The Approach
In 2017, NRCA’s Executive Committee wanted a 10-year plan that was dynamic and “evergreen,” inspiring succeeding boards to continually develop and change work activities aimed toward its new vision.
The overall approach has five components: a vision, mission, long- and short-term objectives, and tactics. Each succeeding component supports the previous one, and its evergreen design precludes the plan from becoming a printed and bound document, rather one that can be viewed on NRCA’s website providing easy access to update progress noting what work has occurred, is occurring and yet to come along association’s vision journey.
The vision, which is aspirational in nature, necessitates the development of a mission statement providing the parameters to shape activities needed to move the association strategically ahead. However, no plan moves forward without measurable action items; as such, long- and short-term objectives, which are continually set by committees with the vision in mind. Committees’ objectives deliberation leads to specific tactics. These tactics comprise any number of tasks where association staff and committee members work together toward objectives’ accomplishment.
The Vision
Establishing a vision is challenging enough for an organization owned by one person yet ever so much more for an organization where there are thousands of member “owners” represented by any number of stakeholder groups.
The initial focus of the vision statement was to find the words that reflect members’ feelings and stories about NRCA while answering three questions: What is NRCA? What does it do? What it aspires to be?
To gather the necessary information to answer these questions, hundreds of members participated via online surveys, group sessions and one-on-one interviews. Armed with a 34-page detailed summary, NRCA’s Executive Committee deliberated itself via multiple meetings, calls and email drafts to establish the association’s new 10-year vision. The first sentence answers what NRCA is and does and the second, what it aspires to.
The National Roofing Contractors Association Vision Statement
Since 1886, the National Roofing Contractors Association has been the home for generations of entrepreneurial craftsmen and enterprises, who shelter and protect America’s families and businesses and each other. Our vision is an industry with respected professionals, attracting and empowering individuals and stakeholders unified toward this shared goal.
The Mission
Armed with the vision, NRCA went again to its membership for input about the next phase: the development of the mission statement. NRCA received nearly 200 responses from five groups: the NRCA Executive Committee, board of directors, committee members, members at large and staff. From those responses, a mission statement emerged. If the vision sets the aspirational and inspirational goals, the mission answers how to get there. It, too, is broad in nature but sets the stage for tangible, actionable activities represented in the long- and short-term objectives and ultimate tactics.
The National Roofing Contractors Association Mission Statement
NRCA values its members and staff, safety, integrity, professionalism, hard work, diversity and quality. It will advance toward its vision by ensuring consensus decisions are made through active deliberation inside the committee process.
Areas of Focus
Advocacy
NRCA is the roofing industry’s premier advocate. We provide active advocacy for its members with:
- The government—federal and state, where necessary
- Code bodies
- Insurers
- Regulatory agencies
- Others as needed
Communications and Marketing
Through various communication vehicles, NRCA promotes its members’:
- Benevolence
- Successes
- Professionalism
- Diversity
Education and Certification
NRCA provides training, education and/or certifications for the roofing industry, including:
- Field workers
- Foremen
- Future leaders
- Executives
- Others if/as needs arise
Membership
- NRCA seeks to grow its membership in a manner that reflects its commitment to diversity in the industry.
- NRCA structures dues to best serve its members and the industry.
Safety
NRCA regards excellence in worker safety as a core value. NRCA:
- Believes the safety, physical and mental health, and well-being of all workers is paramount.
- Seeks to provide the most comprehensive safety resources and training available in the roofing industry to provide the safest work environment possible.
- Believes safety includes property. The roofing industry by its nature is designed to protect buildings and their contents. Water damage during or after construction, fires and/or other physical damage are mitigated by our efforts.
Technical
To promote high-quality roof system design and installations, NRCA provides technical support to the entire roofing industry. Technical support is provided through:
- Advocacy
- Training
- Research
The mission statement and areas of focus will change, either together or independently, to reflect the evergreen nature of this plan. These statements describe specific areas of change or attention needed as progress occurs. It in no way supplants the importance of the many other ongoing association activities, such as Professional Roofing magazine, which are not listed here yet are still vital for vision attainment. The staff support section, which follows, provides those details.
NRCA Staff Support
NRCA has the tools to deliver on the idea of unifying the industry to improve its members’ recognition as professionals. In fact, NRCA is uniquely qualified to take on this challenge because it already has in place the human capital and structure to move the industry forward.
NRCA has professionals on staff working in a number of disciplines some of which include:
- Advocacy
- Communications and Marketing
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Education and Certification
- Enterprise Risk Management
- Finance
- Legal
- Membership
- Publications
- Technical
In addition to staff, NRCA members represent the finest the industry offers. From raw material suppliers all the way to delivery of complete roof systems, NRCA members provide contributions to the association in many disciplines via the committee process.
Advocacy
One of the most significant ways to have a positive effect on the industry image is to tell the roofing industry’s story to policymakers in Washington, D.C., and state capitals. NRCA is uniquely positioned to assist in uniting the industry to speak with one voice. With a team of highly skilled professionals working in the NRCA Washington, D.C., office, NRCA already is effective. But more can be done.
NRCA will expand the reach of its grassroots activities, facilitate national fly-in advocacy days, strengthen ROOFPAC, provide best practices for our affiliates to deploy in state governments and continue its engagement with members of Congress from both political parties.
Communications and Marketing
NRCA will engage the media and public with content focused on the industry’s professionalism, projects, career path and news.
Diversity and Inclusion
NRCA strives to promote a greater understanding of the importance of diversity and fostering a culture of inclusion throughout the association and the roofing industry. By creating a community within NRCA’s membership around diversity and inclusion topics, NRCA will seek to:
- Create opportunities and maximize engagement across all identity groups and professional levels.
- Promote membership, involvement and leadership opportunities.
Education and Certification
NRCA seeks to ensure the industry has high-quality worker training in all roofing disciplines and multiple delivery mediums.
A fully trained and certified workforce offers an additional layer of consumer protection. High-quality, professional training can provide significant, immediate results that could include:
- A career path for new workers interested in learning a trade and the recruitment of these individuals into a roofing career
- Higher quality roof system installations that provide greater piece of mind for all stakeholders
- An improvement in installed roof system quality and a higher level of quality for building owners
- Greater recognition of roof system installers’ professionalism
- Improved worker performance and higher productivity
Safety and Risk Management
The roofing industry has no shortage of risk, whether to workers or the companies that employ them. Reducing risk for members includes creating programs to reduce employee injuries, the likelihood of building fires and water damage, driving-related accidents and theft. Additionally, NRCA seeks to provide the industry with resources and information to improve workers’ mental health and well-being.
In addition, risk to members’ businesses is significant whether it’s contractually-, regulatory- or employment-related. Each requires supporting members’ professional standing through the availability of insurance program offerings, engaging government agencies and offering legal support.
NRCA seeks to unify the industry to mitigate risks at all levels by working with external partners, developing educational program and products, and providing specific risk management training for roofing companies. As catastrophic losses are reduced so, too, are the negative images and press coverage that come as a result.
Finance
Any discussion about NRCA’s mission must include the area of finance. NRCA seeks to manage the financial resources provided by its members, products, programs and services in the most cost-efficient manner possible. To that end, NRCA will deploy the financial resources it has in a manner that unites and improves the industry for all stakeholders.
Legal
NRCA believes all contractor members should take advantage of the resources and legal assistance available through its legal offerings, such as articles, seminars, legal consultations or other materials, to help address legal, business and employment issues, including:
- Contract language
- Employee relations
- Regulatory compliance
- Payment provisions
Membership
For NRCA to truly be effective, membership growth is critical. NRCA will seek to unify the roofing industry by using growth and engagement methods that are inclusive and allow all roofing stakeholders to join its efforts. NRCA’s ability to remain a home for craftsmen into the future requires it to be welcoming, engaging and inclusive for all in the industry.
Publications
Professional Roofing in its print and digital editions is the most widely read and respected magazine in the roofing industry. As such, its influence is wide and can be an effective vehicle for driving a consistent, unified message.
Yet NRCA produces many other communication vehicles. Social media, technical documents, Industry Issue Updates, electronic communications along with many others can all be used in this effort.
Technical
Minimizing risk and improving the quality experience for customers requires engagement with virtually every stakeholder involved in a roofing project. NRCA regularly works with designers, consultants, manufacturers, government and independent agencies such as ASTM International, building code bodies, FM Global, etc., to ensure its members are equipped with the most current information available and that contractors’ needs and voices are represented before these entities.
Risks such as roof system failures, roof leaks, poor workmanship, manufacturing and/or design errors can quickly sully a reputation. NRCA’s technical department exists to support NRCA members by thoroughly understanding the technical issues they face and along with committed volunteers serving on various technical committees, continually update an array of technical manuals and reports.
Keeping lines of communication open and transparent with industry partners improves quality and reduces job-site mistakes. For example, translating technical documents into more languages can serve to improve on-site quality. Working together brings excellent results.