The Flooring Contractors Assocation (FCICA) recently released a review of the organization’s 2017 Mid-Year Meeting. The meeting attracted individuals from across the flooring industry, including contractors, manufacturers’ technical representatives, distributors, and consultants to learn, network, and discuss future initiatives for the association. FCICA Executive Vice President Kim Oderkirk praised the successful event, “We had record attendance at Mid-Year, with passionate leaders encouraging member engagement and the advancement of our association.”
Committee meetings were held on Tuesday, October 6, providing members the opportunity to discuss the state of the association and share ideas to move the association forward. In addition to the committee meetings, the Certified Installation Managers task force and the Successors task force met to further discussions of recruitment and engagement methods for those initiatives.
On Wednesday, October 7, attendees were given exclusive tours of the Nox and Roppe manufacturing plants in Fostoria, Ohio. Amy Johnston, a Certified Installation Manager with Flooring Services, Inc., was grateful for the opportunity to visit the plants. “I learned more about how products are made in those few hours than I had ever known and was amazed by how many processes are done by hand and are not automated.”
The Opening Session preceded four educational sessions on Thursday, October 8. Certified Installation Managers that recently completed the program were recognized along with Diamond and Sapphire Club members and the third-quarter Bruce Newbrough CIM Scholarship winner, Payam Riazati of Universal Metro.
The Nasty Things on the Surface panel, moderated by Don Styka of Tarkett, featured contractors working with manufacturers to resolve flooring issues. Panelists included Branden Hagen, HPS Schonox; Charlie Nielsen, MAPEI Corporation; Patrick Rooney, DCO Commercial Floors; Ric Pleis, Floor Connection Inc.; Tony Dominguez, CIM, GCP Applied Technologies; and Wilmer Pressel, CIM, Inside Edge Commercial Interior Services.
Problem Solving with the Associates allowed Platinum Associate members three minutes each to present a product or service solution, followed by some time to network or talk to the presenters. Represented in the session were ARDEX Americas, Artistic Finishes Inc., Capri cork, Federated Insurance, FlashCove, FLEXCO, Gondola Train, HPS Schonox, KOSTER American Corporation, Loba-Wakol, MAPEI Corporation, Metroflor Corporation, Protect-All Flooring, Roppe Corporation, Royal Adhesives & Sealants, Tarkett, and TRAXX.
Rahul Dhavalikar with Roppe Holding Company discussed becoming sustainable and how it applied to manufacturers as well as contractors, and Wilmer Pressel, CIM, of Inside Edge Commercial Interior Services defined scope of work and explained how to appropriately communicate a scope to the field.
Those who attended the sessions and plant tours received continuing education credits which can be applied to the Certified Installation Manager Program, IICRC, and other organizations that require continuing education.