Roland Holder speaks at the NWFA Wood Flooring Expo in 1994 after being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Roland Holder, one of the 16 professionals inducted into the National Wood Flooring Association Hall of Fame for their leadership in the industry, passed away April 4 at the age of 87.
Holder was in the flooring industry for 57 years, more than half his life. He founded Gentry & Holder Floors in Shreveport, La., in 1958 after returning home from serving in the Army during the Korean War.
He was an active member of the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association, where he was considered one of the association’s most inspiring instructors. He taught there from 1979 until 1990.
“Mr. Roland Holder was one of the true giants in this industry,” said Tommy Maxwell, president and CEO of Maxwell Hardwood Flooring. “I met him approximately 40 years ago, and from his commitment to the NOFMA Installation Schools to his involvement in the early days of the NWFA, he was a true and dedicated hardwood flooring professional. He will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him.”
An attendee at one of Holder’s schools in 1981 wrote, in a comment on a Hardwood Floors article, that he fondly remembered one nugget of wisdom from Holder all this time: “The only shortcut you take in the flooring business is the route to the job site.”
Holder was inducted into the NWFA Hall of Fame in 1994 along with six other original founding fathers of the association. In 2003, he was inducted into the Maple Flooring Manufacturing Association Hall of Fame.
A celebration of Holder’s life will be held at noon on April 7 at Rose-Neath’s Southside Chapel, 2500 Southside Drive, Shreveport, La. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Fellowship of Christian Athletes at 3018 Old Minden Road, Suite 1121, Bossier City, LA 71112.
