WFCA timeline.

Western Floor Covering Association board of directors meet in San Francisco in January 1960 to discuss the association’s program for the coming year, along with a series of product information clinics to be held in seven Western cities.


1959:

·The formation of an association that represented the Western states was encouraged by floor covering union leaders who felt a strong management association would strengthen the industry as a whole. Together with the unions’ urging, and the determination of several industry individuals, a gathering in Reno, Nev., evolved into the Western Floor Covering Association.

·First slate of officers include: H. Earl Warren of Denver, president; Erv Parent, Seattle, vp; Barney Tambor, San Francisco, secretary; Wayne Ricker, Huntington Park, treasurer; and Sherwood M. Sitz, Los Angeles, executive director.



1960:

·WFCA representatives meet with the General Executive Board of the Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers of America, the first time in the industry’s history “that top policy heads of the international union and representatives of floor covering dealers met to work out plans to aid the industry’s growth,” with the ultimate goal of developing an apprenticeship training program for floor covering installers, then called “mechanics.”

·WFCA celebrates its first anniversary. During its first year, the WFCA sponsored two traveling clinics – one on smooth surface installation, the other on manmade fibers – that visited two Western cities.

·Use of Master Credit Report information protects members from customers who cannot or will not pay their bills.

·WFCA starts program exchanges for local associations.




1961:

·The WFCA, together with the rest of the industry, help the National Particleboard Association (NPA) develop specifications for using particleboard as an underlayment. As a result, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) publishes “Mat-Formed Wood Particleboard for Floor Underlayment.”

·First Annual WFCA Short Course, Jan. 20-21, San Francisco.

·WFCA establishes Supplying Associate membership class.

·WFCA’s inaugural Convention Seminar, Las Vegas, Oct. 20-22.



1962:

·Enrollment is underway for a new insurance program (for the four floor covering associations in the greater Los Angeles area) offered to WFCA members through the Floor Covering Association of California.

·WFCA submits Journeymen Training Program for approval by State agency, floor covering associations and Local Union No. 1247.

·Second Annual Floor Covering Convention Seminar, Las Vegas, Oct. 14-17.


One of the best attended panels at the 1963 WFCA Convention Seminar in Palm Springs was on resilient floor covering installation. Leading the seminar were Herb Ludwig of Congoleum-Nairn (far right, facing camera) and Les Stevens (second from right) of Webtex.

1965:

·Association embarks on consumer protection campaign.

·Fifth Annual Convention, Las Vegas, Oct. 17-20. Dr. Joyce Brothers, the previous year’s keynote speaker, participates in Convention.

WFCA Board Embarks on Consumer Protection Campaign -- Front row, from left: Bill Colwell, Wally Herder, Keith Bittner, Dale Stuart, Pete Johansen, Jim D’Angelo and Warren Bransby. Back row, from left: Royce Ziegler, Wayne Ricker, Hank Heckman, Don Peake, Homer Peterson, Jack Freeman, Sherwood Sitz, Oscar Cowan, Bob Hirstel and Barney Tambor.

1966:

·Creates Carpet Council and Resilient Council to furnish specialized information and services to members in each segment of the industry.



1968:

·WFCA financial reporting program goes through trial run.



1969:

·WFCA urges industry action on guarantees/warranties.

·WFCA Accounting Reference Manual published.

·Carpet Installation Council established.



1970:

·10th Annual WFCA Convention Seminar, Las Vegas, Oct. 18-21

·WFCA participates in Team Play seminar at CRI Convention



1972:

·WFCA urges prompt complaint handling to avoid consumerism spotlight.



1973:

·Holds Contractor License Law meetings



1976:

·Produces the Carpet Care Guide with the CMAW and the Carpet Cleaning Institute of California.



1977:

·Paul Pumphrey of Cleaver Carpet named president of the Retail Floorcovering Institute. He is the only executive to serve as president of both the Western Floor Covering Association (1972) and the Retail Floorcovering Institute, which will later merge and become the WFCA.

1982 Officers -- Pictured from left are: David Swanson, chairman of the board; Carl Biggs, sr. vp; G. Ron Pierce, vp; Richard Bray, secretary; Paul Wolfsohn, treasurer; and Sherwood Sitz, executive director.

1978:

·WFCA partners with the CMAW to adopt and publish the Carpet Product Tolerance Guidelines.

·WFCA provides work ticket to members.



1985:

·25th Anniversary Convention, Maui, Hawaii.



1986:

·WFCA appoints Louis Bell executive director of WFCA.





Panelists at the 24th Annual Convention/Seminar discuss supplier services. From left: Ken Carloan, Conklin Bros. of San Rafael, Calif.; Dale Nagel, Kentile Floors; Chuck Boaman, Valley Floor Covering Distributors, El Monte, Calif.; Matt Davis, Apollo Sales, Inc., Oakland, Calif.; and Robert Coltrin, Miller Bros. Floors Inc., Houston.

1990:

·WFCA sponsors, and hosts, the first Surfaces trade show.



1993:

·Merger talks between WFCA and the American Floorcovering Association (formerly RFI) begin.



1994:

·WFCA and AFA boards agree to terms of merger.

·D. Christopher Davis replaces Bell as executive director.



1995:

·Western Floor Covering Association merges with the AFA to create the World Floor Covering Association.

·Regional Installation Training & Education (RITE) program launched. The program, led by Dick Bray followed by Jon Namba, provided hands-on training curriculum. In 2005, the WFCA transferred all installation-related programs to the International Certified Floorcovering Installers Association (CFI).

·WFCA conducts the first of many forays into consumer research. to determine how and why consumers make their flooring choices.



1998:

·Conducts regional installation contests with winners to compete at Surfaces 1999.



2000:

·WFCA sells Surfaces to Hanley-Wood, while retaining official show sponsorship through 2025.

·Moisture Emission Testing Task Force formed.



2001:

·WFCA kicks off inaugural National Floor Covering Month in April.

·“Virtual Campus on the Internet” debuts.

·WFCA establishes three distinct certification levels for its members: Certified Flooring Executive (CFE), Certified Flooring Professional (CFP), and Certified Flooring Salesperson (CFS).

·WFCA becomes shareholder in Institute of Inspection, Cleaning & Restoration Certification.



2004:

·Aaron Pirner, CAP Carpet, Wichita, named WFCA chairman after bylaws change, making Chris Davis association president.

·WFCA takes over day-to-day oversight of the Floor Covering Industry Foundation.



2005:

·WFCA partners with Bridgeway Media Group to offer Creating Your Space, a range of online marketing support and in-store merchandising programs to members.



2006:

·WFCA launches consumer-oriented website (www.wfca.org).



 2007:

·WFCA launches wfcapro.org website for flooring professionals.

·WFCA expands certification program via industry partnerships.



2008:

·WFCA launches itsBeautiful Flooringconsumer publication, produced in conjunction with Meredith Corp., publishers ofBetter Homes & Gardens.



2009:

·As part of its 50th Anniversary, WFCA gives away $50,000 in increments of $1,000 at Surfaces.

·WFCA awards its first Gold Standard Retailer of the Year Award to Carpeteria’s Ike Gulessarian.