The World Floor Covering Association’s National Installation Contest 2002, co-sponsored by National Floor Trends and Floor Covering Installer magazines, will be held in Las Vegas at the Sands Expo & Convention Center during Surfaces, Jan. 30-Feb. 1. Twenty of the nation’s finest floor covering installation professionals will compete in two different categories for the chance to be recognized as the best the industry has to offer.

During the last half of 2001, regional installation contests were held across the United States. From these seven contests emerged 20 individuals ready to compete against their peers -- 10 in the carpet division and 10 in the resilient division -- in a three-part exercise designed to test their mental acuity as well as their physical prowess in floor covering installation.

The hands-on portion of the WFCA National Installation Contest 2002 can be viewed from start to finish in the lower level of the convention center.

And now, meet the competitors...

CARPET

Mark Biron Mark Biron Installations, Inc. Manchester, N.H.

William Blakeslee Phoenix Floorcovering Guild Phoenix, Ariz.

Michael Elhardt About Floors, Inc. Port Orchard, Wash.

Kenneth J. Frango Hard & Soft Floorcovering Contractors Glendale, Ariz.

Andy Malary Commercial Coverings Corp. Charlotte, N.C.

Bruce E. Metzger Phoenix, Ariz.

Jim Rank Flooring Solutions, Inc. Raymore, Mo.

John Schwartz J&S Floors Minden, Nev.

Roland Thompson Kehne’s Carpet One Frederick, Md.

Kevin Twohig Twohig Floor Covering Fond Du Lac, Wis.

Mark Biron Mark Biron Installations, Inc. Manchester, N.H.

William Blakeslee Phoenix Floorcovering Guild Phoenix, Ariz.

Michael Elhardt About Floors, Inc. Port Orchard, Wash.

Kenneth J. Frango Hard & Soft Floorcovering Contractors Glendale, Ariz.

Andy Malary Commercial Coverings Corp. Charlotte, N.C.

Bruce E. Metzger Phoenix, Ariz.

Jim Rank Flooring Solutions, Inc. Raymore, Mo.

John Schwartz J&S Floors Minden, Nev.

Roland Thompson Kehne’s Carpet One Frederick, Md.

Kevin Twohig Twohig Floor Covering Fond Du Lac, Wis.

RESILIENT

Marty Allerdings Columbia River Carpet One Rainier, Ore.

Vic Bubnick Romanoff Floors Independence, Ohio

Thomas Cudney Floors Inc. Omaha, Neb.

Jeff Kuohn Decorative Floorings Surfaces, Inc. Millbury, Ohio

Michael L. Megonigal Megonigal Flooring Aston, Penn.

Mark Milbourne St. Joseph. Mo.

Mark Nemeth R&J Carpet Service Sun Valley, Calif.

David R. Rowden Students Floor Covering Vancouver, Wash.

Scott Sager L&E Flooring Co. La Plata, Md.

Mike Suffia Anderson Carpet & Linoleum Oakland, Calif.