Mike Silvers, CPRC, Owner, Silvers Systems Inc. and FRSA Technical Director
From all reports, FRSA’s 102nd Convention and Expo was a tremendous success with the number of attendees, exhibiters, booked rooms, trade show booths and seminars at an all time high. The Convention always presents an opportunity to see old friends again and to make new acquaintances. The comradery that is exhibited during these interactions is a huge part of what makes this event so special. Whether on the trade show floor, during seminars, while sharing food and drink or in the hallways between events, the exchange of information and viewpoints being shared – often between competitors – is great to see.
It is this spirit of cooperation that allows us to better represent what Les Sims, CPRC shared with our members in his final remarks as FRSA’s 102nd President: “Today, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your unwavering commitment to excellence. Your work not only supports our economy but also ensures the safety and well-being of millions of Americans. You are the unsung heroes who literally keep a roof over our heads. Thank you for your hard work, your dedication and your professionalism. Together, we will continue to build a stronger, safer and more sustainable Florida.”
These principals that define FRSA were further reinforced by Incoming President Manny Oyola during his acceptance address: “My theme for this year is 'Our Legacy of Sharing Roofing Knowledge.' As I step into this new role as President of our Association, I am committed to fostering new mentorships and supporting young professionals in our industry. They are the future leaders who will continue to elevate our Association and the industry. Together, we will ensure that the years to come are filled with growth, innovation and prosperity. Let’s roll up our sleeves and work towards an even brighter future for our industry.” With the “roll up our sleeves” metaphor firmly in mind, I offer the following.
FRSA’s member volunteers and staff will resume work on the many projects that will fulfill these goals and aspirations with the same dedication that has been demonstrated by so many. Our Codes Subcommittee met a few days after Convention to begin its review of step one of amending the 2026 Florida Building Code (FBC) for the 9th Edition. During this step we will review over a thousand possible modifications coming from the International Building Code for possible inclusion into the FBC. Of these, approximately 130 roofing-related changes will be reviewed by the subcommittee. They will rank the order of importance and decide to support, oppose or take no position on each of these. We will also begin the process of preparing FRSA’s modifications to be presented to the Florida Building Commission during step two. During this process, we will also decide our position on any roofing-related modifications submitted by others. At these hearings, FRSA will present our positions to the Commission TACs (Technical Advisory Committees) and to the Commission. This is a process that will involve hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of preparation, meetings, submissions, coordination and presentations over the course of the next two years.
Just as importantly and maybe more so, we will develop seminars and other methods to share the changes that are coming in the code. We will begin developing code courses in 2025 and submit them for general continuing education credit approvals before the code drafts are even published. They will be based on our observations during the code promulgation cycle and the published code supplements. We will begin sharing these courses well before the implementation of the new code. Later, we will update these courses for advanced credits. I will also try to keep our readers up to date through this column as these changes are considered and approved.
We will have another Convention and an opportunity to share roofing knowledge before these code change seminars can be developed. I would love to hear your suggestions for technically related topics for seminars to share this upcoming year.
On the sustainability and energy front, I was heartened to see and hear of the many ways our industry is responding to the challenges created by the weather extremes we are facing. Our response is a testament to how much we want to be part of a solution to Florida’s property insurance crises but, even more importantly, our desire to keep our citizens in their homes this year, in what is predicted to be an intense hurricane season, and for years to come.
My thanks to all the instructors that volunteered their time to further our education endeavors. We can certainly be a big part of improvements in roof performance and the way our industry is viewed by the public by continuing “Our Legacy of Sharing Roofing Knowledge.”
Previous Article
Next Article