RCMA Annual Awards
Every year, RCMA honors individuals and projects that significantly advance the roof coatings industry. These prestigious awards, presented at our Fall Meeting, celebrate innovation, leadership, and dedication within our community. We invite all members to participate in the nomination process throughout the year by submitting their choices via our nomination form. Your involvement ensures that those who have made outstanding contributions receive the recognition they deserve.
Winners will be announced at RCMA's 2025 Fall Meeting.
Martin A. Davis Industry Leadership Award
The prestigious Martin A. Davis Industry Leadership Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association. It was the first award established by RCMA.
Martin A. Davis was the President and Owner of the Overall Paint Company in Cleveland, OH. He was a founding member of RCMA in 1982 and an early leader of the association. This award was established in 1985 to posthumously honor his service and dedication to RCMA.
The award is presented annually to the individual, selected by his or her peers, who has exemplified outstanding service to RCMA and made significant contributions to the roof coatings industry. Previous honorees have distinguished themselves, their company, the association, and the industry with support, participation, distinction and service adhering to the same unselfish standards Martin A. Davis gave to RCMA in its infancy.
The Martin A. Davis Award is engraved with the name and date of each recipient and is permanently displayed at the RCMA headquarters. A plaque is presented to the winner.
James "Tim" Nelligan Industry Statesmen Award
James “Tim” Nelligan was the National Sales Manager at Henry Corporation during the early days of the RCMA. He eagerly volunteered in numerous Board and Committee roles as RCMA was growing and brought energy and enthusiasm in promoting RCMA to the membership and the roof industry at large. Tim was the 8th recipient of the award and the award was re-named in his honor upon his untimely death. Tim was also a recipient of the Martin A. Davis award.
The presentation of the RCMA Industry Statesman Award is designated only when deemed appropriate through peer recognition. The honoree is recognized "in appreciation for special efforts on behalf of the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association in advancing the roof coatings industry."
Over the years, RCMA has on several occasions identified an RCMA member who has deserved this recognition through their interests and activism in promoting and their efforts to achieve significant advancements through the implementation of new technical programming, regulatory or government affairs incentives, research activities, technical publications, RCMA leadership, and industry involvement.
A plaque is presented to the winner.
Lewis S. Ripps Award For Excellence in Government and Regulatory Affairs
Lewis Ripps was the President of Palmer Asphalt in Bayonne, NJ. He served the RCMA as President and a Board Member, but was particularly focused with monitoring, engaging, and testifying before regulatory agencies that effected the business activities of member companies. His personal efforts resulted in numerous successes that saved member companies thousands of dollars in reformulation and labeling costs. This award was established in his honor after his death in 2021.
The award shall be designated with consideration to the following criteria:
- Engagement with regulatory bodies on behalf of RCMA
- Addressing regulatory impediments to those as identified by RCMA
- Service and Leadership to the Government Affairs Committee beyond the monthly calls and in-person meetings
A plaque is presented to the winner.
Emerging Leader Award
The Emerging Leader Award was established to recognize an individual who is making strides toward becoming a leader in the roof coatings industry, and who serves as a role model for his or her industry peers. The presentation of the Emerging Leader Award is designated only when deemed appropriate through peer recognition. The honoree is recognized based on the following criteria:
- Under 35 years of age, and/or involved in the roof coatings industry for less than three years at the time of nomination for the award
- Demonstrates an ongoing commitment and engagement in RCMA through committees and task forces (including but not limited to government affairs, communications and marketing, technical affairs, research activities, membership development, and technical publications)
- Contributes to the advancement of the roof coatings industry
A plaque is presented to the winner.
Project of the Year
We are seeking submissions for our annual awards program recognizing exemplary projects using asphaltic and solar reflective roof coatings on residential, commercial and industrial buildings. The purpose of these awards are to honor innovation, creativity, expertise, and quality project management applied towards the successful execution of a roof coatings project by roofing contractors.
The RCMA Project of the Year Award is open to all Roofing Contractors located in the United States, including Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
The program is free to apply, and we encourage multiple submissions to showcase your outstanding projects and contributions to the roofing industry.
An independent jury of roofing professionals will judge the projects using the following criteria: Innovation, Technical Excellence, Project Complexity, Aesthetics/Design and Sustainability.