The International Certified Floorcovering Installers Association (CFI) and Floor Installation Association of North America (FIANA) recently held their first, and only, joint convention in New Orleans. Hosted in two separate hotels a few blocks from each other, CFI celebrated its 21st while FIANA celebrated its 20th—and later revealed to be its final—convention. (Editor’s note: See story on page 17 about FIANA’s decision to dissolve. For full interviews with the heads of both associations, see the November issue.)
To accommodate the doubling-up of resources, both groups held abbreviated events. Both associations sent members on a tour to a nearby USG cement board plant. CFI’s convention packed an opening session, seminars, workshops and a Floor Covering Installer/Floor Trends-sponsored happy hour reception into one day, with the following day devoted to visiting the FIANA trade show for a short period. FIANA also held a brief event, with a welcome reception the first night, followed by a general session, two presentations and the trade show the following day. FIANA welcomed about 160 people and CFI drew around 140.