The Attendee Advisory Councils for both Surfaces and StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2011 met in Dallas last month at the Hanley Wood Exhibitions offices, the producer of both shows. The advisory councils, comprised of members from key business segments of the floor covering and natural stone industries, convene every spring to begin planning the upcoming year’s educational program and develop ideas on how to enhance the overall program.

The Surfaces Education Program focuses on timely education for all floor covering professionals: retailers, distributors, installers, architects and designers. In addition, the StonExpo Education Program targets fabricators, installers, natural stone distributors, quarriers and kitchen & bath specialists. A wide range of courses are available in business, sales, marketing installation and design with experts in both fields offering advice and tips that can be taken back to businesses and implemented immediately. The full 2011 Education Program schedule will be available in late August when attendee registration opens.

“I am really looking forward to Surfaces and StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2011,” sid Mike Micalizzi, technical services manager, MAPEI. “The two groups designed a powerful agenda for the education programs that will surely impress all attendees and help them get ready for the new year.”

Along with Micalizzi, members of the 2010-2011 Surfaces Attendee Advisory Council include: Joan Ceccarelli, ASID, CID, Timeless Designs; Paul Friederichsen, owner, BrandBiz, Inc.; Jeff Macco, owner, Macco’s Floor Covering Center and president, NFA; Michelle Miller, operations manager, NAFCD; John Namba, executive director, Certified Floorcovering Installers; Scott D. Perron, president, Big Bob’s of America; Christine Whittemore, chief simplifier, Simple Marketing Now; andFloor Focus'Kemp Harr.

Members of the 2010-2011 StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas Attendee Advisory Council are: John Cogswell, owner, CogswellStone; Gary Distelhorst, CAE, exec vp, Marble Institute of America; Ron Hannah, partner, Cadenza Marble & Granite; Rodney Harvey, vp, Curtainwall Design Consulting; Jim Hieb, CAE, vp, Marble Institute of America; Emerson Schwartzkopf, editor,Stone Business;Sebastiano Brancoli, The Consultants International Group, Inc.; and Lane Mangum, vp, The Concrete Countertop Institute.

SURFACES 2011 and StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas will be held January 24 – 27, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas. Exhibits are open Tuesday – Thursday. The Education Program opens Monday, January 24 and runs through Thursday. For more information on Surfaces 2011, visitwww.Surfaces.comor follow @Surfaces on Twitter. For more information on StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas, visitwww.stonexpo.comor follow @stonexpo on Twitter.