First, let me thank the editors for naming me to the Top 20 Women as part of the Floor Covering News 20th Anniversary Edition. It was quite an honor to be among so many prominent women, including Rose Blumkin, founder of Nebraska Furniture Mart, who I have followed my whole career.

Second, my personal congratulations to Al Wahnon and his team for not only enduring the past 20 years in an industry undergoing tremendous change but also for becoming an institution—both Al and Floor Covering News. Al was very instrumental in launching my “second” career in floor covering as I transitioned from being a retailer to a consultant. Thank you Al for seeing all of that!

Third, as important as it is to support the publication, I want to take this opportunity to talk about Al’s efforts as a longtime supporter and director of the Floor Covering Industry Foundation (FCIF), whose mission it is to help colleagues at any level when they’ve fallen on hard times. I should know; when I was in the retail flooring business, the Foundation aided one of my employees plagued by life-threatening health problems.

So, my way of honoring Al Wahnon and his contributions to our industry is to make a contribution in his name to the FCIF to which he has contributed so much. And I would suggest that readers, advertisers and industry partners of this publication might investigate the activities of the Foundation and consider what they might do as well.

Best wishes and happy anniversary, Al.

Sonna Calandrino,
Peachtree Communications,
Ghent, N.Y.