Matthew Spieler

The National Floorcovering Alliance (NFA) features some of the industry’s largest and most successful operations, and it has always been a pleasure attending its meetings. These are not just great individuals; they are some of the brightest minds the industry has when it comes to dealing with end users—whether they be consumers, designers or builders.

Beyond the wealth of knowledge one picks up about the industry and business in general, one of the things that makes an NFA meeting so interesting is the interaction of the membership.

Normally, when a group like this gets together, there is a butting of heads. Not so with the NFA. Egos are checked at the door and a collective consciousness is put it motion. Sure there have been disagreements and heated discussions over the years, but in the end the good of the group is put before individual gains.

While this all-for-one concept is something the members believe in, its roots can be traced back to NFA’s leadership. As Bill Cogdall of Contract Funishings Mart in Oregon called NFA “the group to emulate. Like any well-run business NFA has been making huge improvements. Gary Cissell, with the help of the officers at the time, built the foundation. Then Sam [Roberts] hit the ball out of the park. With passion and commitment he spearheaded the group to a new level. I commend the rest of the membership for making things move forward, but you have to give Sam and his board their just dues. I expect our momentum to continue with Jeff [Macco] at the helm, another classy guy.”

Roberts also praised the previous administration for laying the foundation to making NFA a formidable group. “Gary and his board gave me a tremendous platform from which to work. He developed many things that we continue to incorporate in our meetings and activities.”

This was officially the last meeting over which Roberts presided NFA as president. Macco, of Macco’s Floor Covering Center, was unanimously elected to succeed Roberts starting Jan. 1. Jim Mudd, president of Sam Kinnaird’s Flooring, remains vice president of the group.

Thomas Hadinger of Hadinger Flooring was elected to replace Macco as treasurer. He had been the group’s secretary. Replacing him in that position is Roger Voge, senior vice president of Star Flooring & Decorating. The rest of NFA’s board includes Jon Pierce, general manager of Pierce Flooring; Jay McDonnell, president of Custom Carpet Cleaners, and Jim Jensen, vice president of Carpet Mill Outlet Stores.

Roberts was confident the new board “will continue to function at a very high level.” But it was not just the board itself, he concluded. “Everyone here has done something to exhibit a level of quality and accomplishment, and they all can contribute.”