OPENING KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Welcome to the 2022 May Virtual Meeting - and Opening Keynote presented by Whitney Welch RID, IIDA, Vice President Commercial Sales | Daltile Corporation Tuesday, May 17, 11 AM - 12:15 PM ET
In the opening keynote, Whitney Welch, Vice President of Commercial Sales with Daltile, will discuss how to stay relevant as sales people in the new and evolving flooring industry. Whitney's presentation will cover what Daltile is doing in the virtual space, the companies she looks to for forecasting, current and future selling strategies, initiatives and key product categories (other than tile) and three installation tips for contractors when installing tile.
Whitney has been with Daltile for over 10 years. She is an expert in the flooring industry and has a strong background in A&D. Prior to her career at Daltile, Whitney worked in healthcare and senior living design at an architectural firm. She received a Bachelor of Interior Design with a minor in Architecture from Texas Tech University. At Daltile, Whitney went from the A&D customer lens to being an Architectural Rep. She then became the Commercial Sales Manager for the Southwest Region and in January 2021 was promoted to Vice President of Commercial Sales. Whitney takes pride in connecting with customers, internal and external, as well as educating the industry on tile trends and technical information.
PRESENTATIONS
The Nature of LVT and How That Relates to Adhesive Selection presented by Jeff Johnson, FCIS Business Manager, MAPEI Corporation Tuesday, May 17, 12:15 - 1:00 pm ET
In the course of this presentation, attendees will learn about the various nuances of LVT flooring including how it is made and what environmental influences can affect the overall shape and performance of the material. The basic parameters for a successful LVT installation and conditions required for the best overall performance of the flooring will also be discussed. Lastly, the various physical performance properties of different adhesive types used to install LVT will be investigated and why one might be better than another or why you would want to chose one or another based on the environment where the flooring will be installed.
Presenter, Jeff Johnson is the FCIS Business Manager for MAPEI’s Floor Covering Installation Systems product assortment. He has more than 30 years of experience in floor-covering installation product development and marketing. With practical experience in construction and as an adhesive bench chemist, Jeff has a unique perspective on the materials used in the flooring installation industry. As a bench chemist, he formulated water based and reactive type adhesives. In his current position, Jeff drives sales growth, product innovation and education for floor covering installation products involved with the carpet, resilient and wood flooring installation market segments.
A Forensic Analysis of What Went Wrong with a High Moisture Resistant Installation System presented by Kenneth Jones, CFO/Senior Flooring Inspector & Consulting Residential & Commercial Properties, CCI Flooring Inspections & Consultation, a division of Jones and Jones Development LLC - Tuesday, May 17, 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET
Moisture in flooring - how to address it and resolve it – is an industry hot topic. In this session, Kenneth Jones will discuss moisture related issues and system limitations with a high moisture resistant installation. Ken will analyze just what went wrong and take a detailed look into why and what happened and the necessary pre-testing musts when installing a high moisture resistant product. He'll cover the what, when, how and whys - and how to resolve it.
Kenneth Jones, CFO/Senior Flooring Inspector with CCI Flooring Inspections and Consultations, has over 30 years in the flooring industry, having started in 1989 as the sales and flooring manager at a commercial and residential design business. He later owned and operated his own business, Ken’s Flooring, LLC. In 2000, Ken started with Jones & Jones Development as a custom home and flooring project manager. This role developed into his current position with CCI Flooring, a division of Jones and Jones. Ken inspects residential construction and commercial building projects where he uses his in-depth knowledge of all types of flooring, construction trades and Codes and HERS-related technology disciplines.
How to be Involved in FCEF as a Flooring Contractor presented by Jim Aaron, Executive Director, Floor Covering Education Foundation Tuesday, May 17, 2:00 - 3:00 pm ET
A study commissioned by the Floor Covering Leadership Council and conducted in 2018 found the following: the average age of flooring installers in the US is 56; the flooring industry loses between 5,000 and 6,000 installers every year. The Floor Covering Education Foundation was created to address the issue by recruiting, providing scholarships for training and placing new recruits. However, no significant progress will be made to mitigate the issue without engagement at the local level – in every community. Join Jim Aaron as he reviews the mission of the FCEF and how you can be a part to make a difference in your community and for your business.
The mission of the Floor Covering Education Foundation is to: Bring awareness to the opportunities for a career in flooring installation; Recruit for new talent; Connect recruits with industry leading training organizations; Scholarship the training for new recruits; and assist in placing those individuals in flooring installation jobs.
Jim Aaron has spent all of his adult life in the flooring industry. He began his flooring career working for a family member’s flooring store while attending the University of South Carolina. Upon graduation, he accepted a role as territory manager with a wholesale distribution company, William M Bird & Co., where he spent twelve years. He then spent a number of years with Mohawk Industries where he gained additional sales and sales management experience. He then went on to work for a retail business cooperative for 17 years where he served as VP of Merchandising for the company’s largest division, Carpet One Floor & Home, with 850+ locations. He now serves as the Executive Director of the Floor Covering Education Foundation, a role he has held since March of 2021.
Risk Management and Safety: Tips, Reminders, Resources presented by Ken Deason, National Account Executive, Federated Insurance Wednesday May 18 , 11 - 12 pm ET
In this session, Ken will discuss company risk management and safety culture, including a review of OSHA’s top 10 cited standards. Ken will also discuss incidents and causes specific to contractors – highlighting several jobsite safety tips and how they affect your insurance costs. And if your business uses sub-contractors, Ken will touch on important considerations to follow when hiring out. Finally, he’ll share available resources to help your company build or improve your safety culture.
Ken Deason has been with Federated Insurance for 25 years. For the last 8 years, Ken has held the position of National Account Executive in Federated’s Association Risk Managements Services department. Prior to his current role, Ken was the Commercial Health Underwriting and Administration Manager for 17 years, responsible for the day-to-day operations of Federated’s group health product lines. He also spent 5 years in the field with Federated’s Marketing Representatives cultivating and growing the business to $500 million in annual premiums. Federated has a little over 500 partnerships with national, regional, state, and local associations. Today, Ken oversees 108 of those partnerships.
2022 Floor Trends presented by Tanja Kern, Associate Publisher & Editorial Director, Floor Trends and FCI - BNP Media Wednesday, May 18, 12 - 1 pm ET
Keep up with industry trends! At this session, Tanja will discuss all the buzz-worthy innovations and design trends happening in the flooring industry today.
Tanja Kern has been the associate publisher and editorial director of Floor Trends and Floor Covering Installer since 2016. With more than 20 years of experience writing about architecture, design and business, her work has appeared in American Way, Better Homes & Gardens Special Interest Publications, Fine Interiors, Fodors, Chicago and Los Angeles magazines.
Working with a General Contractor and Handling Change Orders presented by Rod Von Busch, CIM, V. P of Operations, CDI Floors Wednesday, May 18, 1 - 2 pm ET
In this session Rod will explore how a proven method can develop a mutually beneficial relationship with general contractors. He’ll explain how capitalizing on a better relationship can eliminate many of the issues that plaque a floor contractor when dealing with a poorly coordinated jobsite.
Ron Von Busch has over 40 years in the commercial floor covering industry. In addition to being a CIM, a Certified Installation Manager, Rod has completed a number of additional industry certification programs including through CFI, WFCA, Forbo, Nora, Armstrong and Mohawk. Rod is also columnist for the Flooring Specialist magazine and a member of the CFI advisory board. Rod is currently the Vice President Operations with CDI Floors, a commercial contract firm servicing Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee with offices in Louisville, Central City, Indianapolis and Nashville.
FCICA Virtual Meet Up hosted by Amy Johnston, CIM, Project Manager, Flooring Services, Inc., Wednesday, May 18, 2 - 3 pm ET
Amy Johnston, CIM, Preferred Flooring Services, Inc. will facilitate a discussion on what was learned at the May Virtual Meeting education sessions and what people are doing to prepare for a successful busy season this summer and what is their current biggest challenge.
