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Enthusiasm was strong during the Opening Session at the NWFA Wood Flooring Expo in Orlando, Fla., on Wednesday morning, an event that drew about 500 attendees.
At the event's outset, NWFA Chairman Rick Holden provided an overview of all the changes the NWFA underwent in the previous year, including how the association listened to attendee feedback to completely re-launch this year's Expo. NWFA CEO Michael Martin took the stage next to debut new website solutions the NWFA is offering members; members will be able pick between three templates and have their website SEO-optimized. Martin also told attendees that the NWFA will release updated Installation and Sand & Finish guidelines after the Expo, and that they will be available in Spanish, as well.
Next, industry veteran and NWFA Technical Director Don Conner received the Industry Leadership Award. Conner was given the award in recognition for his 30-plus years in the wood flooring industry, during which he worked as a flooring installer and then as a technical guru for manufacturers including Harris-Tarkett and Mullican.
"I just love you all and I think this is the greatest industry in the world … I don't even have a joke now," Conner told the crowd.
"I was fortunate, of all the people in the industry, that I worked for people who allowed me to work with NWFA, and a lot of people didn't have that opportunity," Conner commented after the morning session. In addition to his involvement in numerous NWFA schools, board and committees, Conner also has the distinction of having attended every single NWFA convention since the first one in 1986.
Taking the stage next was former Harley-Davidson executive Ken Schmidt for the morning's keynote session. Schmidt captivated attendees with the turnaround story of his former employer, which was on the brink of bankruptcy and trapped under the flood of Japanese lookalikes coming to America.
Dressed in jeans and leather sport jacket, Schmidt told attendees about the importance of developing engaging company stories to appeal to buyers. Schmidt communicated marketing tips that cross all industries. He also stressed how important it is to be passionate about one's business: "What's the most magnetically attractive thing about humans?" he asked. "We could say the smile, but we gotta go deeper than that-it's passion."
The ideas of brand differentiation and the belief that consumers make gut decisions instead of logical decisions were major themes of Schmidt's address. You can watch a snippet of this Schmidt's presentation below:
Prior to Schmidt taking the stage, the NWFA membership voted on new and additional terms for its leadership. The following were voted to serve on the NWFA's board of directors beginning April 2012:
For an initial three-year term:Joe Rocco, Artistic Floors by Design (Parker, Colo.)
For an initial one-year term (ex-officio):Kevin Murphy, Trinity Hardwood Dist. Inc. (Austin, Texas)Julie Russell, Glitsa, a division of Rudd Company (Seattle, Wash.)
For an additional three-year term:Kim Holm, Mannington Wood Floors (Salem, N.J.)Tommy Maxwell, Maxwell Hardwood Flooring (Monticello, Ark.)
For an additional one-year term (ex-officio):Craig Dupra, Installers Warehouse (Rochester, N.Y.)
Members leaving their posts on the NWFA's board of directors at the end of the Expo are:
- Bob Haggard, Hassell & Hughes Lumber Company (Collinwood, Tenn.)
- Rick Jones, Swiff-Train Co. (Houston)
- Peter Connor, W•D Flooring (Laona, Wis.)
- Tony Robison, Consult Inspect Design Inc. (Southern Pines, N.C.)
Immediately following the Opening Session, attendees flocked to the education sessions for discussions on business referrals, water and wood, and working with inspectors; some sessions were standing-room-only.
For a full overview of the Expo's remaining events, see the full schedule page.