Education Sessions, Descriptions and Presenters
Welcome + Opening Keynote Session
Tuesday, March 28, 8:00 - 9:15 AM
Opening Keynote presented by Rusty Joyce, President - Tarkett Commercial
Rusty Joyce is a leader in the flooring industry with nearly four decades of experience. As Tarkett’s Commercial President, Mr. Joyce is responsible for business development, sales, sales operations and commercial finance. Having joined Tarkett in 2008, he has earned progressive leadership roles within company.
Prior to Tarkett, Mr. Joyce served as President for Brintons, Americas and held several key leadership positions during his 21 year tenure with Milliken. Mr. Joyce has a BS in Business from Bradley University and a MBA from the University of Notre Dame. He has also obtained executive certifications from the London Business School and Columbia University.
FCICA's leadership is thrilled to have Mr. Joyce present the keynote address and share his expertise and insight into the commercial flooring industry at this year's Annual Convention and Commercial Flooring Trade Show, The Future is Now.
With a history spanning over 140 years, Tarkett is a worldwide leader in innovative flooring and sports surface solutions, with net sales of more than € 2.8 billion in 2021. Offering a wide range of products including vinyl, linoleum, rubber, carpet, wood and laminate flooring, artificial turf and athletics tracks, the Group serves customers in over 100 countries across the globe. Tarkett has 12,000 employees and 34 industrial sites, and sells 1.3 million square meters of flooring every day, for hospitals, schools, housing, hotels, offices, stores and sports fields.
Education Session #1: Using the FIT Manual to Train your Employees and Recruit New Ones
Tuesday, March 28, 10:00 - 11:00 AM
Presented by Mike Keller, CIM, Director of Learning & Development, Jack Laurie Group
FCICA Fit Manuals will be a featured resource in this session as one Contractor member shares how they use the FIT program to make connections with local schools, set up a training program and recruit and retain employees.
Mike Keller, CIM, is the Director of Learning & Development for Jack Laurie Group. In this role, Mike develops and implements the company's learning and development/training strategy, working closely with training providers, instructors, vendors and apprentices. Under his leadership, the apprenticeship program has grown from one class to three separate floor covering apprenticeship tracks, with nearly 100 apprentices participating. Mike is National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Craft Instructor Certified and has his Adult Learning & Development Certificate from the Association of Talent Development (ATD). The Jack Laurie Group, founded in 1950 as a commercial flooring company, operates across the Midwest and specializes in commercial flooring, residential flooring, specialty flooring, commercial interiors and commercial cleaning.
Education Session #2: Wall Tile Installation 101, Panel Discussion
Tuesday, March 28, 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Presented by Daniel Grant, CIM, Technical Field Representative, ARDEX Americas; Ben Lyke, Installation Manager, Lansing Tile and Mosaic; Bob Wind, Director of Soft Goods, Welch Tile; moderated by Paul Stuart, Co-Founder, Go Carrera
Presenting panelists will discuss basic installation requirements for installing wall tile from three perspectives - a contractor, setting material manufacturer and tile manufacturer. They will address installing wall tile on backerboard beginning with the proper foundation and include designer follies, proper setting materials and grout
Daniel Grant, CIM, has been a flooring professional since 1992. He joined ARDEX in 2017 as the Technical Field Representative where his areas of expertise include tile and stone installation, concrete repair, moisture in concrete, proper substrate preparation, underlayments, toppings and adhesives. Daniel holds several industry certifications including FCICA's Certified Installation Manager (CIM), CTEF’s Certified Tile Installer, ICRI’s Moisture Testing Technician and NAFCT’s Substrate and Subfloor Prep Certification and is active with FCICA, CTEF, NTCA, ICRI, and NAFCT.
Ben Lyke is a project manager with Lansing Tile & Mosaic, Inc. where he has worked for 23 years, starting in 2000 as a flooring installer apprentice. Ben studied architecture and computer aided drafting; he became, first, a journeyman flooring installer, then later held roles as foreman and installation manager. He is proficient in the installation of all types of soft surface, resilient and hard surface commercial flooring – including wall tile and large format tile installations. Founded in 1984, Lansing Tile and Mosaic, is a premier commercial flooring contractor. From its hard tile roots, Lansing Tile has grown to be a full-service, professional contractor company, skilled in the installation of commercial flooring and wall tile products and systems.
Bob Wind has 35 + years of experience in soft goods and tile both in the field and as a project manager. In 2021, Bob joined Welch Tile as the Director of Soft Good Services. Areas of expertise include vinyl, carpet and specialty flooring systems.
Paul Stuart Jr. is the President of Stuart & Associates Commercial Flooring, Inc., specializing in all applications and products (Carpet, Tile, Vinyl, Epoxy Coatings, and Sports Flooring) for the commercial flooring industry. Paul is also the founder of GoCarrera which is a mobile app platform aimed at matching the right installer and qualifications to the right project with the goal of drastically reducing flooring failures and empowering the professional installer.
Closing Keynote Session
Wednesday, March 29, 8:00 - 9:00 AM
Closing Keynote presented by Eric Fritsch, CIM, Commercial Sales Manager, Atlanta Flooring Design Centers
* The Closing Keynote is sponsored by a generous contribution from MAPEI Corporation.
Eric Fritsch, CIM, grew up in the family flooring business where he worked for 28 years filling all roles in the company - from sales to installation to management. Thereafter, he transitioned to a 15 year stint in the automotive industry. In 2019, Eric returned to the flooring industry joining Atlanta Flooring Design Centers as the Commercial Sales Manager. Atlanta Flooring Design Centers provides and installs all flooring types including ceramic, hardwoods, resilient, carpet, laminate and stone for both commercial and residential clients.
Education Session #3: Polished Concrete Principles and How to Install Without Breaking the Bank
Wednesday, March 29, 10:30 - 11:30 AM
Presented by Shane Jenkins, Regional Business Manager, Schönox; Wilmer Pressel, CIM, Labor Service Manager, Inside Edge Commercial Interior Services; Royal Wilbon, Concrete Specialist, Sunbelt Rentals and Rory Saleh, Director of Sales, Sunbelt Rentals
This session will address the basic elements of polishing concrete as well as address how from bidding to mock-up to meeting the customer’s expectations, contractors can successfully install polished concrete and make money while doing it. Presenters will highlight common problems, ways the installation could go wrong, how a contractor might lose their money - or make it.
Shane Jenkins has worked in the flooring industry 25+ years. He joined Schönox in 2015 as a Regional Business Manager for the Louisiana, Mississippi, and Eastern Texas regions. In 2018, he moved into his current role, Senior Technical Coordinator. Shane is an active member of ASTM, INSTALL, FCICA, ICRI, CFI, RFCI, and NTCA. And is the past president of the American Subcontractors Association of Mississippi.
Rory Saleh has 30 years of experience in the floor care industry, with an emphasis on sustainable solutions to facilities maintenance self-performers and building service contractors. As the Director of Sales, Rory has supported the growth of the Flooring Solutions division within Sunbelt Rentals since 2016. With over 55 locations throughout North America, along with a strong growth portfolio, Saleh and the Flooring Solutions team are continuously seeking ways to support the cleaning industry and provide a rental experience characterized by availability, reliability and ease.
Wilmer Pressel, CIM, has nearly 40 years in the flooring industry, starting in 1983 as an installer. He then moved to labor management with DuPont Flooring Systems as the Installation Service Manager overseeing labor, labor costs, projects, warehouse, equipment and onsite management. In 2008, Wilmer became the Labor Service Manager for Inside Edge, his current position. Inside Edge Commercial Interior Services is a nationwide project management and flooring installation company, specializing in multi-site location roll outs with an expertise in retail remodel projects.
Royal Wilbon has over 20 years of sales experience focused on MRO and OEM companies. He joined Sunbelt Rentals in 2021 first as an OSR in the Power & HVAC division, later becoming a Concrete Specialist, his current position. Royal has experience in account management, engineering sales, product development and program management.
Education Session #4: Jobsite Communication Best Practices, Panel Discussion
Wednesday, March 29, 1:45 - 2:45 PM
Panelists - Jose Gonzalez, CIM, Partner, Preferred Flooring MI; Jesse Tranel, CIM, Vice President, DCO Commercial Floors and Mike Keller, CIM, Director of Learning & Development, Jack Laurie Group
Presenting panelists will share how flooring contractors communicate with various constituencies today - and what works. They'll highlight the best techniques and technology being used for better communication and increased jobsite efficiency.
Jose Gonzalez, CIM, Partner, Preferred Flooring MI, started in the flooring industry in 1998. Later, together with his brother and sister, Preferred Flooring was formed. They company provides a highly skilled team of installers in the Grand Rapids, MI area. Jose's believes hard work, a great work ethic and an entrepreneurial mindset has led his team to success.
Mike Keller, CIM, is the Director of Learning & Development for Jack Laurie Group. In this role, Mike develops and implements the company's learning and development/training strategy, working closely with training providers, instructors, vendors and apprentices. Under his leadership, the apprenticeship program has grown from one class to three separate floor covering apprenticeship tracks, with nearly 100 apprentices participating. Mike is National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Craft Instructor Certified and has his Adult Learning & Development Certificate from the Association of Talent Development (ATD). The Jack Laurie Group, founded in 1950 as a commercial flooring company, operates across the Midwest and specializes in commercial flooring, residential flooring, specialty flooring, commercial interiors and commercial cleaning.
Jesse Tranel, CIM, began his career as an installer for his family flooring and furniture store in Dubuque, Iowa, working in all capacities of the business including the warehouse, delivery, sales and as a subcontractor. In 2009, he joined DCO as an installation manager and in 2018 was named Vice President of DCO Commercial Floors. Jess is CFI (Certified Floorcovering Installer) R1 & C1 installer, CIM (Certified Installation Manager) and OSHA 30 certified.
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