national emphasis on workforce training. This year NRCA is launching a major national initiative to provide this training with certifications to those workers who can demonstrate core competencies in specific roof systems. This effort in my opinion will improve worker productivity, safety and roof system quality and be the most significant undertaking in NRCA history.
What advice do you have for roofers?
My advice is simple and straightforward. When someone asks you what you do, standup tall, look them in the eye, and say “I am a roofer!” Ultimately we must understand a basic concept of human relationships. We cannot expect someone to respect us, and what we do, if we don’t respect ourselves. The work that roof system installers do every day is significant to our economy and well-being. Be proud of the work you do!
