Washington, D.C. (March 2021) – On Tuesday, March 16, INSTALL Contractor Smith Flooring Inc. was honored to host the new administration’s “Help is Here” Tour, designed to showcase how the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package will work to positively impact small and minority-owned businesses. The speaking event at INSTALL Contractor Smith Flooring Inc., located in Chester, PA, marks the beginning of a new era of hope for small businesses and contractors across the nation who are struggling to stay afloat amid the ripple effects of the pandemic.

President Biden met with Kristin Smith, co-owner and president of Smith Flooring and James Smith, co-owner and vice president of Smith Flooring to discuss how the relief package—including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)—helps millions of Americans and family-owned commercial flooring contractors maintain operations. Like many other flooring contractor businesses, Smith Flooring saw revenue decrease by 20% at the height of the pandemic. Once they applied for the PPP loan, they were able to retain their journeymen and upgrade technology to increase business efficiency.

“We were honored to host this special event with President Biden. It signifies the promise the new administration made to small and family-owned businesses, like ours, guaranteeing that help is on the way,” said Kristin Smith. “The PPP loan allowed us to not only sustain our operations, but it will also enable us to continue to grow our business,” James Smith stated. “Being selected as the first stop is a testament to our craftsmanship, the quality of service we provide, and demonstrates the strength the union provides to family-owned shops,” he added.

As a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and an INSTALL contractor, Smith Flooring launched its business in 2006, co-founded by James Smith and his wife Kristin Smith. Serving the greater Philadelphia area, a historically underserved population, the company installs flooring in commercial environments such as healthcare, education, retail, and government facilities.

“INSTALL provides value to union contractors big and small, providing an invaluable resource to help them win business and deliver reliable and professional flooring installations,” said John T. McGrath Jr., INSTALL executive director. “On behalf of INSTALL and the union we congratulate Smith Flooring on receiving the high honor of hosting the President.”

About INSTALL
INSTALL, the International Standards and Training Alliance, is an association of professionals representing the entire flooring industry: installers, contractors, manufacturers, associations and consultants. By bringing together stakeholders at every level of floor covering installation, INSTALL has the resources, capability and commitment to deliver work we can all take pride in. Rigorous standards, comprehensive training using manufacturer-directed curriculum, and the industries only free, extended and non-proprietary third-party warranty on labor demonstrate our commitment to long-term value. For more on INSTALL, visit www.installfloors.org.

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