Nicholas L. Freadreacea, CFE, has been named Chairman of the Board of the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) effective July 1. Freadreacea, who is president of The Flooring Gallery in Louisville, Ky., takes over from Scott Steel, CFE, (My Flooring America, Webster, Texas,) who becomes immediate past chairman, succeeding Brooks Mancini, chairman emeritus, of B.T. Mancini, Inc. in Reno, Nev.

Freadreacea has had an illustrious 32-year career in floor covering beginning with Kinnaird and Francke in Louisville, where he worked his way up to vp before the company was sold to The Maxim Group.  Freadreacea joined Maxim as a regional vp and in 2000 purchased the stores he was formerly supervising in his region.  The Flooring Gallery has grown to be the largest locally owned and operated flooring retailer in the markets they serve, and now consists of seven stores in Kentucky and Indiana. In 2009, The Flooring Gallery was named as the BBB Torch Award Winner, a prestigious honor signifying exemplary business/consumer practices and relations.

Freadreacea’s involvement with the WFCA began in 2001 when he was first elected to the Board of Directors. He has since served on numerous committees and as Chairman of the WFCA’s Finance Committee.  He has been a member and has served on the association’s Executive Committee since 2007.

“Being a part of the WFCA has been extremely rewarding both for my personal development and for the growth of my business, particularly since business dynamics have changed so remarkably in the last few years,” Freadreacea said.  “That type of involvement would have the same positive impact on any flooring dealer who takes advantage of all the WFCA offers its members.”

Freadreacea said he will strengthen existing programs and be completely responsive to the needs of constituents. He also has taken steps to bridge his predecessor Scott Steel, along with Chairman-Elect Jim Walters to ensure continuity and make certain key initiatives continue to move forward with the right committee chairpersons steering the process.

At the WFCA's Spring Board of Directors Meeting in Dallas, directors of the organization also elected Jim Walters, owner/president, Macco Floor Covering Center, Green Bay, Wis. as chairman-elect; and confirmed Paul F. Johnson, CFE, president, Interiors One, Inc., Carpet One, Tulsa, Okla., as treasurer/cfo; Janice Clifton, partner/owner, Abbey Carpets Unlimited, Napa, Calif., as corporate secretary; and G. Harold Chapman, CFE, president, Bonitz Flooring Group, Greenville, S.C., and Tom Garvey, president, Garvey’s Carpet, Northumberland, Pa., as vice chairmen. D. Christopher Davis continues as the WFCA’s president and ceo. These individuals will comprise the association’s Executive Committee for the 2010-11 fiscal year ending June 30, 2011.

The WFCA elects a third of its Board of Directors each year for three-year terms. In addition to re-electing Johnson and Walters, as well as Richard Akel, owner, Design One Carpet One, Little Rock, Ark., to three years terms, newly elected directors include: Darren Braunstein, exec vp, Worldwide Wholesale, Edison, N.J.; Duane Cassis, owner, Carpet Plus, Charlottesville, Va.; and Deb DeGraaf, Owner, DeGraaf Interiors, Hudsonville, Mich.

Mark Weaver, president, Carpet Weavers, Bloomington, Ill., was elected to fill out a one year unexpired vacancy ending June 30, 2011. Directors also re-elected Bob Weiss, president/ceo, All Tile, Inc., Elk Grove, Village, Ill., to a three year term as an associate director.