LAS VEGAS, NV -- Set for the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV, Coverings 2014 will take place from April 29 to May 2, with a bonus conference day beginning on April 28. The educational program will include more than 70 seminars, which are broken down into tracks -- offering something for everyone. The tracks include: Architect, Builder/Remodeler, Fabricator, Installer, Distributor, Retailer and Green. The following is the complete schedule of seminars that will be offered during this year's exhibition.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Addressing Water Scarcity Through Recycling and Reuse in Stone Manufacturing
Track(s): Fabricator, Green
Experience Level: Mid-Level
Speaker(s): Jim Callaghan, Granquartz; Joe Meyer, Granquartz; Steve Deberardino, Old Castle Surfaces; Jon Lancto
This session covers it all! Discover the acceptable methods of recycling the used water in a fabrication setting. Review the current acceptable methods to both reuse and recycle the water, the current regulatory issues affecting the stone industry, and review general compliances the local municipalities are requiring. Learn about both the positives and negatives of reuse and recycling in a stone manufacturing setting through case studies of existing fabricators and their current water monitoring methods. Find out even more about the cost analysis/benefit to the fabricator based on current market conditions and the current PH requirements of the OEMs in the industry to help the fabricator better understand the changing marketplace.
Monday, April 28
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Sealing Tile, Grout, and Natural Stone: True or False
Track(s): Installer, Builder/Remodeler
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Joe Salvo, Miracle Sealant & Abrasives
Gain insight into the myths about sealers and impregnators and their use in the tile and stone industry. Learn to separate fact from fiction and use them effectively.
Monday, April 28
2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Crystal Ball Look at Future Transportation Issues
Track(s): Distributor
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Jeff Knapp, Samuel Shapiro & Co.
A NVOCC’s unique analysis which examines the near and short-term factors affecting import services and rates on the primary tile and stone transportation lanes. Presented from the unusual perspective of the NVOCC, which works with all of the carriers but has the unique responsibility of advising clients on near and short-term trends in ocean carrier rates and services. Specific attention paid toward addressing the future potential impact of the updated Panama Canal, scheduled for early 2015.
Monday, April 28
2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Metrics for the Automated & Un-Automated Fabrication Shop
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): GK Naquin, Stone Interiors; Paul Menninger, Capitol Granite
Understanding your metrics, and being able to price work for profitability, is key for the automated shop to produce a profit at the end of the day. A comprehensive understanding of fixed and variable costs, contribution margins, and per activity man-hours are critical to extrapolating large bids.
Monday, April 28
2:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
NTCA Presents Live Hands-on Demonstrations to Today’s Installation Challenges
Track(s): Installer, Builder/Remodeler
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Gerald Sloan; Michael Whistler
NTCA trainers Gerald Sloan and Michael Whistler bring the NTCA Road Show to Coverings. Large-format and thin tile installations are highlighted, along with helpful tips to prepare for and pass CTI and ACT Certification. Other topics covered include the TCNA Handbook, showers, membranes and more.
Monday, April 28
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To Tell the Truth — Will the Real Granite Please Stand Up!?
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Chuck Muehlbauer, Marble Institute of America
How many of the granites on the market are actually granite? If a quartzite is etched by acid, does that mean it's not really quartzite? How many names can you think of for Uba Tuba? If you're confused about these issues, this session will unlock some of the mysteries surrounding stone definition and nomenclature for stone sales.
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
How to Write a Care & Maintenance Plan for Stone Applications
Track(s): Fabricator, Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Ted McFadden, Sureshine Care & Restoration Services
Learn about modern and traditional techniques used in caring for and maintaining natural stone from the author of Stone Care Guide. Develop a care and maintenance plan for your stone application by learning about how the chemical composition of a stone affects its performance, what sealers and cleaning products are on the market today, and what products are recommended for different applications. Also review some common problems that result from not following a proper care and maintenance plan.
Tuesday, April 29
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Keys to Preparing and Delivering Powerful Presentations
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Sandy Smith, Sandy Smith Seminars
Engaging and holding the attention of audiences in formal and informal settings is a fundamental requirement for professionals and business representatives everywhere. However developing the knowledge and skills necessary to create and deliver powerful presentations is often overlooked such that the style of most presentations is decades out of date. As a result, most audiences are forced to endure mind-numbing drudgery. Let Sandy Smith show you how to achieve a commanding presence, and enhance your ability to connect with your audience and get the results you want, whether you are speaking one-on-one or to an audience of a thousand.
Tuesday, April 29
8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Wholesale/Slab Distributors Forum
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: All
Moderator: Vincent Moiso, Quarry Collections
Speaker(s): Mark Schama, Cosmos Surface Distribution; Jonathan Zanger, Walker Zanger; Rupesh Shah, MSI International
This forum features in-depth discussion of strategic issues critical to running successful wholesale/slab distribution companies. Topics include a host of operational issues, including building strong fabricator relationships, networking with the design community, freight issues and much more.
Tuesday, April 29
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Fabricators Forum
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: All
Moderator: Tony Malisani, Malisani, Inc.
Speaker(s): Marco Duran, Atlas Marble & Granite; Dave Syverson, Syverson Tile & Stone; Brandon Maldonado, Maldonado Tile and Marble
This open forum for residential countertop fabricators is an excellent opportunity to discuss with your fabricator colleagues many of the challenges involved in the residential countertop market. They cover everything from fabrication methods, equipment needs and materials to customer expectations, personnel and sales strategies. Come prepared to share ideas and discuss opportunities and challenges that you face every day. Attendees are encouraged to participate by presenting a problem or sharing a solution.
Tuesday, April 29
8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Stone Trends 2014
Track(s): Fabricator, Architect/Designer, Distributor, Installer, Builder/Remodeler
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Vince Marazita, Marazita & Associates
From countertops to skyscrapers, the use of natural stone is a well accepted building material in the U.S. Especially in these lean construction years, it is crucial to understand the direction of the market for dimensional stone. Get an overall view of the market and market trends by attending the 16th annual “State of the Industry” presentation on the dimensional stone market in the U.S. This session will cover information, sourcing, marketing and application trends in the stone industry over the last year, including examples of award-winning projects that have been recognized for their use of natural stone.
Tuesday, April 29
9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Breaking Through Barriers by Putting People First
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Sheldon Yellen, Belfor
Sheldon Yellen, featured on Undercover Boss, discusses how he built a $5 million company into a $1.5 billion global leader by putting people first. Learn how his employees have built an incredible culture of loyalty and compassion. Explore how taking the long view, by focusing on the welfare of the families of workers and of customers, can reap word-of-mouth business opportunities that no amount of marketing dollars can buy. Understand what it is like to develop an environment where your workers enjoy giving their all every single day, with joyous pride and professionalism that is infectious. With tons of immediate take-home value for you, this will be one of the most insightful and touching leadership speeches you will ever experience.
Tuesday, April 29
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Luxury Appointments Elevate Bath Projects into Lucrative Profit Centers
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Christopher Grubb, Arch-Interiors Design Group
Passion for a luxurious bath experience has gone mainstream, elevating the bathroom to one of the most intricately designed and unique rooms in any project. Because luxuriously detailed bathrooms are the norm, they are no longer reserved for just residential spaces. Today’s consumers demand top quality materials and products and, from a cost-per-square-foot vantage point, the bath has evolved into one of the most lucrative rooms in any project. High-end design firms report the average cost of a bathroom has risen to between $300 and $600 per square foot.
Recognizing that it literally pays to take notice of this trend, internationally acclaimed interior designer Christopher Grubb shares how to inject the bath with those special and sophisticated details that resonate with consumers. Leave armed with the applicable knowledge you’ll need to implement an unforgettable bath experience in virtually any setting.
Tuesday, April 29
12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Thin Tile and Trends in Design and Processes
Track(s): Installer, Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Eric Astrachan, Tile Council of North America
Tile Council of North America will provide the most current status of industry standards for both products and installation. Thin Tile standards will be a focal point of discussion. New technology making a difference in the tile industry and design trends are also discussed in this can't miss program for all tile industry professionals.
Tuesday, April 29
1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Barrier Free Shower Installation
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Art Mintie, Laticrete International, Inc.; Maria Oliveira, Laticrete International, Inc.
This presentation focuses on the design and installation of barrier free tiled shower systems. It provides an overview of the attributes of barrier free shower installations, including a review of applicable industry standards that govern tiled shower installation systems. It also discusses the various types of waterproofing membranes and drains that are used for these applications. Best practices, installation methodology and various installation tips and techniques are also discussed. In addition, it reviews alternative shower system components and accessories suited for barrier free applications.
Tuesday, April 29
1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Breaking News: Announcing an Environmental Product Declaration for Tile
Track(s): Green
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Bill Griese, Tile Council of North America
Demands for Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are on the rise, and requirements are beginning to show up in nearly every green building standard and rating system. So just what is an EPD? Similar in concept to a nutrition label, an EPD tells a product’s full environmental story in a familiar reporting framework so an end user can make an informed decision. This session provides an in-depth review of a just-released (or to be released) EPD for generic ceramic tile, explains how it can be applied to green building initiatives today, and illustrates its relevance to future industry initiatives.
Tuesday, April 29
1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Budgeting For Tile Contractors 101: Forecasting and Budgeting For Success
Track(s): Builder/Remodeler, Installer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Dan Welch; Bob Woodward
Many tile contractors don’t budget or feel what they do is correct. This seminar focuses on important components of a tile contractor’s budget, and offers solid guidelines for all levels. Billing, estimating, project management, warehouse and equipment needs, vehicle costs, fixed costs, safety, and more are featured.
Tuesday, April 29
1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Maintaining and Protecting Your Online Reputation
Track(s): Distributor
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Lisbeth Calandrino, Fabulous Floors Magazine
The reputation of your business is no longer solely in your hands. Internet sites such as Angie’s List, as well as social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, can make or break a business’ reputation. Despite this, many businesses rarely monitor their online comments or try to influence what customers say about them. They seem unaware of the power of online referrals or negative comments. Businesses need to know where customers are posting comments and how to influence the messages about their business. Join this session to gain an understanding about today’s customers and how they influence new business for your company.
Tuesday, April 29
1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
MIA DSDM - Revised Restoration & Maintenance Chapters
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: Mid-Level Leader
Speaker(s): Keith Graves, Stuart Corp.
Significant changes have been made to the Marble Institute of America’s (MIA) Dimension Stone Design Manual. Find out what new information and recommendations have been added and updated. Restoration is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing segments of the natural stone industry, as evidenced by the MIA’s rapid membership growth in this sector. This session discusses the means and methods that are used by many of the nation’s leading restoration contractors. Learn how to coach building owners to maintain their stone products in top aesthetic and performance conditions. Finally, gain knowledge of what business opportunities exist as a subcontracted stone maintenance or restoration provider.
Tuesday, April 29
1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
SketchUp Pro for Tile & Stone Design
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Mike Tadros, Igloo Studios
SketchUp Pro is an incredibly valuable design and documentation tool for tile and stone design. Whether you've been using SketchUp for years, or you've recently begun to learn to use the program, this course is designed to help you take your 3D design and presentation skills to the next level. Attendees will gain intimate knowledge of SketchUp's image import and position tools; a working knowledge of Layout's design and construction documentation features; and receive an introduction to photorealistic rendering techniques.
Tuesday, April 29
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Better Photography - Successful Marketing: Tips from a Professional
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Distributor, Fabricator, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Brett Drury, Architectural Photography Inc.
Outstanding photography of your design or product is vital for your company to successfully market in today's visually-based world. But ever-changing technology raises as many questions as answers. Through a lively presentation of “before and after” images, and interactive discussion about what makes an image succeed or fail to meet your marketing objectives, you will understand the importance of quality photography in promoting your business. Take away a comprehensive set of handouts with many ideas to help incorporate photography into your marketing plan successfully and with great cost-efficiency.
Tuesday, April 29
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m
Concrete and Wood Substrates: Considerations For Specification, Product Selection and Installation
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Richard Goldberg
Rich Goldberg is one of the leading tile industry consultants in the country. He is also a trained architect, and helps specifiers on many major procects improve and write their tile and stone specifications. As a member of the NTCA Technical Committee, he authored the NTCA Reference Manual documents for tile installations over engineered wood assemblies and concrete substrates. He will discuss improving specifications, real world jobsite issues and more.
Tuesday, April 29
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m
David vs. Goliath - How Does the Little Guy Compete?
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Josiah Lilly, Epic Ceramic & Stone, Inc.
Big contractors started out as small contractors. Learn about the challenges in bidding, bonding, personnel, cash flow and how to deal with them. Discover how a small guy can compete in a big boys’ game.
Tuesday, April 29
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m
Low Hanging Fruit: The Five Easiest Ways to Supercharge Your Digital Marketing Strategy
Track(s): Builder/Remodeler, Installer
Experience Level: Mid-Level Leader
Speaker(s): Ken Tarwood, Laticrete International, Inc.
Social media, digital advertising and search marketing have been the cornerstones of modern marketing in other industries for years, but many organizations continue to rely solely on traditional advertising mediums. This session aims to dispel some of the perceived barriers to entry associated with digital marketing, and presents five actionable plans that you can implement in your firm right away to tap a new generation of decision-makers.
Tuesday, April 29
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m
Natural Stone & Green Design
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Fabricator, Green, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Robert Bacon, Daltile
Learn how natural stone fits into the Green movement. The stone industry continues to reduce environmental impacts through technology advancements and responsible manufacturing and shipping processes. Discuss historical uses of natural stone that have stood the test of time and see examples of how key characteristics of stone such as its life cycle and carbon footprint satisfy elements of green building standards.
Tuesday, April 29
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m
Turn Your Trash Into Cash
Track(s): Fabricator, Green, Installer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): John Tesh, Stone Cycler
Learn how you can recycle your scrap into new granite and actually make money from scraps. Granite pavers and floor tiles made from the recycling process have been used in residential, commercial and state and federal LEED projects.
Tuesday, April 29
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m
Working at Play: A Visual Journal
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): David Baird, UNLV School of Architecture
Baird, an award-winning architect, designer and artist will share his creative process through a work entitled Visual Journal. The Visual Journal is an ongoing project started over 15 years ago which currently contains well over 10,000 entries. The majority of Baird’s journal entries are non-objective abstract works, which offer an experience and opportunity to flex one's visual muscles. Baird's creative process can be understood as a rigorous exploration grounded in the notion that beauty is not created, but rather discovered.
Tuesday, April 29
4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m
Shower Installations: Best Practices
Track(s): Designer, Installer
Experience Level: Mid-Level Leader
Speaker(s): Gerald Sloan; Michael Whistler
Proper installation in showers and wet areas is the number one concern for consumers seeking qualified tile installers. It is also one of the ACT Certifications being offered in the industry. This seminar discusses common installation mistakes and how to prevent them, and covers the features of the ACT Certification that will help prepare the installer for success.
Tuesday, April 29
4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m
The Case for Living Walls and Ventilated Facades
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Lira Luis, ALLL; Michael Johnson, Michael P Johnson Design Studio
The need for sophisticated decorations in buildings inspired advancements in tile and stone manufacturing processes. Century old buildings are inlaid with them, proving their longevity and strength. Until recently, tile and stone have traditionally been leveraged on purely aesthetic applications, yet there is numerous evidence of their contribution to achievement of sustainability benchmarks in projects. Learn about specific case study projects on living walls, ventilated façade systems, including related building envelopes, that could be models for replication elsewhere and help identify strategies leading to building efficiencies and material innovations. It will help broaden the search for new ideas and consider possible solutions to real-world constraints within climatic conditions of site and climate change.
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
The Future of the Canadian and U.S. Ceramic Tile Markets
Track(s): Distributor
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Donato Grosser, The World Exposition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, Inc.
Learn about the current situation of the tile market in North America and predictions for future trends based on speakers’ research. Topics covered include market share of manufacturers and importers, trends in tile and new developments in distribution.
Wednesday, April 30
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
The Restoration and Maintenance of Stone & Terrazzo Using no Chemicals
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Fred Hueston, Stone Forensics
There are many perspectives about floor maintenance and this session presents the viewpoint that stone and terrazzo floors do not need a topical coating of any kind. Waxes, sealers, etc., act as a sacrificial coating grinding the grit and dirt into the surface, meaning every time a force is applied to the floor, it is scratched and damaged. In addition, the chemicals necessary to strip and wax can be extremely hazardous. Naturally polished stone and/or terrazzo uses no chemicals, using diamond abrasives and water. The floor is polished to a high shine and left in a natural state.
Wednesday, April 30
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
The New Rules of Relationship Marketing
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Jon Goldman, Brand Launcher
Yesterday’s marketing doesn’t cut it in today’s stone and tile world. The new buyer is cynical and savvy, and knows where to find everything you sell for 20% less. In this challenging environment, traditional advertising and promotions are dead-on-arrival. The new rules are about relationship marketing — cultivating connections with customers that last for life. Join this forward-looking session and discover a new way of building and boosting quality relationships with your current and future customers. This presentation includes eye-opening case studies, examples and tricks-of-the-trade for introducing relationship marketing into an existing business.
Wednesday, April 30
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Case Study of Development of National Food Chain Specification for Material Selection, Design Methodologies and Construction Techniques
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Scott Conwell
Writing a quality specification for a project is a challenge. Writing one for a national restaurant chain is even more daunting. It takes a complete collaborative effort. Scott Conwell of the International Masonry Institute shares his case study with attendees, including product selection, writing the specification, consulting with experts, mockups and implementation of the spec.
Wednesday, April 30
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Distributors: Who Needs You? Finding and Attracting Strategically Aligned Partners
Track(s): Distributor
Experience Level: Mid-Level Leader
Speaker(s): Jim Gould, Floor Covering Institute LLC
Survival for today’s flooring distributor means rethinking their role in the supply chain, recognizing their strengths and weaknesses, identifying strategically aligned partners and executing a plan to improve business results with those partners. In today’s global market, partners are often international. Explore the changing needs within the supply chain and the evolving role of distributors today and learn the value of strategically aligned partners and how creating strategic partnerships can improve their business.
Wednesday, April 30
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
LEED v4 and its Relevance to Tile
Track(s): Green
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Bill Griese, Tile Council of North America; Dan Marvin, Mapei
After years of development, LEED v4 was released late last year and is among the hottest topics being discussed today by green building architects and designers. LEED v4 is substantially revised from v3 and takes on a whole new approach to green product specification. LEED v4 has many industry ramifications, and it is important to understand new requirements for products to contribute towards points. This session focuses on the most significant differences from previous versions of LEED with an emphasis on the materials and resources chapter and how new requirements are relevant to tile industry products and initiatives.
Wednesday, April 30
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Specification 2.0 - Harnessing the Full Potential of Tile in Modern Specs
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Ryan Fasan, Professional Attention to Tile Installations
The modern age of ceramic tile began around 1970. Since then, the innovations in aesthetics and quality have jumped by leaps and bounds. Explore the four types of tile, production techniques, an easy rule of thumb for providing simple language to explain choices to clients easily, and select the optimal tile for every job. Discuss expanded areas of use, best practices and emerging industry standards applicable to these emerging innovations.
Wednesday, April 30
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
A Leading Question: “Why Can’t I Generate Leads From the Internet?”
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Distributor, Fabricator, Installe
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Marty Gould, Focalize Consulting
Getting qualified leads is a core objective for nearly every home improvement business. But many companies are disillusioned and disappointed with the results they’ve seen from their online marketing efforts to generate leads, qualified or otherwise. When it comes to connecting with potential customers, the internet has redefined everything about leads. If you don’t know what’s changed, and why, your online marketing efforts will never meet your expectations. The good news is that making a few simple changes to your online messages—and your attitude—can make a big improvement in your results.
Wednesday, April 30
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Man Made Natural: Insights Into the Authenticity of Materials
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Grace Jeffers, The New Materials Handbook
In the world of materials, “real” is good and “fake” is bad, right? In the age of tree plantations, engineered lumber and bio board, what exactly does “natural” mean now? And are natural materials always a better choice than manufactured ones? Explore these and other issues that influence our decisions to choose natural or synthetic materials. Learn surprising truths about materials and confront their preconceptions and, ultimately, become more educated specifiers.
Wednesday, April 30
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Rottet Style with Stone and Tile
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Lauren Rottet, Rottet Studio
A presentation of some of the nation’s most highly awarded hotels and offices designed by Rottet Studio shows creative use of materials including, of course, stone and tile. Projects include James Royal Palm in Miami (Best of Year by Interior Design Magazine, Gold Key award for best room, four international awards for Best Hotel and Best Renovation); St. Regis Aspen (Conde Nast’s number one best ski hotel in 2013); Beverly Hills Bungalows, The Surrey on Manhattan’s upper east side, and whats on the boards now.
Wednesday, April 30
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
A Bigger Slice — Using Customer Engagement to Increase Sales
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Ryan Fasan, Professional Attention to Tile Installations
Ceramic tile provides so many key advantages to today’s consumer with its inherent benefits and emerging innovations, that it’s time for sales and distribution sectors to exploit these opportunities through connectivity, education and community involvement. Explore simple tools, comparisons and language to make your brand remarkable and top of mind for local consumers every time “cladding,” not just “tile,” is brought up in your market. Discover the opportunities for brand synergy with the manufacturing sectors with an easy to plan an implement social media plan and the power retailers and distributors hold to influence prevailing trends and buying decisions.
Wednesday, April 30
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Get me on TV!
Track(s): Architect/Designer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Nicola Lees, TV Mole
Learn the ins and outs of getting on TV, from auditioning as a host or guest designer, to an existing show, to pitching your own show to a network. TV producer Nicola Lees has over 15 years of experience in pitching and developing reality shows, including home design/makeover shows, for a variety of networks. Find out info that only a true industry insider can tell you.
Wednesday, April 30
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Managing a Successful Family Business
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: All
Moderator: Tony Malisani, Malisani, Inc.
Speaker(s): David Castellucci, Kenneth Castellucci & Associates; Paolo Mantenuto, Marble & Marble Ltd.; Rita Mantenuto, Marble & Marble Ltd.
Working in a family business can be a challenge. Why are some businesses successful, while others struggle? What are the best practices? Join a panel of stone professionals from three different family businesses as they share their experiences. Plan on joining this robust Q&A session!
Wednesday, April 30
1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
How to Use CEU Courses to Build Relationships with Architects and Designers
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: Mid-Level Leader
Speaker(s): Sarah Kelly, Marble Institute of America; Vincent Moiso, Quarry Collections
Building relationships with members of the design community can be difficult. Consider using CEU courses to help get your foot in the door and position yourself as the natural stone expert with architects and designers in your area. This “how-to” demonstration, brought to you by the Marble Institute of America, helps you get started down the CEU provider path. Learn first-hand how to use CEU courses to educate your potential customers about your company’s products and services.
Wednesday, April 30
2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Are You Missing Out on Mobile Shoppers?
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): James Dion, Dionco Inc.
The number of global smartphone users is expected to reach over two billion by 2015. You must interact with your customers today, and in the future, or risk losing them forever. Learn how to make mobile marketing, mobile commerce and mobile operations work. You’ll also see examples of companies and brands that have already optimized their marketing, commerce and operations to integrate mobile with great success. Learn how the customer of the future is going to shop, and what the store of the future is going to look like.
Wednesday, April 30
2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Harmonizing Global Efforts to Develop Product Category Rules for Tile
Track(s): Green
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): TBD, Representative from Italy; TBD, Representative from Spain; TBD, Representative from North America
Product Category Rules (PCRs) set the standard for how Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are made. Establishing an agreed-upon framework for lifecycle evaluation and reporting requirements within a common family of products, a good PCR ensures that the EPD of one product is presented in a manner which is consistent with that of another similar product. Given the growing demand for EPDs, discussions are currently underway to explore where there are similarities and differences among tile industry PCRs worldwide. During this panel discussion, representatives from industry groups in North America and Europe will discuss the feasibility of international PCR harmonization.
Wednesday, April 30
2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Health Product Declarations: How to Address the Demand for Radical Transparency With Respect to Tile and Tile Installation Products
Track(s): Green
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Rob Shimp, SCS Global Services
One of the latest trends in product transparency in the green building sector is the Health Product Declaration (HPD). Government agencies, customers and NGOs are pressing for safer, more sustainable products, and substitutes for chemicals of concern. This product content and health hazard disclosure is intended to create greater transparency about potential health hazards associated with products and materials, and drive more informed decisions. Some companies have even begun to require that their suppliers provide HPDs. Another reason for demand is that LEEDs newest version, LEED v4, awards credits for full disclosure of ingredients in products and for excluding red-listed chemicals. Unfortunately, many HPD disclosures are not addressing all the elements especially in the implied health risks, logistics and confidentiality categories. As a result, a comprehensive disclosure is not the end result. Solution: assess the potential hazards disclosed under HPDs for actual risks.
Wednesday, April 30
2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Large Porcelain Panel Installations for Floors and Walls
Track(s): Builder/Remodeler, Installer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Tom Plaskota, TEC/H.B. Fuller Construction Products Inc.
Large porcelain panels provide an innovative option for finished surfaces. At thicknesses and sizes not normally found in traditional tile formats, they are a lightweight alternative to traditional ceramic and natural stone tile and offer many distinctive design opportunities. However, the same size and thickness characteristics that make them aesthetically pleasing also present unique installation challenges. Learn about these unique challenges, review proper installation methods (floor and wall installations) and help solve the mystery of these panels to ensure a successful and long-lasting installation.
Wednesday, April 30
2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
The Not So Secret Sauce: Nine Key Steps For Business Success
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Wally Adamchik, Firestarter Speaking and Consulting
Research and experience confirm that success in business is not the result of luck or a good market. Business success is based on nine clear and distinct principles. This dynamic session reveals the nine ingredients and gives you tools to analyze how you perform in those areas. Leave with a clear understanding of what it takes to succeed, and the tools to make it happen.
Wednesday, April 30
2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
What's Hot in Hospitality Design?
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Edie Cohen, Interior Design
Discover the next dimension in hospitality public and private spaces. A panel of experts will help you stay ahead of the game with information on what's new, what's hot and what will be the next big thing in hospitality.
Wednesday, April 30
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
State of the Design Industry
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Randy Fiser, American Society of Interior Designers
Where does the design industry stand today? Where is it headed? Let Randy Fiser, Executive Vice President and CEO of ASID, help put those pieces together to give you a comprehensive view of the state of the industry.
Wednesday, April 30
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sustainable Natural Stone — An Introduction to NSC 373
Track(s): Fabricator, Green
Experience Level: Mid-Level Leader
Speaker(s): Josh Levinson, Artistic Tile; Dan Rae, Coldspring
Gain general knowledge on the objectives and principles of the NSC 373 Standard for the Sustainable use of Natural Dimension Stone, which was finalized in 2013, and is in the process of being introduced to the marketplace.
Wednesday, April 30
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Understanding and Using the ISFA Quartz Surfacing Standards
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: Mid-Level Leader
Speaker(s): Chuck Sawyer, IFSA
Learn the details of the ISFA Quartz Surfacing Material and Fabrication Standards. Each section of the standards are described using practical examples. Test methods and values are discussed, along with their applicability to design solutions. Fabrication and installation standards are also discussed.
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Cash Flow Management: The Success Secret
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Tom Shay, Profits Plus
Lack of financial management is the major cause of failure for small businesses — 54% of the businesses that do fail have a financial statement that shows them as being profitable. And while many businesses receive financial information (profit and loss statements, balance sheets), this information is rarely used to make decisions for the business. Leave the presentation with the ability to create a cashflow chart, which will provide you with an accurate estimate of your checking account balance for each of the next 12 months.
Thursday, May 1
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Exotic Stones — Expectations, Issues and Resolution Tips for Fabricators?
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: Mid-Level Leader
Speaker(s): Filippo Emanuel, Tenax USA; Ron Hannah, Cadenza Corp.
Due to technology/process advances, the industry has seen an explosion of exotic stones, which has added to the appeal of natural stone among consumers. Sometimes the same technology that helped bring that stone to market is a struggle for the fabricator. Dealing with these often resined slabs requires additional knowledge about how to handle them, especially with color matching and edge polishing.
Thursday, May 1
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Fifty Shades of Green
Track(s): Green
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Patricia Gaylor, Eco Interiors by Patricia Gaylor
The building and remodeling industry is gearing up for what hopes to be increased sales ahead. Capturing the attention of buyers has become an increasingly complicated exercise, with the driving force focused on value. Savvy buyers and homeowners with access to unending amounts of information have changed the way “business as usual” is handled. Educated consumers are now making increased demands on the building and remodeling trade, including price haggling, time constraints and design preferences. How can you grab the attention of a prospective buyer and keep it? Offering healthy, sustainable design as a solution will put you ahead of the curve, but how informed are you? Do green products cost more money? Is granite, a “natural” product, “green”? If not, what’s a good alternative? What about ceramic tile, wood flooring and cabinetry? What’s out there in green products that compare in price to “regular” products?
Thursday, May 1
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Rules of the Game: How Contractors Can Use ANSI, TCNA Handbook and NTCA Reference Manual to Improve Their Business and Their Profit
Track(s): Builder/Remodeler, Installer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Chris Walker, David Allen Co.; James Woelfel, Artcraft Granite, Marble & Tile Co.; Nyle Wadford, Neuse Tile Service
Installation standards drive our trade. They can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Leaders of the NTCA who sit on the voting committees of these important standards discuss their relevance and importance, and how they use this knowledge to make them better contractors.
Thursday, May 1
8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Best Practices for a B2B Content Marketing Strategy
Track(s): Distributor
Experience Level: Mid-Level Leader
Speaker(s): Vincent Moiso, Quarry Collection
Learn best practices in tile and stone for businesses selling to other businesses and how they can incorporate a content marketing strategy into their current marketing plan. Discover what a content marketing strategy entails as well as how to maximize ROI from such a strategy. This presentation provides the path to a current and successful strategy using not only general business best practices, but best practices from within the tile and stone industry. Learn what other leading tile and stone industry professionals are using to promote their products and educate their customers.
Thursday, May 1
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Business Training Strategies on the Internet
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Wally Adamchik, Firestarter Speaking and Consulting
Many great business training programs are offered at national conferences and tradeshows. Often, the business owner or decision maker comes back energized from this program, but fails to implement these ideas into a real training mechanism for their employees. This program shows a new internet training module that can help bridge that gap.
Thursday, May 1
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Certifying a Tile and Stone Installation Product with the Green Squared® Program
Track(s): Green
Experience Level: Mid-Level Professionals
Speaker(s): Don Miller, Mapei; Dan Marvin, Mapei
What exactly goes into a green tile and stone installation systems product for TCNA’s Green Squared certification? Learn how the development of these types of certifications for installation products can benefit manufacturers, distributors, contractors, architects and end users moving forward.
Thursday, May 1
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Style, Substance and Color: Major Trends and Directions
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute
In this complex and information-laden world, there is a multiplicity of resources that inform color and design directions. More than ever before, it is urgent to be aware of future trends as consumers are seeking distinctive styling and considerable substance. Most importantly, colors and combinations must be appealing, evocative, transformative and “on target.” Join Leatrice Eiseman, author of eight books on color, leading color forecaster and Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, as she highlights the directional trends that will help you connect with your targeted customers/clients.
Thursday, May 1
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
The 15 Words & Phrases That Are Destroying Your Hard Surface Business
Track(s): Distributor
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Chris Ramey, The Home Trust/Affluent Insights
The words you use in marketing your business can destroy your credibility. During this session, they will review words such as “quality,” “service,” “luxury” and others that are grossly misused. Learn which words and phrases are harmful and how to properly communicate with clients.
Thursday, May 1
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
The New ACT Certification: Grouting Techniques — Cement, Epoxy and More
Track(s): Installer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): TBD
The Advanced Certifications for Tile (ACT) Installers Program is now in full swing. As the program continues to develop, more certifications will be offered. The new Grouting Techniques certification developed by the ACT Taskforce are unveiled at Coverings 2014.
Thursday, May 1
9:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
The Essentials of Stone Restoration
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Rawi Tabbah, International Stoneworks, Inc.
Join stone and tile restoration professionals as they discuss their views on restoration and answer your questions. Come prepared to share your ideas, challenges and solutions and listen to the experts share their own field experiences in stone and tile restoration.
Thursday, May 1
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Innovative Websites in the Stone Industry
Track(s): Fabricator
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Sarah Kelly, MKG Department
Websites have become a company’s number one resource for customer service, lead generation, branding and consumer education. Find out what tools cutting-edge stone fabricators are incorporating into their websites to help them produce results.
Thursday, May 1
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Social Media for Architects and Designers
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Moderator: Arpi Nalbandian, PRO Installer Magazine
Speaker(s): Kerrie Kelly, Kerrie Kelly Design Lab; Tabitha Sukhai, This Old House; TBD, Architizer
Social Media is arguably the greatest tool of this decade. But how can it work for you in both promotion and collaboration? Learn how to get the most out of your social media participation from this panel of diverse social media gurus.
Thursday, May 1
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Understanding the Affluent Consumer
Track(s): Distributor
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Chris Ramey, The Home Trust/Affluent Insights
The top 10% are responsible for 50% of the total spend in North America. This presentation will delve into the strategies that are successful and strategies that continuously fail.
Thursday, May 1
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Get Published
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Moderator: Paul Makovsky
Speaker(s): Sheila Kim, Architectural Record
How do you go about getting your projects published in our digital age? Our panel of influential editors and bloggers spell out what catches their eye and offer advice on how best to present your work to them. Along with social media pros, they'll discuss how sites such as Houzz and Pinterest are changing the way you showcase your work and how editors select projects.
Thursday, May 1
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Estimating For Advantage
Track(s): Builder/Remodeler, Installer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Mike Clancy, Fails Management Institute
After a multi-year trend toward negotiated, cooperative procurement of construction services, the pendulum has swung dramatically back to lump sum work. Has your company lost its edge? Best-in-class contracting companies are looking at estimating and work acquisition in a completely new way. Are you getting everything you should be from your estimating function?
Thursday, May 1
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Understanding Thin Tile Installations
Track(s): Builder/Remodeler, Installer
Experience Level: Leader
Speaker(s): Neil McMurdie, Mapei Corp.
Explore the special application challenges to producing sound, durable installations with tiles of reduced thickness and lighter weight. Learn the results of a two-year study to determine the best process and technology for installing large-format thin tile.
Thursday, May 1
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Universal Design
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Moderator: Richard Duncan, Mace Universal Design Institute
Speaker(s): Daniel Huard, USGBC Nevada; Jason McNeeley, Hansgrohe; Gary Jewell, G.W. Jewell Construction
When applied to housing, “Universal Design” is the practice of designing for both marketability and usability to the greatest extent possible for everyone, regardless of their age or status in life. A universal result has to look good and work well. This session will showcase products and designs that will appeal to households of all ages and add value when compared to otherwise equivalent approaches. The session will help you design, build and remodel homes that are more livable across a lifetime, meeting the needs of the lives, lifestyles and life stages of everyone in the home.
Thursday, May 1
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Visual Storytelling: The Tile Professional’s Personal Road Map to Success with Entertaining and Engaging Images and Videos
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Builder/Remodeler, Distributor, Fabricator, Installer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Juliet Sallette, Wolf TMC
Learn the best ways tile and stone professionals can use visual storytelling to increase user engagement and interest. Discover the best platforms to use for visual storytelling, best practices, time saving tools, and case studies of brands successfully implementing visual storytelling. Find out how to re-purpose events, photos, videos, infographics and newsworthy stories with visual imagery to create a media or social buzz, and how to share engaging content that builds interest and bolsters your company’s image and brand. Discover the best resources and content that will drive interest and translate into more buzz and revenue, what social platform is best to use based on a desired result and message, the best time of day to send messages based on desired results and metrics, how to form engaging and emotional connections with customers and how to capture attention and build loyalty.
Thursday, May 1
2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
How To Maximize the Manufacturer Relationship
Track(s): Builder/Remodeler, Installer
Experience Level: Mid-Level Professionals
Speaker(s): Elton Mayfield, ER Marketing
As a professional contractor, you are the final person who can decide, or strongly influence, what products a homeowner uses. Many times, the homeowner knows what they want done, but not how or with what product. This is a powerful position for the contractor and one that all manufacturers understand. Discover what several leading brands are doing to empower you “at the kitchen table” to recommend their products. But it isn’t simply a fancy new iPad app, there has to be other support that makes the difference.
Thursday, May 1
2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Maximizing Your Retail Space for Stronger Sales and Customer Engagement
Track(s): Distributor, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Nicole Reyhle, RetailMinded
Retailers are experts in what they sell, not in how customers react to their stores. This presentation looks at how consumers navigate through retail and studio spaces, providing a realistic understanding of how consumers engage in stores, with store associates, to products and more. Attendees can expect to stand in the shoes of their customers as they learn best practices in store layouts, displays and customer engagement, as well as how they collectively work together. They’ll look at the different types of customers that exist, including homeowners, designers and contractors, as well as provide attendees with to-do lists to help increase sales. In-store examples from floor and covering retailers are used, as well as hands on demonstrations, examples and attendee interaction. Finally, this session challenges retailers to think outside their comfort zone and become more retail-minded — always keeping customers in mind.
Thursday, May 1
2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m
Trends in Tile
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Chris Abbate, Novità; Ryan Fasan, Professional Attention to Tile Installations; Eric Astrachan, Tile Council of North America
Advancements in cutting-edge digital technology and the revival of artisanal processes have collided to transform both the look and application of tile, creating limitless opportunities for designers—and opening up new channels for customization. Superthin, superthick, supersmall, supersized—the very format that tile comes in has been pushed to extremes, expanding how and where tile can be installed. Join this panel of industry experts to find out how tile trends have changed and where they'll go next.
Thursday, May 1
2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m
Utilizing Technology in the Field to Improve Performance for Contractors
Track(s): Builder/Remodeler, Installer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Martin Howard
The tile trade continues to evolve and change, and technology is taking a bigger role in this development. Discover technology in other areas — such as smartphones, laptops, photography, tablets and more — that can help you in the field.
Thursday, May 1
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m
Designing for the Post-Carbon Economy: It's Zero or Nothing
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Green, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Eric Corey Freed, organicARCHITECT
Learn a better way to sell your clients on greening their buildings by examining the emotional, psychological and financial reasons why we design the way we do. Uncover specific, bold ideas for how to retrofit new and existing buildings. Eric Corey Freed, architect and author of Green Building for Dummies, uses rich graphics and video to expand your imagination and and provide you a list of actions to take into your own community.
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Restorative Cleaning and Maintenance of Natural Stone and Tile & Grout
Track(s): Builder/Remodeler, Installer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Bryan Thomson, Sapphire Scientific
Learn from an industry expert the “best practice” procedures to increase the longevity of natural stone and tile and grout flooring through proper restorative cleaning and facility maintenance programs. Gain a fuller understanding of “green cleaning” techniques and capabilities of a “self contained” cleaning system. Learn why certain types of natural stone are recommended for high-traffic areas and the cleaning challenges that arise from installing these specific material types. Learn why specific types of natural stone should, and shouldn’t be, used based upon the Mohs Hardness Scale and the “geological structure” of natural stone. Experience “hands-on” use of the latest innovative self contained equipment for restorative cleaning and maintenance of natural stone and tile and grout with a live cleaning demonstration.
Friday, May 2
9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Prospering in Turbulent Times: Strategies for Success!
Track(s): Distributor
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Georganne Bender, KIZER & BENDER Speaking!; Rich Kizer, KIZER & BENDER Speaking!
Today’s consumers have more choices than ever before. And where you once had competition, you now are faced with hyper-competition that comes at you from all sides. Customers can buy what you sell in any number of places, this means you must be better than ever, doing things that make your store different—special, memorable, cool things that make customers choose your store above all others. Join retail anthropologists Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender as they share what it takes to be successful in today’s competitive marketplace.
Friday, May 2
9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
How to Use In Store Events to Grow Your Business
Track(s): Distributor
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Lisbeth Calandrino, Fabulous Floors Magazine
All businesses are faced with retaining existing customers and obtaining new ones. One of the most powerful ways is to hold events that reward existing customers for bringing in their friends. This can be accomplished by connecting with other “aligned” businesses and holding a simple three-hour party or a week-long event engaging in daily fun. The focus of these events is to build relationships and not necessarily to sell a product. It is also a way to separate yourself from the competition. In order for these events to be successful, all employees must contribute and be held accountable for bringing in a quota of customers. They must also know how to engage customers and make them feel comfortable. The challenge is getting people to attend these events. This takes a concerted effort on all of the staff involved. Great businesses spend time marketing themselves as a “destination” for the customer.
Friday, May 2
10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
West Coast Tradition of Tile
Track(s): Architect/Designer, Retailer
Experience Level: All
Speaker(s): Joseph Taylor, Tile Heritage Foundation
Witness the development of decorative tile manufacturing in California from its inception in 1910 through its heyday in the 1920s to its culmination during the dark days of the Great Depression. At the turn of the last century California tile makers, an extraordinary mix of talent, ushered in two new and distinctly different aesthetics, each of which captured the imagination of architects and designers throughout the state and, eventually, the rest of the country. The handcrafted tiles with muted, matte finishes of the Arts & Crafts era with designs inspired from the Middle Ages in Europe presented a sharp contrast to the bright glazes and geometric designs derived primarily from Moorish, Spanish and Mexican sources. Both aesthetics had a profound and lasting effect, enhancing the popular architectural styles of the period, and continuing to be a major influence among ceramic tile makers today.
