A grassroots group of flooring professionals announced the official launch of Women in the Floorcovering Industry (WIFI), an organization providing resources and relationships for women in flooring.

The initiative kicks off to coincide with International Women’s Day, which celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.  

While there are many informal woman-focused networking groups within the flooring industry, the goal of WIFI is to combine the talents of these professionals into a formalized organization.

Inspired by their personal experiences and network within in the industry, the incubation team aims to build the infrastructure needed to build a sustainable group and set WIFI on a path for growth. In the first three months, the group plans to solicit input from the industry to help set priorities for the organization, develop a founding board of directors and members, and plan a program of virtual and in-person networking events for 2021.

“Dalton is home to the U.S. floorcovering industry, and our city is delighted to be the headquarters for Women in Flooring,” said Beth Morrison, vice president of member services at the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce. “The Greater Dalton Chamber is passionate about connecting the pool of talented women leaders in flooring—and their supporters—locally with others nationally and beyond.”

“As a proud Dalton native and an entrepreneur in flooring, I have personally experienced the power of networking with other women and their supporters in the flooring industry,” said Emily Morrow Finkell, founder and CEO, Emily Morrow Home. “There is a sense of deep kinship within our industry, and by offering women a place to share their experiences and aspirations, we hope to encourage personal and professional growth and empowerment, thereby strengthening the industry as a whole.”

WIFI is soliciting membership via a survey aimed at identifying the group’s priorities and interests for virtual an in-person networking events. Women and their supporters who are interested in participating are encouraged to fill out the survey by March 30, 2021. 

The incubation team members include: Beth Morrison, vice president of member services, Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce; Emily Morrow Finkell, CEO, Emily Morrow Home; Tanja Kern, associate publisher and editorial director, Floor Trends, FCI and TalkFloor; Danielle Clair Simpson, managing editor, Floor Trends, FCI and TalkFloor; and Katie Rork, multimedia editor, Floor Trends, FCI and TalkFloor.

For more information, visit the group on Instagram at @wifi_womeninflooring and on Facebook at @WomeninFlooring.