REUNITED: I have it from an authoritative source that the balloting is over, the votes are counted and one of the three new members elected to the World Floor Covering Association ( WFCA) Industry Hall of Fame is Alan Lorberbaum. Perhaps because I was the nominator my informant made it easy for me to extract the information. Nonetheless, it’s Alan Lorberbaum, founder of Aladdin Mills, which he built into one of the industry’s most formidable carpet mills. He passed away last September, so a family member will accept the posthumous award. Alan joins his wife, Shirley, who was inducted in 2003, in the pantheon of legends. Shirley and Alan is the first and only married couple in the Hall of Fame.

DEAL?: Armstrong World Industries is negotiating with NPM Capital N.V. to sell its European carpet and sports flooring business, Tapijtfabriek H. Desseaux N.V. and its subsidiaries. The companies manufacture and market carpet tiles and broadloom for commercial and residential use in Europe, and artificial turf for sports applications in Europe and the United States. Desseaux had sales of approximately $262 million in 2005. The company has two plants in Belgium and one in the Netherlands, where it maintains its headquarters. Meetings between the companies have been so productive that they expect to enter into an agreement soon. Michael Lockhart, Armstrong’s chairman and CEO, commented: “The sale of the majority of Armstrong’s textile and sports flooring business in Europe would allow us to focus on our core European resilient flooring business.”

MILESTONE: The Floor Covering Installion Contractors Association (FCICA) will celebrate its 25th anniversary at its annual convention in San Francisco, March 14 to 17. To be held at the Argonaut Hotel on Fisherman’s Wharf, the event will include three days of educational sessions and will feature guest speaker Ron VanGelderen, the first president of FCICA and its incorporator in 1982 and longtime president of the Carpet & Rug Institute, at a gala dinner on March 25. Christopher Capobianco, FCICA chairman, noted there will be a tour of a winery and dinner in Napa valley one night. He invites all segments of the industry to attend the convention and share in this momentous occasion.

STEPPING DOWN: After 33 years with Adleta Corp., a major distributor headquartered in Carrollton, Tex., John Snyder is stepping down as president—not retiring, he says. On Jan. 1, John Sher assumed responsibility for all sales and operational functions of the company and on March 1, Snyder will turn over the reins to him. Until then, Sher will organize the team that will develop and implement Adleta’s plan for continued growth. Snyder joined the company in December of 1973 when it entered the floor covering business as a distributor of Armstrong resilient products and carpet. He says he’s “had a lot of fun, made a lot of friends and enjoyed a wonderful career experience.” After March 1, he “will continue to assist our CEO, Jack Adleta, serve as a resource when requested by the management team, and fulfill my duties as a board member.” Like he said, not retiring.

GET ABOARD: In case you missed it or were just too busy to read your mail, here’s another shot at a great deal: The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) has expanded the range of its Property & Liability Insurance Program for its members and made it available nationwide, with very few minor exceptions. This is a vastly improved program and was tailored specifically to the floor covering retailer and WFCA members. It is being offered through Travelers Indemnity Co. and top-rated—A+ by A. M. Best. This program could result in considerable savings for your company, so act now—call Stacy Eickhoff at 800.477.7401.