[Nashville, Tenn.] This month, American Home Surfaces Group (AHSG), Commercial USA, and American Kitchen & Bath Affiliation (AKBA) will come together here in Nashville for its first in-person meeting in years. Much has happened since members have had this valuable time together, reported president Bruce Weber who said the group’s top 100 members will be in attendance. In addition to showcasing new vendor partners, Weber and scheduled speakers will address both challenges and opportunities in front of its members. Here he talks with FCW about the event and the value add the group delivers.

 

FCW: What is your goal with this meeting and what can members expect?
Weber: To explain our new marketing strategy: “It’s A High Five Deal.”

The resurgence of the U.S.A. flooring industry was ignited by pent-up demand for kitchens & baths, floors, countertops, and backsplashes. We will discuss remove and replace (R&R), DIY, full service, new home creations, and commercial assisted living.

Brightworth Financial will be addressing major market trends and economic forecasts. There will be an introduction of Advisory Board members. And Scott Humphrey from World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) will hold the keynote address. Whitney Welch, vice president of, the Daltile Commercial Division, will offer an overview on making the commercial business more successful and profitable.

[We will also] introduce our new suppliers (since the last convention): Shaw, Mohawk, Aladdin, UZIN UTZ, Taylor, and Bostik. There will be a digital marketing strategy overview with Mobile Marketing and RoomVo and a featured overview by top management from National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA); an introduction to our newest registered and trademarked division AKBA (American Kitchen and Bath Affiliation); and, an introduction to a national marketing strategy, partnering with local NKBA members across the USA. There will be a professional overview of the growing exterior flooring market.

We will discuss the increased merchandising pressures of local independent retailers and how major suppliers are preparing to help our members achieve a minimum of six inventory turns. There will be a presentation of the Biennial Awards “Fire-up The Webber.”

 

FCW: Your theme is America’s Got Talent. What is this messaging?
Weber: We will showcase the best of the best — examples of merchandising, partnership, leadership, management, digital, training, and people development.

FCW: What will be your message here?
Weber: Always be respectful of your employees, customers, suppliers; even competitors’ opinions and beliefs. Keep informed; keep a careful eye on your marketing messages; stay close to your P&L monthly reports; and, shipping and inflation costs will continue to rise.

FCW: What is the value the voice of your vendors brings to the convention?
Weber: All our suppliers are financial partners in making it possible to put these types of convention productions in a first-class facility. Unlike our competitors, for every dollar, our suppliers contribute we match “dollar for dollar.” By the end of this convention, approximately $350K will be invoiced to us by Gaylord and other outside sources.

FCW: What steps are you taking to ensure your members’ success?
Weber: We will subsidize their roundtrip expenses to and from Nashville and we always deeply discount their hotel room expenses.

 

Over the last 36-months, in conjunction with the members’ local suppliers, we have conducted more than 100 product knowledge meetings. [We emphasize] the “Six S’s” on a regular basis: See’m, Sell’m, Sympathize, Service’m, Secure’m and Save’m.

We also provide a constant source of co-investment (for) sample and merchandising display requirements. In our 22-year history, we have invested our own money in more than 2,000 displays. Our suppliers and members love it!

[Grand Rapids, Mich.] Crystal Sims is breaking ground in the flooring industry. As the lead installer at Preferred Flooring here, she is known as one of the industry’s top installers. And she’s one of the small but growing numbers of women in the field.

Her brothers Jose and Daniel Gonzales own the company. Nine years ago, Sims lost her factory job and decided to join the family business. She passed her first certification, becoming NAFCT heat weld and flash cove certified. She then added other certifications, including NAFCT subfloor and substrate, protect-all factory trained, and soon will be CFI resilient certified.

At Surfaces earlier this year, Sims was a top-four finalist for the National Installer of the Year award. She is humble about the career she has built and the glass ceiling she has shattered. “I’m just a mom, trying to prove to my three sons, that hard work pays off!”

 

Here she shares her story with FCW.

FCW: How did you get into this?
Sims: I started working for my brothers’ flooring company in the summer of 2012 after losing my factory job. I started as temporary help and eventually learned enough to become a crew leader.

FCW: What do women need to know about being an installer?
Sims: Women need to know that they are capable! Hand skills don’t vary from gender to gender, they vary from person to person. I started at the very bottom of the flooring industry and I had great teachers from day one. One thing I’ve come to realize is that it doesn’t matter who your teachers are, it’s about the effort you put into learning and how resilient you can be to new opportunities.

FCW: What are the opportunities for women?
Sims: There are endless opportunities for anyone in flooring, from leadership roles like crew leader, operations coordinator, general contractor, and others to retail positions and tech jobs. There are so many opportunities to teach these skills in certification and training classes. And because there are so few women in these roles, there are even more opportunities. And heck, you may end up in a bunch of magazines one day!

FCW: What message do you have for the industry?
Sims: In my soon-to-be-decade in this industry, there has been one thing that is obvious to me: learn as much as you can and teach others to do the same. Learn how to do your job and do it well. Then teach others how to do their job well. We are at a fork in the road right now and it is up to us to pave a new path for the future of our industry. We need to lean on one another and help one another grow. Unifying our industry can and will make us stronger!

Joe Weber stated, “We finished up another outstanding year achieving significant growth in all key segments.  We were definitely tested during the pandemic and showed our true strength as an alliance of outstanding members.  Strengthening our network and investing for the future have put us in a position to continue our overall growth this year.  Jerry Joyce and Jim Dunn, both with extensive commercial backgrounds, came on board with us at the start of the year.”

A few of the outstanding new member additions to the alliance are:

Real Floors Commercial in Kennesaw, Ga.:
In 1987, Peter Brookner founded Redi Floors (now called Real Floors). His goal: become the best flooring provider in the Southeast for multi-family residences. Brookner’s dedication to service turned his original vision into today’s reality.

At Real Floors Commercial, professional installation teams are dedicated to ensuring the quality and success of your projects. From project initiation to our promised deadline, the company said its seasoned management, service, estimation and installation teams are there to guide you through the entire process. Real Floors Commercial’s customers are general contractors who serve owners, developers and architects of commercial buildings.

Joe Weber explained, “President Scott Wierson and the whole RFC team bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Multi-Family and Commercial flooring sectors.  We’re extremely happy to be working together now on the same team.”

Tile & Terrazzo, LLC in Suffolk, Va.:
New commercial USA member Tile & Terrazzo is one of the premier installers and dealers of quality flooring, tile, terrazzo and stone products in the Mid-Atlantic region. They are a one stop shop for all projects- Commercial, Government, Healthcare and Military.

Founded in 1988, Tile & Terrazzo was purchased in 2006 by David Russell who has established a sense of responsibility and community assistance through many local partnerships. The company said it takes pride in its knowledgeable staff, skilled craftsmanship and premier products and also look forward to the networking and financial benefits of being a part of Commercial USA.

Lifetime Flooring Creations in Richardson, Texas:
Lifetime Flooring Creations is an expert full service commercial flooring contractor serving the Texas Market. The company provides and installs all hard and soft surfaces for all commercial applications.

Lifetime Flooring Creations said it defines a new standard in the commercial construction market. The company said its mission is to inspire our quality product and revolutionary service to the commercial flooring market with the overall intent of creating a professional, personable and smooth experience that nourishes a Lifetime of healthy relationships.