The Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues, Inc. (RICOWI, Inc.) held its first in-person conference since fall 2019 in Orlando, Florida on March 16-17, 2022. RICOWI held its event in conjunction with the International Institute for Building Enclosure Consultants (IIBEC) events. 

On Thursday, March 17, the seminar was held. Speakers included Jodi Thomas with TRUFAST, Phil Dregger with Salas O Brien, Daniel Boardman with FM Approvals, and Mike Silvers with the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association. Following the seminar, the RICOWI Foundation held a fundraising event. The RICOWI Foundation was recognized as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit in 2020 and was formed with the goal of enhancing and promoting research related to the performance of roofing products and systems.

On Friday, March 18, RICOWI Committee Meetings were held. The following committees met to discuss updates: Underlayment Committee Chaired by Greg Keeler, Owens Corning; Code Committee Chaired by Randall Ober, SPRI; Storm Investigation Program Co-Chaired by John Gimple, Gimple Roof Consultants; Conference Committee Co-Chaired by Dale McLean, Revere Copper Products. 

RICOWI is actively seeking Committee Chairs for the following committees: Membership and Promotion and the Moisture Control and Green Committee/Climate Resilience. You must be a RICOWI member to be a Committee Chair. If interested in membership, download an application at https://www.ricowi.com/share/docs/membership-application.pdf. 

Also held on Friday were the RICOWI Annual General Meeting where a call for nominations for Affiliate Representative to the Board was made. Following the AGM, the RICOWI Membership Meeting was held. 

RICOWI wants to acknowledge and thank the sponsors for the spring events. Platinum sponsors include Malarkey Roofing Products and Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions. Gold Sponsors include Building Envelope Consultants, Ltd., Duro-Last, and Georgia Pacific Gypsum, LLC. Silver Sponsor was the National Roof Deck Contractors Association.

RICOWI will be holding its fall events in Cincinnati, Ohio. A tour of the Kyocera-Senco Industrial Tools, Inc. plant is scheduled along with speakers, a RICOWI Foundation Fundraising event, and RICOWI Membership meeting will be taking place. l