SURFACES?StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas (S²) is committed to providing top-notch education to floor covering and natural stone industry professionals.  S² courses, and the individuals that present them, help keep the floor covering and stone industries growing and thriving.  We are currently seeking speakers and topics for our 2014 Education Program.

Show Information

• Education Dates: January 27-30, 2014  (Exhibits: January 28-30)
• Location: Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
• Audience:  Retailers, distributors, installers, architects, designers, builders, fabricators, restoration professionals, general contractors and quarriers in the floor covering and natural stone industries

Course Information

• Course Format: Course duration must be 2-hours (Monday, January 27 only), 90-minutes (Monday – Thursday) or 1-hour in length (Tuesday and Wednesday).  Presenters must be available to present on any day.
• Accreditation: All courses will be submitted for continuing education credit with AIA, AIBD, IDCEC, and/or NKBA.  Speakers must provide presentations for review and approval at least 8 weeks prior to the show.  Presentations may not promote a specific product, service or company. 
• Deadline for Submissions: March 20, 2013

The 2014 program will consist of core topics from eight educational tracks:

• Flooring Installation– standards, trends, installation challenges and new formats for carpet, vinyl, laminate and hardwood
• Tile Installation– standards, trends, installation challenges and new formats for tile (glass, stone, porcelain, etc.) 
• Stone Fabrication & Installation– standards, trends, safety, machinery and installation challenges for stone fabricators
• Business– cash flow, retirement planning, health care costs, legal and legislative issues, leadership, diversification/expansion, multi-family housing and small business issues, etc.
• Sales/Marketing– sales, branding and marketing, merchandising/showroom design and social media, etc.
• Building Design & Trends– design, color and material trends, fast track, universal and hospitality design, etc.
• Care, Maintenance & Restoration– standards, trends and new formats for stone, carpets, rugs, and other surfaces
• Sustainability– sustainable design projects, processes and products, LEED and case studies, etc.

Selection Process

• Show Management (Hanley Wood) and the Education Advisory Council will review all proposals. Final acceptance will be based upon many factors, including originality of proposal, past speaker performance (if applicable), timeliness of topic, practical application of information, and relevance of content.  A limited number of time slots are also available each year.
• Speakers will be notified of decisions by July 31, 2013.
• Presentations designed to promote a specific product, company or service will not be selected.

Submit a Proposal for Consideration
The online submission process is simple to complete. Click HERE to get started.

For Questions or to Suggest a Speaker or Topic Only
Contact Jennifer Hughes, Conference Manager, at 972.536.6320