The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) will add five new board members to fill open seats left by members whose terms have expired.  Each board member has been selected for his or her experience and dedication to the ongoing support needed to recruit and train new flooring installation craftsmen. 

“Our goal is to keep fresh perspectives and motivated industry representatives on our board of directors,” said FCEF Executive Director Jim Aaron. “We are working to create a bright future for the entire industry, and this requires input and insight from all directions.”

In addition to new board members, Deb DeGraaf will be taking on the role of chairwoman of the board and Bill Blackstock will be moving into the vice chairman role previously held by DeGraaf. DeGraaf will replace Don Roberts who will be retiring from his seat on the board. 

“We are extremely grateful for Don’s time and commitment to the FCEF since its inception and will miss his leadership, however, we are in great hands with Deb and look forward to hearing from all the new faces on the board,” Aaron said. 

New board members joining this January include:

• Jennie Taylor – Taylor Carpet One
• Ed Metcalf – Metcalf Advisory
• Jon Namba – Namba Services
• Randall Sheehe – Emser Tile
• Ray Perren – Technical College System of GA

Taylor will provide her insight as a flooring retailer. Like Roberts, Taylor’s business is a Carpet One Floor & Home cooperative member. Taylor, alongside her husband John, owns and operates a successful retail flooring business with three locations in southwestern Florida. 

Metcalf is the co-founder of Metcalf Advisory, a consulting agency that assists businesses with strategic planning, sales system optimization, and data-based decision-making. He has deep roots in the flooring industry, serving as president and COO at Laticrete International for over 16 years. 

Namba is a licensed contractor and the president of Namba Services, Inc, a consulting agency providing inspections, moister testing, and corrective work for flooring. Namba has seen first-hand the problems that a lack of training can create and will bring his perspective as an installation expert to the board or directors. 

Sheehe is the director of national accounts at Emser Tile. As a leader in the design and production of fine tile and natural stone products, Emser Tile is invested in ensuring that there are qualified installers to make their products shine in homes and businesses. 

Perren is the deputy commissioner for technical education for the Technical College System of Georgia. Perren was instrumental in the creation and pilot of the FCEF’s Basic Flooring Installation program launched last January at Georgia Northwestern Technical College. As the FCEF aims to roll out programs in technical colleges across the nation, Perren’s perspective on the board of directors will be extremely valuable. 

The FCEF Board of Directors was established to include insight and knowledge from manufacturers, retailers, and industry organizations to collaboratively address the installer shortage. 

“As we kick off the new year, we look forward to bringing in new members and hearing their ideas,” shared Aaron. 

To view the entire board, please visit fcef.org.