Mohawk Group's "Mohawk Heritage Initiative" brings custom floors to historical properties; proceeds to benefit National Trust

With the launch of the Mohawk Heritage Initiative program, The Mohawk Group is doing its part to keep historical buildings covered. In a licensing agreement with the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation, the contract carpet maker will produce replicas of historical carpeting and custom designs for historical sites registered with the National Trust. Proceeds from the installation of the special carpeting will benefit the nonprofit group.

The Mohawk Group includes six prestige brands: Karastan Contract, Durkan Commercial, Durkan Hospitality, Lees, Mohawk Commercial and Bigelow Commercial.

"This is an historically compatible relationship," said Jim McCallum, Mohawk Group president. "With the Made in America pedigree of all our carpet products plus our family of brands' own unique roles in the history of American industry, it makes perfect sense for us to partner with the National Trust. Our initial goal in working with the organization is to identify projects of historic significance where our products would be the appropriate floor covering solution for any restoration or preservation activity."

According to Miriam Lennett, the National Trust's director of business development, The Mohawk Group has long been an ardent supporter of the organization. "The Mohawk Group has been the preferred floor covering for scores of significant landmarks, including the restoration of the Boston Opera House and the Palace Theater in Louisville, KY, to name a few. In several instances, its design team has painstakingly and remarkably recreated patterns of the past."

Mark Thomann has been to head the Mohawk Heritage Initiative by McCallum. As director of historic preservation for The Mohawk Group, he will work with the National Trust, architectural teams and specifiers working on preservation projects. Thomann, who joined The Mohawk Group three years ago, will also continue as performance systems manager and is based in Kennesaw, Ga.