b'Inside the OIRCA By Don Marks, Executive Director, OIRCAS adly, we recently lost two of our past presidents. Both had built very successfultheir facilities. We also recognize that the roofing industry isnt considered one of the glamorous roofing contractor companies, and both had been very active within our association.trades, often referred to as the bottom of the barrel of construction work. These individuals served on our Board of Directors as well as various committees,To combat that image, we developed a rigorous application process for those roofing com-including sitting as chairs on a couple of them. panies interested in joining. Not to be complacent with our existing members, we created an As we approach 2024, our 60th anniversary, passings like this cause us to reflect onannual review or audit program to ensure that, once accepted as members, companies were still the people from our past (and present) who are responsible for building our successfulmeeting OIRCA and industry standards. Finally, we established a self-policing model to address organization. Of course, we are going through that era where older baby boomers will becomplaints launched against our members.making up a large percentage of those losing their lives. OIRCA bulletins marking theThose people and organizations that procure roofing services have embraced our approach passing of such key OIRCA supporters no doubt will become more common place in theto the industry. They recognize that we have pre-screened our members, that we ensure those years ahead. companies continue to perform at a high level and that if they have a problem with one of our Individuals such as our most recent losses took time out from their busy schedules ofmembers, we will get involved to mediate a settlement. building their own businesses to donate the time necessary to better our industry. In ORNWe are indebted to those who, over the course of our history, have set aside their competitive we have often spoken of the uniqueness of the OIRCA and the bold approach we havedifferences, walked into our boardroom and addressed what needed to be addressed to make our taken to build an organization of qualified roofing contractors. industry better. Difficult decisions were made because we knew that our members are accountable toThank you to our past presidents, past Board members, past committee members, those who their customers and clientsthe building owners that entrust us with installing a roof oncurrently serve and those who will follow.28ONTARIO ROOFING NEWSISSUE 3 2023 THE ONLY SOURCE FOR PROFESSIONAL ICI ROOFING CONTRACTORS IN ONTARIO ORN'