As we usher in 2023, the Metal Construction Association (MCA) will kick off its 40-year anniversary. To be officially celebrated at MCA’s winter meeting, several ongoing anniversary events are scheduled throughout the year to celebrate MCA’s role in unifying the industry to advance the use of metal in the building envelope.
Celebrating 40 years with a year full of great programming
Scheduled for Jan. 22-25 in Clearwater, Fla., near Tampa, the industry is gearing up for the 2023 Winter Meeting. Anticipated highlights include this year’s keynote well-known economist Dr. Chris Kuehl, managing director, Armada Corporate Intelligence, as well as MCA’s Sustainability Panel and Future Leaders Program.
This year also marks the launch of MCA’s Future Leaders program focusing on industry education, networking and professional development.
Moderated by MCA’s technical director Bob Zabcik, a lively discussion on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues, carbon intensity, sustainable building materials and renewable energies is anticipated with panelists Mark Gies, director of product development, S-5!; Jeffrey Becker, consultant engineer, sustainability and strategy group, U.S. Steel; and Dave Landis, Petersen Aluminum Corp.
At the second Future Leader’s Program event, five panelists will share tips and tricks for navigating their career and how MCA helped support their journey. The panel will be moderated by Heidi J. Ellsworth, RoofersCoffeeShop partner and founder of EagleView Technologies. She specializes in marketing strategies, sales success and content. Joining this year’s line-up are the following professionals:
- Rob Haddock, CEO and founder, S-5!. As a respected metal roofing export, Haddock holds more than 60 patents and his presentations and technical writings have been translated and published in at least 10 languages.
- LeeAnn M. Slattery, FCSI, CDT, CCPR, LEED AP BD+C, sales support manager, ATAS International Inc. Slattery heads MCA’s Market Development Committee.
- Brian Jaks, PE, vice president, Green Span Profiles. Jaks brings experience in engineering, design, research and development.
- Dustin Haddock, vice president, research and development, S-5!. Haddock is involved with testing, product design and product development, and brings an extensive background in testing, codes and standards.
- Chandler Barden, president, CIDAN Machinery. Barden supports multiple successful acquisitions and substantial organic revenue growth.
Year in Review
Looking back at some great accomplishments this year, at METALCONin Indianapolis, exhibitors and attendees from more than 50 countries gathered for two-and-a-half days of buying, selling, learning, networking and collaborating. Taking advantage of 40 different educational sessions, participants were able to rack up their CEU hours.
“There are so many great minds coming together, so much knowledge to be shared—all in this one centralized location,” said show attendee Ryan Anderson, Elevated Metal Solutions, Big Sky, Mont.
2022 also marked the official launch of the new ProCertification program for metal roofing, providing installers a means to document their skills and pathways for a career in the building trades. Teaming up with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), the program certifies contractors in steep-slope, low-slope and/or metal shingle installations. The initiative seeks to help address the skilled worker shortage issue challenging the industry by acknowledging expert roofing installation skills and knowledge.
This year also marks the launch of MCA’s Future Leaders Program focusing on industry education, networking and professional development.
As of Dec.1, MCA educated more than 13,000 commercial architects and building owners through continuing education programs in 2022. More than 4,200 downloads of technical resources were accessed from MCA’s website, and MCA led industry research efforts to support code proposals, document metals performance and bring innovation to the industry.
Sustainability in Action
As delineated in MCA’s column in the October 2022 issue, the metal industry started mobilizing in response to the wood and concrete industries erroneously questioning the sustainability of metal based on misleading claims that fail to consider the material from a full life cycle standpoint.
Consequently, MCA has formed a sustainability task force and is collaborating with representatives from the steel and aluminum industries to update environmental product declarations (EPD) and life cycle assessment (LCA) data. Under discussion is the potential development of comparative LCAs contrasting metal to alternative building materials.
Forging Ahead
As the industry continues to deal with rising inflation, the cost of materials, supply chain issues and a possible recession, it’s more important than ever to join together, in applying the industry’s collective expertise and know-how, to continue promoting the development and application of metal in today’s commercial buildings.
Jeff Henry, MBA, CAE, is the executive director of the Metal Construction Association. He leads MCA’s staff in supporting industry members and elevating the use of metal in construction. For more information, go to www.metalconstruction.org.
