Members of the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) were challenged to elevate their businesses at the 2024 NWFA Expo held in New Orleans, Louisiana.

"Our expo theme this year is 'Raise the Bar' to reflect our ambition to not only meet but exceed our expectations of ourselves, our association, and our industry," said NWFA Board Chair Julie Russell, who is director of the floor finish division at Gemini Industries. "'Raise the Bar' reflects the association's commitment to you to elevate our work on every front."

NWFA News 

Russell reported that NWFA benefited from U.S. Treasury funding and tax credits during the coronavirus pandemic and utilized those funds to purchase a building that will be used as the association's headquarters. Open for use to all NWFA members, the location will host NWFA technical trainings, sales, staff and incentive meetings. 

"The new HQ was selected for its proximity to several nearby amenities that can serve our members when they use the NWFA facility for training architect and designer events and customer outings," Russell added. 

NWFA will host its first-ever Leadership Development Week at its new headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, the week of October 7, 2024. The week will combine several annual meetings, including the NWFA Board of Directors meetings, Wood Flooring Manufacturers Assembly, and the Emerging Leaders. Along with this combination of meetings, NWFA is developing a workshop for contractors and retailers that will allow networking with industry leaders as well as training developed by NWFA alongside the Small Business Administration (SBA) to address running a successful business.

Chris Zizza, founder of C&R Flooring, Inc., and host of NWFA's Real Answers podcast, will moderate the workshop. The SBA will offer sessions on finance, marketing, operations and social media. Zizza will also moderate a panel of successful contractors including Steve Brattin, owner of Kansas City, Missouri-based SVB Floors; Kevin Mullany, owner of Benchmark Wood Floors in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Sprigg Lynn, owner of Universal Floors in Washington, D.C. 

This foursome will also chair the inaugural NWFA Education and Research Foundation Golf Tournament on October 12, 2024, in St. Louis. This tournament kicks off with a fundraiser to pay costs for students to attend an Introduction to Wood Flooring event that will be held quarterly at NWFA headquarters. The week will culminate in an open house designed for all members to come and see the new facilities, network and celebrate tournament winners.

NWFA Awards

At the 2024 NWFA Expo, NWFA inducted Jon Roy Reid of Trinity Hardwood Distributors and Chris Zizza of C&R Flooring into the NWFA Hall of Fame. Read more about Reid here.

Carlos Mongalo was honored with the Emerging Leader Award. Mongalo is the program manager for the National Flooring Contractors Apprentice Program. Learn more about Mongalo and the NFCAP program here.

Wood Floor of the Year Winners included: 

• Best Circular/Curved Application-D-Lux Hardwood Floors, Milwaukie, Oregon
• Best Color/Finish and Textured Wood-Floor Master Company, Crystal Lake, Illinois
• Best Marquetry/Inlay: Ourada Designs in Nine Mile Falls, Washington
• Best Parquetry: H&M Flooring Design in Chicago, Illinois
• Best Staircase: Walk on Wood in Winter Park, Florida
• Manufacturer’s Spotlight:WD Flooring in Laona, Wisconsin
• Best Use of Technology-Czar Floors in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
• Best Historic Restoration and Member’s Choice: Universal Floors in Washington, D.C.