METALCON 2021

NEW! 2021 Advisory Council

We are pleased to announce the METALCON 2021 Advisory Council, an esteemed group of industry leaders who dedicate their time to making our 2021 show better than ever!

They represent all facets of the industry and are generous with their time, insights and ideas, helping to ensure that METALCON is a vibrant and relevant event that meets your need.

We are grateful for their volunteer participation and look forward to doing great things together.

Art Hance

Founder & President of Hance Construction, Inc.

In 2000, Art founded Hance Construction, providing material erected, turnkey construction management and general contracting services to the industrial, commercial and cannabis markets. Operating as a problem-solver, he has built his business on tailored construction solutions and innovative approaches. His 30+ years of experience in construction and design allow him to navigate through even the most complex of projects. Art is a well-known thought leader in the metal building industry and serves as president of the Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association where he was instrumental in driving the creation of the nation’s first accreditation program for metal building contractors, IAS AC-478. Hance Construction is one of 10 contractors to have achieved accreditation under this program. Art has co-authored American Institute of Architects training programs on sustainability and design of pre-engineered structures, is a regular contributor to several industry publications, and volunteers time to several community non-profits.

Bob Repovs

President & CEO, Samco Machinery

Bob Repovs is the president and CEO of Samco Machinery, a Toronto-based leading manufacturer of rollforming machines, equipment and value-added solutions. With 20+ years of management experience in engineered rollforming solutions, he believes in embracing change and providing engineer-to-order solutions tailored to his customers’ needs. Bob joined Samco Machinery in 1997 and previously held positions in quality and continuous improvement, human resources, sales, project management and operations before taking over the reins in 2011. He now oversees a team of 200+ highly skilled individuals. He is process-driven and believes in continuous improvement, which has encouraged him to lead different project teams to implement ISO 9001, a cross functional ERP and project management system, and a robust design and engineering system. Additionally, Bob has been a featured guest speaker at a variety of international conferences. He sums up his business philosophy in three words, “People. Products. Passion.” Samco’s P3 is not just a slogan, it the company’s core value―when you take care of your People, they will take care of your customers by creating innovative Products & solutions, and they will do it with a ton of Passion! That ensures excellence and long-standing partnerships.

Brent A. Schipper

Founding Principal, ASK Studio

ASK studio is a Midwest rooted firm engaged in master planning, architectural, interior and product design services. It is known best for its design merit and sensitive expressions of architectural purpose with deliberate consideration of culture, climate and context. Brent is responsible for guidance of the studio’s design efforts and professional tenets while striving to maintain a Midwestern design dialect rooted in a landscape of functional sculptures and organic rhythms bounded by a Cartesian grid. Experienced in all phases of architectural practice, his strengths include visioning, project management and cost control. His studio is shaped by the vision and tenets established by its founders and driven by the elements of purpose, process, people and product – its purpose is to achieve excellence in architecture. Brent’s guidance has aided the studio in garnering 60+ design awards and 80+ project features in regional and national publications since its inception 15 years ago.

Geoffrey L. Stone

Founder, Owner & CEO, MetalForming, Inc.

Geoff has been involved in the sales and marketing of capital goods for more than 40 years. With the goal of bringing the world’s best computer numerical control metal folding equipment to North American customers, Geoff first started Integrated Fabrication Technologies, Inc. He later founded MetalForming Inc., in 1997. During the course of MetalForming’s growth, more than 8,000 high-tech sheet metal machine tools have been installed throughout the United States and Canada. MetalForming’s line of products to support the metal fabricating industry has grown to include folding, shearing, coil processing, portable roll-forming, factory-based roll forming, recoiling and curving machinery. Geoff has been responsible for the introduction of more than 80 new products to the North American market and holds three patents for machine and software development.

Heidi J. Ellsworth

Partner, RoofersCoffeeShop & Owner HJE Consulting

Heidi has worked in the roofing industry since 1993 and has held positions with Malarkey Roofing, Carlisle Construction Materials and EagleView Technologies. She is a partner with RoofersCoffeeShop® and owner of HJE Consulting. She focuses on supporting overall marketing strategies, sales success and content development for companies and associations within the roofing industry. With a passion for networking and win-win scenarios, she continues to provide consulting and progressive digital advertising opportunities for companies and associations, building strong collaborations for business profitability and success. Heidi writes for RoofersCoffeeShopand is a contributor to Professional Roofing, Florida Roofing Magazine, Carolinas Contact and Western Roofing, Siding & Insulation Magazine. Currently, she consults with the National Roofing Contractors Association and the Roofing Alliance while serving on the boards of Western States Roofing Contractors Association, Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) and National Women in Roofing (NWIR), in which she is a founder.

Jeff Henry, MB, CAE

Executive Director, Metal Construction Association

Jeff has cultivated a passion and deep respect for associations over his nearly 40-year career in association management. As a Certified Association Executive, a title earned by fewer than 5% of association professionals, he is a distinguished leader in the association field. As MCA’s executive director, he leads a team of professionals who support industry members and elevate the use of metal in construction. Jeff’s previous roles included executive director of the Synthetic Roof Underlayment Institute and president of the National Frame Building Association. He is also currently executive director of the International Staple, Nail and Tool Association and an association executive at the Association Management Center.

Jeff Irwin

President, JH Irwin Consulting LLC

He started out as an installer for 10 years, and then as a manufacturer for 25 years. During this time, he helped build three successful start-up businesses. Today, Jeff uses his breadth of experience in multiple facets of operations and management, from manufacturing to finance to sales and marketing, to help individuals and companies learn, grow and become more successful. Jeff has been actively involved with the MCA for more than 25 years in various roles and on various committees, including as a member of the board of directors for most of those years. As a consultant, he currently serves as the executive director of the MCA Insulated Metal Panel Alliance, co-executive director of the MCA Metal Composite Materials Alliance and director of MCA Membership Development.

Lori Reynolds Morrow, CSI, CDT

Architectural Project Manager, Sheffield Metals International

Lori is an experienced architectural project manager with a demonstrated history of passionately and successfully promoting the use of metal in construction within the building materials industry. Her primary focus is to grow the Sheffield Metals brand by earning approval on specification-driven work, and then driving those leads to both the architectural and product sales teams. Lori has many years of metal-in-construction experience and is skilled in marketing management, negotiation, business planning, operations management and sales, while intensely focused on industry networking.

Mark Kalin, FAIA, FCSI, LEED

President, Kalin Associates

Mark is a highly experienced specification writer, author, speaker, registered architect and the president of Kalin Associates. He is a CSI certified construction specifier, USGBC LEED accredited professional, and a fellow of both the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Construction Specifications Institute. Mark has been involved in more than 4,000 specification projects since 1984, with numerous projects achieving sustainable design certifications (LEED, Living Building Challenge, Well, Passivhaus). He has authored numerous publications on specifications, product selection, and greenspecs, presenting on these topics at both regional and national conventions. He has taught Architectural Specifications at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and is the former Chair of the Masterformat Maintenance Task Team of the Construction Specifications Institute. Long active in the AIA, Mark has served in numerous roles and on various committees.

Paul Deffenbaugh

Editorial Director, Modern Trade Communications

Paul has more than 30 years of experience in construction as both a contractor and an industry thought leader. He serves as editorial director for Modern Trade Communications, publishers of Metal Construction News and Metal Architecture, the leading publications in the metal construction industry. He is responsible for audience delivery and content creation for the magazines and all editorial products at Modern Trade Communications. Paul is an award-winning writer and editor who previously was editorial director of Professional Builder, Professional Remodeler, Custom Builder, Housing Giants and HousingZone.com. He began his writing career at Remodeling magazine where he was editor-in-chief.

Paul Lechiara

Owner/President, East Coast Metal Roofing

Paul has been in the residential metal roofing business for 10 years and runs a successful business based in Massachusetts. As the owner and president, he wears many hats. His primary responsibilities include overall operations, marketing and business development. In his first year alone, East Coast Metal Roofing broke $1 million in sales and just five years later, sales grew to $45 million. He thrives on interacting with customers and educating the consumer on the benefits of metal roofing. As an employer, Paul values his employees and makes it a point to treat everyone equal. He recognizes that each individual is an expert in their own roles, and that’s what makes an exceptional customer experience. Paul is a partner of the Greg Hill Foundation, a Boston-based charity that responds to the immediate needs of families who have been touched by tragedy. He also serves on the advisory board of the Metal Roofing Alliance.

Tony Bouquot

General Manager, MBMA & VP at Thomas Associates, Inc.

Tony is the general manager of the Metal Builders Manufacturing Association (MBMA) and vice president of the association management firm, Thomas Associates. With nearly 30 years of building products industry experience, he manages the daily operations for the MBMA, a trade association dedicated to conducting research, to advancing building codes and standards, and to educating the construction community. Prior to MBMA, Tony worked with Associated Materials Inc., the parent company to several manufacturing and distribution companies in the exterior building products industry. He also worked at Patio Enclosures Inc., as vice president of manufacturing and Tubelite, Inc., as engineering manager. His broad-based expertise includes operations management, project management and product development, supply chain development, and product design and development. In addition to his technical background, he has led a trade association before and served on its board. Tony holds four U.S. patents and has authored numerous industry-related articles.