Home > About Us > Annual report 2010-11 > Message from The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress President Geoff Craft

Message from The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress President Reid Ribble

Throughout my years of service with the Alliance I have often been asked, "What does the Alliance do?" Having funded more than $2.6 million dollars in research since 1996 to help preserve a profitable and competitive industry, it's not that the Alliance isn't doing great work, but the great work we're doing isn't being consistently communicated.

At the beginning of my term as president, I asked our members the following questions:

To what extent do you agree with the identified threats and challenges, and what other threats concern you?

What other challenges do you see for the roofing industry?

What projects should the Alliance undertake to address the threats and challenges?

What ideas can you offer to the Alliance to improve our message of who we are and what we have accomplished?

In response to the answers I received, we created an Alliance Communications/Marketing Task Force chaired by Geoff Craft, vice president and southwest region manager of Roofing Supply Group LLC, Dallas, to address the Alliance's communications and message. The task force began with creating a new logo to symbolically represent the different elements of the roofing industry and bringing their individual expertise together toward a common goal:

Blue is for the outdoors/sky, representing the rooftop and roofing worker.

Silver and brown are for steel and wood, representing manufacturers and suppliers of common roof materials.

Green is for nature and our environment, representing progress toward environmentally sustainable design.

Unveiling our new logo in the fall of 2009 was the first step in reinventing our communications. The task force currently is busy analyzing information and input from discussion groups, and in the near future, you will see a new Alliance website. We are excited about the new identifiable presence we will have in our industry.

Also in response to feedback received from the industry, the Alliance approved funding for two new projects this year: a field performance of photovoltaic roof systems in Florida and roofing asphalt fumes research. I invite you to read more about these and other projects the Alliance has in progress, including the Wall of Wind, as well as the many pertinent projects the Alliance has completed during the years, by clicking here for the Alliance project list.

As the Alliance enters its 14th year of operation, it remains entrenched as an important component of the roofing industry. With $9 million in assets and a committed membership, the Alliance's future is illuminated with opportunity. As the community of generous contractors, distributors and manufacturers continue their engagement with the Alliance, the level of activity will only increase. The Alliance members will continue to roll up our sleeves to participate in technical and environmental research that will impact the future of your business and the roofing industry, and we'll continue our philanthropic outreach to families in need. That's what we do. We're The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress.

Sincerely,
Reid J. Ribble
President
The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress