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The National Wood Flooring Association held its Intermediate School at headquarters May 9–12, and Kelly Ragalie of Tualatin, Ore.-based Treadline Construction said in a glowing email that the school was invaluable.
“Every one of the instructors was very helpful, knowledgeable and willing to help explain each step,” Ragalie said. “I love that they don't make you feel like you're an idiot, and help you make the work easier and like something you can accomplish. It was great having all of the hands-on work, and I really appreciated all of the tricks and ideas to make the work flow and go together easier.”
The school was led by NWFA Regional Instructor Lenny Hall of Endurace Floor Co. Inc. (West Park, Fla.).
Hall was helped by Jim Schumacher, 3M; Boro Stojmenov, All Globe Inc.; Neale Smith and Joey Tyson, Bona US; Jake Krause, Bostik Inc.; Tim Moore, Fortifiber Building Systems Group; Chuck Phillips, Loba-Wakol; Wayne Lee, Middle Tennessee Lumber; Tim McCool, The Master’s Craft; Tim Moore, Timbermate Group; and Ovi Ragalie, Treadline Construction.
In addition to Ragalie, Hall and the other instructors taught intermediate installation techniques to Alexander Prisiazhny, AA Floors & More; Christopher Garcia and Shawn Garcia, Azores Hardwood Flooring Inc.; Jake Krause, Bostik Inc.; Steve Bruce, Bruce Wood Flooring; Josh Hansman, Cincinnati Floor & Window Coverings; Frank Lemacks, Elegant Hardwood Floors LLC; Santiago Cosentino, Handyman Montclair; Lavinia Rathbun, On The Level Floor Inspections; Skyler Tienter, RW Flooring LLC; Carlos Garcia, Select Surfaces Inc.; Kyle Abrams, Viking Floors; Mustafa Tombakoglu, WF Crafters; Luis Reyes, Whitehouse Floors LLC; and Mark Williams, Williams Outsourcing.
University-level sponsors—companies that donated $3,500 to NWFA education in 2016—were 3M, Advantech, Bona US, Bostik Inc., DuraSeal, Titebond, Lägler, Loba-Wakol LLC, Middle Tennessee Lumber Co., Primatech Inc., Wagner Meters and Weyerhaeuser Company.
Academy-level sponsors—companies that donated $1,500 to NWFA education in 2016—were Allegheny Mountain Hardwood, Basic Coatings, Delmhorst Instrument Company, Fortifiber Building Systems Group, Mannington Mills, MAPEI Corporation, Rubio Monocoat, Rust-Oleum Corp., Somerset Wood Products Inc., Timbermate Group and Woca USA.
Other companies donated materials or helped set up the school, including Beno J. Gundlach Co., DuraTool, Easy Grove Tools, Festool, Flooring Pro Fastening, Goodwin Heart Pine Co., Lignomat USA Ltd., Lockwood Flooring, Owens Flooring by Quanex Building Products, Padco, Pam Fastening Systems, Powernail, ProTeam, Protimeter Amphenol Sensors, Real Wood Floors, Stanley-Bostitch, Struxtur, Tramex Ltd., WD Flooring and Woodwise/Design Hardwood Products Inc.