Chris Huettig & Jenn Brake - Coatings in Your Corner - PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with Chris Huettig and Jenn Brake of Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association. You can read the interview below or listen to the podcast.

Intro: Welcome to CoatingsCast, the ultimate podcast dedicated to the science, art and innovation of liquid and fluid applied roofing coatings for surfaces and waterproofing. It's time to roll up our sleeves, put on our lab coats and dive head first into the world of liquid protection that keeps your roofs and surfaces in prime condition. The future is here and it's liquid, so don't miss out. This is CoatingsCast where every drop counts in the world of roof and surface protection.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Hello and welcome to another CoatingsCast from CoatingsCoffeeShop. My name is Heidi Ellsworth and every industry has that heartbeat, that core, who really helps the industry rise above and get their messaging out and in the coatings world for roof coatings specifically, that is the RCMA, Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association and they've had some great things happening. So we've invited our friends, Chris Huettig and Jenn Brake to come and talk to us about what's happening with the RCMA. Welcome.

Chris Huettig: Hi Heidi.

Jenn Brake: Hi Heidi.

Chris Huettig: Thanks for having us here.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Love it as always, Chris, a returning guest. Thank you so much. But let's start out with some introductions. So Jenn, let's start with you. If you could introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your company.

Jenn Brake: Great. Thanks, Heidi. I'm Jenn Brake. I am the new executive director for RCMA. I am the owner of Brake Marketing and Management, but I am thrilled to be joining the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association. I've been working with trade associations for about 10 years now. I knew it was my calling, incorporates entrepreneurship, marketing, manufacturing, all the things I love. So one of the things that I really enjoy, I like to find new and creative ways for members to engage with one another and collaborate, and I'm just really looking forward to working with our members to help push the industry forward.

Heidi J Ellsworth: I love it. I love it. Welcome. So happy to have you here and this great conversation. Chris, if you could introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your role with RCMA and also about your company.

Chris Huettig: Yeah, absolutely. My name is Chris Huettig. I'm the national director of technical services at KARNAK. I've been with KARNAK for 24 years, been in the roofing industry for 29, so kind of been around for a while and seen lots of trends and how things are going. I'm also involved in ASTM, and as you mentioned, I'm currently the president of the Roof Coating Manufacturers Association. KARNAK's been involved with the RCMA since the very beginning, I think back in 1982 is when the organization started. We're a proud supporting member. I've been a board member for the past three years and an active president for the past two years.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Chris, you've done so much in the last couple years, it's really been a lot of changes. So why don't you tell everybody just a little bit about Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association, RCMA, what it is, what it does and you started with a little bit of the history. Maybe go a little bit deeper.

Chris Huettig: Yeah, I mean, the RCMA, we're a proud organization. We are one of the oldest organizations, associations in the roofing industry. People don't realize that. But we are the voice of the coatings industry. So that means asphalted goods, aluminum coatings, which go back aways, but also today's coatings, the urethanes, the silicones, acrylics and everything else out there. We are an organization that really is here to give up-to-date information on building codes, on standards, on technology and other industry topics that are important to like-minded manufacturers who do what we do. We play a critical role in kind of being the voice of this industry for those different critical things that may affect the coatings industry. Our membership is pretty diverse. Not only do we have members who are active manufacturers of coatings, but we also have associate members and those associate members, they represent the raw material manufacturers that we all buy from, testing laboratories as well as anybody else that provides services to the coating industry. So it is an opportunity for all of our minds to get together to help advance coatings in the industry itself.

Heidi J Ellsworth: And you also have contractors involved.

Chris Huettig: We do have contractors involved. We're looking to expand upon that in the future. That's kind of something we haven't really formed how that goes yet, but it's just so important to have a spot for contractors, for architects. We're kind of looking how we can bring them in to be a part of this organization to help better the industry.

Heidi J Ellsworth: I mean, roof coatings is exploding. We know that. We see it. It's so important. And roof restoration is such a huge part of the sustainability story out there too. Jenn, I know you're not new to RCMA. You've been doing a lot. So give us a little bit of your history with RCMA and really how you see your new role as executive director.

Jenn Brake: Sure, sure. I go back a few years with RCMA. I've been involved in their annual meetings and helping to facilitate those, doing the marketing and so more on the backside. So I'm thrilled to actually get to play a larger role in this. As the executive director, I'll help to facilitate the goals and initiatives of RCMA. I have a fabulous team, so obviously this isn't something that I can do on my own. So we have a new technical director. His name is Dr. Ralph Paroli. I think many people in industry have probably heard of Ralph. They know that he's been doing this for quite some time. He's known for his research and roofing materials, and he's passionate about standards and codes. So we also have a account executive. His name is Rock Miller. He'll be helping to handle the day-to-day operations. He has extensive experience in marketing and project management, so he's really going to help us to get the word out, let people know what roof coatings are all about, the benefits.

And then we're super excited to announce that as a team, we're working on a new website for the organization. And this will be the hub. This will be a place that not only members, but nonmembers will be able to come to. They'll be able to find technical information. We'll have an industry calendar there. And then our members get even more, they're going to get a new info hub and this info hub will be available both through the website, but they'll also be able to download an app right on their phones. So again, this is a member benefit. It is exclusive just to members, but they'll be able to find documents. They'll actually have a form where they'll be able to communicate with each other. So we've got wonderful committees and everybody comes together once a month, but this is a place that they can come together on a day-to-day basis. So really excited about that.

Heidi J Ellsworth: That is great. And that's so important because everybody, we want our information when we want our information, so you need it.

Jenn Brake: That's right. And think about our phones are the first place we tend to turn to, so yep, very excited.

Heidi J Ellsworth: That is excellent. And Chris, when manufacturers out there eventually, contractors, architects, everybody, you've been talking about associate vendor providers basically of raw materials, what are some of the benefits that people have been finding since 1982 and through today and benefits of membership with RCMA, because I think that'd be good for people to understand how important this has been to the industry.

Chris Huettig: Well, the first and foremost thing is we're really kind of a technical organization. So having Dr. Ralph Paroli as our new technical director is just going to be so helpful. I mean, the manufacturers, they know how to make good products, they know how to train, they knew how to do other things too. But there's a lot on the fray on the outside that affects us all, that is really at the heart of our organization and that's really the technical affairs and the government affairs. So having a focus on that and allowing the group to meet, discuss the latest things that are coming up either currently or on the forefront allows us to have kind of a platform to talk about these things. Some of these things we see in the future, we like the way they're going. Maybe sometimes we have a differing opinion and having the RCMA allows us to share that opinion.

And if we want to as a group, we can form a way to give that voice, whether it's through Roofing Day and being representative of the RCMA and the NRCA or other issues that individual members want to hear about, stay on top of and have their own opinion and do their own thing however they want to disseminate the information. I think that's really the heart of what we are and we come to do. The other benefits is just having all these people together. As a manufacturer, there might be some raw material manufacturers out there that you're not aware of. This is a place and in our meetings, our fall meeting or spring meeting, a chance to meet the people, come face-to-face, talk about what you do and how your businesses can work together. And I think that always helps and everybody enjoys that. The new website with all of us communicating better is just going to make all that function and work a lot more proactively for us all and a lot more expeditiously.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Well, and I've sat in the meetings, I've been actually to several meetings for the RCMA. I find them fascinating. And I think one of the things that really to your point of membership benefit, it's first the networking is just so critical, but then also the technical presentations. And sometimes Chris, I'm not the best when it comes to technical presentations, but I always find them, I mean, you guys are always right at the forefront, whether it's environment or new types of chemistry. So on the technical side, you really push that.

Chris Huettig: When we have our meetings and we plan out speakers, we try to find some that from a high level are talking about a certain subject and then we always kind of throw in, okay, let's get into the weeds in something here. Because the group coming to our meetings could be salespeople, could be technical people, but they really could be the chemists and the people who formulate these products. So from their eyes, they want to see something that really gets in the weeds about maybe a certain raw material out there that's going to give some added benefit that they feel like they need on their product, as well as things like sustainability and having someone from a local government call and talk about their sustainability efforts in their particular city where a lot of times you're hearing that the other cities are doing the same thing too, so it gives you a good broad perspective.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Yeah, it's so true as you go through it. So Jenn, like we mentioned before, you have been with RCMA for a couple years. We've worked together on all the marketing and putting everything out there, but there are some changes that have just happened. Can you tell us a little bit about, I mean, we know we're going to get a new website, but there's also some management changes and that's pretty exciting for the organization. As the new executive director, what's some of your goals and some of the things you're looking at?

Jenn Brake: Well, again, we really want to help bring the industry together. So we want to give the industry a voice. We want to bring more communication to the group, right? Ralph will obviously be representing from a technical standpoint, but just getting the word out about who we are, that we're here. We have new programs we're putting into place. Our committees are so active, I cannot believe all the initiatives that are going through those groups. And every meeting it's like, okay, there's so many things to do and we're putting so many things together. So I think from our role as a new management group will just to be making sure that everyone is aware of all of that that's happening, and again, giving them the platforms to be able to do that.

And again, the fall and spring meetings, another great place. So if people are thinking about getting involved, they want to become members or they want to check us out, those are great opportunities for people looking to get in touch with us and to see how the group works. Our website will provide all kinds of information on both the technical side, but also about roof coatings, about membership, about everything. So it's going to be the hub and the fall meeting's a great place to learn more as well, to meet the players, to meet the other companies, member companies.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Yeah, I think it is so important, this kind of networking and really learning from each other and speaking as one, one industry of roof coatings, coatings overall. So Chris, I said this earlier, but it's just really, roof coatings have taken off. I mean, we are seeing such a growth spurt. Can you just give us a little insight on what you're seeing in the roof coatings industry when it comes around growth and some of the new initiatives that are going to be important to talk about and to also advocate for?

Chris Huettig: The roof coating industry, as you said, it's been growing. I mean, if you look and find somewhere between eight to 12% over the past six years and continues to be on that upward trajectory still, there's been so many changes. And when I look at the industry today, part of the changes are tremendous growth. That kind of, I think Covid area spurred that when there were raw material issues and coatings were still viable. But besides that, the technologies that we have today for our coatings are continuing to be robust and grow, so we're able to make better products each and every year. So there's been great improvements in that. And I think that with those great improvements, there's been a lot of trust gained in the roof coatings industry from not only building owners and architects, but also contractors themselves as well. They're really seen as a viable solution to extend the service lives of roofs, address energy savings options.

We're always talking about energy and cool cities and such like that. So they've really helped reduce urban heat islands and promote sustainability, which is always on the forefront. I don't think that will ever go away. We all know that this earth has limited resources that we need to manage better, and roof coatings have their key in place in that to do that.

Contractors now are trusting coatings. They're putting it into their arsenal as offerings. So if option A or B isn't accepted, maybe they have an option C or maybe it's option A for some. We've seen some contractors go direct the coatings and get out of new roofing. So it just depends on what fits them, the size of their company, what they want to do. And that brings on the education front of like, we need to share ideas. We need to talk amongst ourselves. We need to always equip contractors to knowing how to assess roofs better, how to use our products so that we're all benefiting from that. So all of that has just created a lot of work for us all, but it's also a lot of fun in the industry as well.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Yeah, it is. I love what you said about how far roof coatings have come, because I mean, there was one point many, many years ago when some people would think, well, we're just going to go paint the roof. That's not it at all. These are full liquid applied systems. They're full restorative. And that, I think, I mean, I always look at it and really feel that is one of the big purposes of such a great association is to really talk through the technology and the sustainability and everything. So Jenn, you've got a lot out there to talk about, a lot of really good systems and manufacturers who are working together to provide the best roofs. Give us a little bit of your insights on what you're seeing in the industry and getting that message out.

Jenn Brake: I think that when we talk about, first of all, who's the audience? We have a younger audience that's looking, so we have to find the places that they're at. So we're going to be driving that message online in different ways, hitting social media, just making sure that we are involved to try to get that word out. So there's, I think, new and interesting ways and I think our staff is tuned into to finding that younger audience and making sure they understand.

I do want to mention that in talking about education, we do have a virtual training program and that can be accessed through our website and that is a great way to learn about the products, how to properly use them, how to properly apply them. And we have three different modules, so that's a great start to use them. If you're bringing on new contractors or new staff, even you're looking to train admin, these are great modules to use. And again, they can be accessed through the website.

Heidi J Ellsworth: In fact, we have a full webinar launch when that first came out that people can watch on RoofersCoffeeShop and CoatingsCoffeeShop. Also, numerous articles. We've talked to a lot of contractors and different people who've taken these classes. They love them. I mean, the courses are great. They really teach what's going on with roof coatings and liquid applied systems and how to do that. So I'm really glad you brought that up.

Jenn Brake: They're a self-paced program, so people can do them on their own time or at their own pace and there are some quizzes along the way. So it's a wonderful program to use.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Yeah, I love it. Very cool. Okay, speaking of ongoing education, we have the fall meetings coming up, so let's talk a little bit about those fall meetings. Chris, I would love to start with you just on some of the highlights that you see coming in that fall meeting and why so many people should attend.

Chris Huettig: Well, Jenn knows about the ins and outs and she's helping set the agenda. So I know she's going to be a little more on the forefront of what there is. But from my side of it's just, again, it's a place we haven't gotten together in a year, so it's going to be great to get the group together to have our annual meeting in the fall. We're piggybacking it off of the MRCA, so we thought, you know what, if we could help people save a little bit on their budget and their travel expenses, let's put it right after the MRCA in St. Paul Minneapolis, Minnesota. So we're going to do that. We have some great things we're going to be talking about.

One is we've been doing a coding study, so we've got some coatings that we've had out in the market versus uncoated roof membranes that have been out there for I think seven or eight years that we're going to take a look at. We have a laboratory that is a third-party lab that is looking at them, that's going to be presenting on their findings on that. So I think that's always kind of interesting to see that.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Yeah, very cool.

Chris Huettig: Yeah, we're going to have a talk on sustainability. I think we have someone locally coming to talk about some initiatives in the area there going on. We'll have some raw material manufacturers there, again, presenting some ideas of enhancements or product improvements that can be done. And we're going to have, of course, our committee meetings where we get together in person. So we'll have our three committees, our communications and marketing, our technical and our government affairs. We'll bring over the high-level topics.

We'll have a discussion about them, decide if there's anything we as a group need to act on now or if not, here's some information then to bring back to your companies to talk about as well. And then of course, we're going to have some social time where we get to kind of meet each other and have some good conversations one-on-one.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Yeah. So Jenn, walk us through that. What does it look like?

Jenn Brake: Chris, you did a great job. So it's going to be on October 23rd to the 25th in St. Paul, Minnesota, at the Intercontinental Hotel, which is right on the river. And as Chris said, it's going to piggyback. So it's right after the MRCA's conference and expo. So what better excuse than to attend two events right in a row? You get two for one. I'm excited to announce that when talking about networking and giving the members an opportunity to get to know each other and a more relaxed and fun atmosphere, we're going to have a fun tour to the Wabasha Street Caves, which is a historic site. We'll have about an hour or tour there and a nice dinner. So networking dinner. But the event itself, it's two days, two and a half days, I guess you'd say. It'll be the evening of the 23rd, well, we'll have committee meetings on the 23rd, we'll have full sessions on the 24th and then about a half day on the 25th.

So everyone's going to have a chance to learn. They're going to have a chance to network and to get to know one another and to really address what's happening in the industry. So really, really excited. Really looking forward to it. You'll be able to register and find out more information about it at roofcoatings.org the website, so be sure to go there, take a look and get registered. We're looking forward to seeing everybody in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Heidi J Ellsworth: It is going to be-

Chris Huettig: And I can't leave off the last thing of the day. We kept it for Friday. That's the RoofersCoffeeShop contractor panel, which is always to me is the highlight. So we put that the last day to keep everybody there.

Heidi J Ellsworth: I love it.

Chris Huettig: It's always great to have contractors and have that panel where we're asking questions from the field and we're getting real responses in time from people who are out there applying all of our products out there and telling us what they're seeing and how they're doing it. It's really a good educational exchange.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Yeah, it's the highlight for me. I, of course, get so excited about this because we're able to go out and we work with a lot of the members to find contractors from all across the country, all four point. We'll get some of Northeast, Southeast, the West and Midwest to come in and talk about what they are seeing with coatings. I have to tell you, Chris and Jenn, that one of the very first contractor panels we did, I was thinking, oh, it's going to be big issues about sustainability or this or that. And they're like, no, we need to talk about the nozzles and having the coatings come out easier and not clogging. I'm like sometimes simplest things when you bring the right people together. And since that contractor panel, I know I've talked to a lot of people who are like, oh yeah, they listened, they went back. Things are so much better. So if you're a contractor out there listening to this and you're interested in coming, speaking your piece at the Roof Coatings Manufactures Association, these manufacturers want to hear what you have to say. It's pretty phenomenal. I love that event so much.

And I also want to say just the networking is so much fun and really hearing what's going on. So I really encourage everyone, hit the MRCA. Hit the RCMA. It is a week of some of the best education that you're going to have out there.

So one of the thing that I wanted to just say also is we are so proud to have RCMA as our premier association on CoatingsCoffeeShop. So CoatingsCoffeeShop launched last summer. RCMA has been so amazing. We share and Jenn, we're going to keep doing this a lot, all the information that's going on through that platform to make it, we want to get the word out as much as possible. And so when I think about some of the videos we have, the technical papers, all of those things that are coming across, I just want to say thank you to RCMA for sharing that and helping us get it out there to the industries.

Jenn Brake: Well, Heidi, thank you for your support, especially of the industry and of our organization. It's wonderful, wonderful partnership. Thank you.

Heidi J Ellsworth: It is fun. And we're going to do something really fun. I mean, not as fun as the fall meetings, of course, but we are going to have our very first official CoatingsCoffeeShop, coffee conversations. So as you two know and many out there know, we've been doing Coffee Conversations on RoofersCoffeeShop since 2020. And this will be our first CoatingsCoffeeShop coffee conversation. And it is going to have all of you on it, and it's going to be an opportunity, a forum for all RCMA membership and the industry as a whole to come on and ask questions about what's going on, initiatives and what's happening. That is going to be August 15th, 7:00 A.M. Pacific. You'll all be seeing a lot of it. So Chris and Jenn, thank you. That's going to be really fun.

Jenn Brake: Thank you. We're looking forward to it. Absolutely.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Yeah.

Chris Huettig: Absolutely, Heidi. Thank you.

Heidi J Ellsworth: So good. Okay, so we know how to register. Why don't you say that one more time, Jenn. Where do they go to register for the fall meetings?

Chris Huettig: Roofcoatings.org.

Heidi J Ellsworth: .org. And also there they'll find information on membership.

Jenn Brake: Yep.

Heidi J Ellsworth: On the continuing education courses?

Jenn Brake: On the virtual training programs, as well as the fall meeting and membership. Yep.

Heidi J Ellsworth: And you can also find all that information on the RCMA directory on CoatingsCoffeeShop and RoofersCoffeeShop. It'll just get you to the right places. So Chris and Jenn, thank you so much for being here today.

Chris Huettig: Love being here. Thanks, Heidi.

Jenn Brake: Thanks, Heidi.

Heidi J Ellsworth: Thank you so much. And thank you all for listening. Please look at RCMA no matter you're doing, if you're a contractor, an architect, a manufacturer, a supplier, please check out what they're doing because it is only improving the industry, the roofing industry overall with this phenomenal product that is restoring roofs every single day. So thank you again. Thank you all for listening. Please check out all of our podcasts for our CoatingCast on CoatingsCoffeeShop under the read, listen, watch initiative navigation or on your favorite podcast channel, be sure to subscribe and set those notifications so you don't miss a single episode. We'll be seeing you next time on CoatingsCast.

Outro: Thanks for joining us on this coating adventure. Stay tuned for more episodes. And in the meantime, be sure to follow us on social media to stay updated with all things roof coatings. Until next time, stay coated. For more information, go to Coatingscoffeeshop.com.