Mohawk Honors Veterans at Tunnel to Towers Ceremony

Mohawk Veterans Ceremony on November 15 2023 — (Front row, from left) Bill Gaddis, director of national sales, Mohawk; Mohawk CEO Jeff Lorberbaum; and Tunnels to Towers Foundation CEO Frank Siller.
(Middle and back rows) Mohawk honored some of its U.S. military veterans during a veterans ceremony held on November 15, 2023. Photo: FLOOR Trends & Installation.

Mohawk Veterans Day Event.jpg — (From left) Tunnels to Towers Foundation CEO Frank Siller; Mohawk CEO Jeff Lorberbaum; and Bill Gaddis, director of national sales, Mohawk. "Thanks Veterans" was painted on planks of Mohawk RevWood flooring by a local artist. Photo: FLOOR Trends & Installation.

Mohawk Veterans Day Event 2.jpg — Mohawk CEO Jeff Lorberbaum and Tunnels to Towers Foundation CEO Frank Siller with Georgia first responders. Photo: FLOOR Trends & Installation.

Mohawk honored veterans and celebrated 10 years of support of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation at a ceremony held in Calhoun, Georgia, on November 15, 2023.

Tunnel to Towers helps America's heroes by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responders' families by building specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Mohawk provides flooring to these smart homes to make the lives of their families a little easier.

"After a decade, we've built over 80 smart homes together," said Frank Siller, foundation chairman and CEO, Tunnel to Towers Foundation. "Mohawk supplied the beautiful flooring—nothing but the best for these great heroes who gave their bodies for our country. We can't get it done without the generosity of companies and people."

Mohawk CEO Jeff Lorberbaum provided the backstory on how the relationship began:

"I first met Frank Siller 10 years ago. He visited us in Calhoun, and he was accompanied by a young veteran named Todd Love, who lived in the Atlanta area. Todd served as a Marine corporal in Afghanistan, and in 2010 he lost both legs and part of his left arm in an explosion. Todd’s optimistic outlook in the face of extraordinary adversity touched and inspired everyone who met him. It was natural to want to support Todd after spending time with him. Unfortunately, there are so many other veterans and first responders that we never have a chance to meet, and Tunnel to Towers ensures that they have access to that same level of support. These men and women sacrificed so much for our country, for all of us.

Since Mohawk employs hundreds of veterans and many of our employees serve their communities as volunteer firefighters, Tunnel to Towers was a good fit for Mohawk emotionally and logically. The organization is run well, and their low operational overhead means that the money they receive really helps people in need. Tunnel to Towers has greatly expanded their mission during the 10 years we have partnered with them. Their good work has benefited many families across the country and earned them well deserved national recognition. We are proud to have been one of their first sponsors, and we look forward to supporting their ongoing projects."

Bill Gaddis, director of national accounts, Mohawk, serves on the board for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. He shared how the foundation has evolved over the years from supporting those impacted by 9/11 to first responders and their families to now supporting homeless veterans. Currently, the foundation has paid off the mortgages to over 1,000 homes. It's worth noting that 95% of the money raised goes toward the cause.

Siller expands on the current efforts of the foundation, revealing that 50 homes are being built with 50 more in the cue. Additionally, the foundation's latest labor of love involves renovating a 161-room hotel and turning it into apartments for homeless veterans in the Houston, Texas, area. This project is the first of its kind, and Sillar expressed that he looks to expand across the country.

During the ceremony, Mohawk honored military veteran employees who work at the Calhoun campus.

Allen Ables, Army

Keith Bray, Air Force

Austin Cherry, Army

Dave Cole, Navy

Dee Davis, Marine Corps

Jon Djulvezan, Navy

David Elder, Army and Reserves

Lakesha Gray, Army National Guard

Belinda Hughes, Air Force

Tyler Hull, Army

Justin Hylton, Navy

Christopher Jones, Air Force

Jeff Marquart, Air Force and Reserves

Jeb Martin, Air Force

Leonard Mendez, Marine Corps

Ken Mills, Navy and Reserves

Jenson Nguyen, Army Reserve

Marcia Paul, Navy

Mark Rogers, Army

Kevin Tanenbaum, Air Force and Reserves

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Beth Miller began her journalistic journey in 2005 while still working as a mechanic in her dad’s garage. She has written about everything from artists to WWII veterans and in 2010 stepped into the healthcare sector where she created digital content for 11 years. She, then, received her master’s degree in English from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. In 2017, she took the leap into the flooring industry. Here, she has discovered a place where she can apply both her technical and journalistic abilities.

Tanja Kern is associate publisher and editorial director of FLOOR Trends & Installation. Tanja began her career covering interior design and finance and has held held roles in public relations and marketing. She serves on the boards of Women in the Floorcovering Industry, Floor Covering Industry Foundation and Roswell Woman’s Club. She has a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.