It was a changing of the guard for Carpet One Floor and Home members who met in Montreal, Canada, to learn how to differentiate their businesses. Carpet One President Eric Demaree addressed the membership for the last time as he announced his plans to retire at the end of 2018 after 13 years with the organization.
Before leaving the stage to the sounds of Bon Jovi, Demaree told retailers to, “Take a good long, hard look at the human side of your business,” before introducing the incoming president, John Gilbert. “Thank you for your kindness and welcoming me to the organization,” Gilbert said. “It’s been overwhelming. But the amount of kindness that has been displayed toward me in the last week and a half is amazing. I look forward to working with each and every one of you.”