The Oscars may have been handed out, but it’s still awards season in the flooring industry. Cammie Weitzel, General Manager, WFCA, recentlyannounced the annual winners of the Howard Olansky Award for WFCA affiliates, co-sponsored by Floor Trends, celebrating excellence in communications, training, benefits and other programs for their members.

Awards are given in three categories, determined by the size of the affiliate: Large, Medium and Small. A winner is selected in each category, along with honorable mention acknowledgement for other deserving affiliates. Affiliates are reviewed and awards are given based on several criteria including:  educational and training programs offered; lobbying and advocacy;  social action, community support and charitable efforts; and membership recruitment and benefits.

Winners in each category receive a trophy and honorable mention winners receive a plaque. The 2013 award winners are:

In the Large Association Category:

The winner is the Washington State Floor Covering Association

The Washington State Floor Covering Association continues to provide an impressive number of outstanding benefits and programs for its members each year. In 2012 it held a wide range of educational programs including: motivational marketing and small business seminars; and installation training and EPA LEED certification classes. In addition, it also held a successful tradeshow with over 70 vendors exhibiting products and services with several hundred attendees.

WSFCA continues to be very involved in legislative issues that affect its members, including forming an independent contractor advocacy committee to work with senators, lobbyists and other associations. This affiliate successfully defeated a mandatory recycling bill, which would have increased the price of carpet in the state dramatically and they also developed a guide for dealers and installers.

The association’s commitment to growing their membership and providing member benefits is exceptional.  They increased new members by almost 20% in 2012, despite the tough economic environment.  Members have access to a complete line of insurance, a comprehensive safety manual, sub-contractor contracts and general contractor agreements. 

Honorable Mention in the Large Association category was awarded to the Maryland & Northern Virginia Floor Covering Association.

In the Medium Association Category:

The winner is the Chicago Floorcovering Association

Chicago did an outstanding job in 2012 despite difficult conditions for dealers in the Midwest. This affiliate provided a number of excellent educational opportunities for its members, starting the year with a Product Installation Fair that included over 50 vendors and featured Jim Walker, founder of CFI as a guest speaker. It also held tile and carpet installation certification courses. 

The CFA’s annual State of the Union event was attended by over 200 people who came out to listen to keynote speakers John Goodwin, from Shaw, and Bob Leahy, from Mohawk.

The affiliate communicates timely news and information to members via their outstanding quarterly newsletter “High Traffic” and in 2012 began using Constant Contact to keep in touch. It also hosted several very successful social functions, including its annual golf tournament, which attracted 190 golfers, and the Presidential Awards dinner where the best in the industry are honored.

Medium Association Honorable Mention was awarded to the Wisconsin Floor Covering Association.

In the Small Association Category:

The winner is the Sacramento Valley Floor Covering Association

In 2012, SVFCA made a great effort to grow its membership and successfully increased its group size by 40%. It continued to provide educational opportunities for its members, hosting several installation training events and an educational speaker series that covered topics like asbestos and new computer programs for the flooring industry. It also hosted a very successful golf tournament, which raised money for local charities, including the Children’s Miracle Hospital. 

In the Small Association category, Honorable Mentions were awarded to two deserving groups, the Minnesota Floor Covering Association and the San Diego County Floor Covering Association.

“We continue to be very impressed with the achievements of our affiliates around the country,” said Weitzel. “We are all but a sum of our parts and through our regional affiliates, the World Floor Covering Association is able to make significant advances and implement positive growth and change in the flooring industry. We look forward to seeing what can be achieved in 2013.”