Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues, Inc. (RICOWI) Announces New Executive Director

March 24, 2009 - The Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues, Inc. (RICOWI) has announced the semi-retirement of Patty Wood-Shields, the current Executive Director, effective June 30, 2009.

The Board of Directors unanimously approved Joan Cook, Joan Cook Consulting as its new Executive Director, effective May 1, 2009. Chairman Rick Olson stated “Joan brings to RICOWI a strong financial background, excellent technical and marketing skills and the ability to work with a broad diversity of people within our internationally based RICOWI community.”

Joan is a seasoned professional who has focused on “making a difference” through member driven initiatives. Her work in addressing manufacturing and industrial distribution industry issues has led to local, regional, national and international recognition. With extensive private and nonprofit experience, she has led successful start-up and turn around operations. To sustain initiatives, she has built strong infrastructures by successfully developing partnerships within the industry, academia, government, foundation, and local community. As a consultant, she has enjoyed working for both national and international organizations. She has served on local, state and national boards and committees. Joan resides in Ohio and Georgia where the new RICOWI office will move to. Joan says “I'm looking forward to working with this dynamic group and continuing this important work that Patty has helped foster.”

After 20 years with RICOWI (13 years at the helm), Patty will be moving to a semi-retirement position within the RICOWI organization. She assisted with the formation of RICOWI in 1989 when she was employed in Bellevue, WA as Vice President of the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau (CSSB). Patty was CSSB’s representative to RICOWI and served as RICOWI’s Secretary from the inception of the organization. Following her resignation from CSSB, she moved to Atlanta and continued as their building code consultant and RICOWI’s Secretary over the next two years. In 1996, RICOWI hired her full time as its Executive Director. She has an impressive list of career accomplishments and is fondly known throughout the roofing and code industry as a true friend and advocate. Her lengthy résumé includes building code lobbying, financial administration, successful grant writing (in excess of $21 million), and product research/testing coordination. In her semi-retirement, Patty will continue on in the administrative management of the RICOWI wind and hail investigation programs. Patty noted “I’m excited that I will remain involved with my RICOWI family in their special programs and be able to help improve the ability for roofing practices to meet new improved standards in the future.” Chairman Rick Olson said that “Patty has become an icon in the roofing industry and we are excited she will remain part-time with us committed to these very important programs of RICOWI.”

RICOWI is a nonprofit association comprised of all of the major roofing associations and includes members of academia, educational and testing facilities and others involved in the science of roofing. Its mandate is to identify and address important technical roofing issues related to energy, durability, hail and wind.

For more information on membership, seminars and other programs, visit www.ricowi.com. The new office headquarter information will be posted on the website in late April.