National Floor Trends and Floor Covering Installer magazines will present informative panels and seminars during the Surfaces 2003 Conference Program, which runs in conjunction with Surfaces 2003, at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, Jan 29-31.

NFT will moderate two panels covering installation and retail strategies. And mold, a growing concern throughout the industry and hot topic for discussion, will be addressed by a distinguished panel assembled by FCI.

Jeff Golden, NFT editorial director and publisher, will moderate “Managing Installation: In-House vs. Independents” from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 30. Program panelists are Dave Stafford, vice president and principal for Commercial Carpets of America (CCA); Scott Bryan, Pacific Decorating Centers, Anaheim, Calif.; and Lee Horwitz, president of A&M CarpetMAX in Fresno, Calif.

Also on Jan. 30, NFT senior editor Howard Olansky will present “Capitalizing on the Big Box Retailer,” from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Olansky’s panel consists of Jeff Cowan, president of House of Carpets One and Georgia Carpet Outlet of Modesto, Calif., and Ron Leach, president of Rafael Floors in San Rafael, Calif.

Joe Grady, president of Diversified Resources Inc. and a featured columnist in both FCI and NFT, will moderate “Mold: A Growing Problem in Floor Covering” from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 31. He will be joined by Craig Hamilton, director of research & development of Mapei Corp.; Gray LaFortune, director of the Ceramic Tile Institute of America; and Ray Thompson, manager of field installation for Armstrong World Industries.

Additionally, NFT will present columnist Janet L. Carter, ASID, in “Merchandising and Advertising Go Hand-in-Hand,” from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 30. Carter, owner the Carter Lynn consulting firm, is author of the book “Showroom Management Manual” and soon-to-be-published “Basic Design for the Showroom.”

Complete course descriptions and codes my be obtained online at www.SurfacesExpo.com, or by calling (800) 547-3477.