By Matthew Spieler
KANSAS CITY, MO.—Fifteen years and more than 31,000 certifications later, the International Certified Floorcovering Installers Association (CFI) seems to be getting the respect and recognition it has been striving for since a group of 11 concerned mechanics founded the organization.

A trio of milestone announcements added to what was already a joyous occasion as CFI members old and new celebrated the organization’s 15 years of accomplishments in helping to raise the craft’s and industry’s professionalism in making sure consumers and other end users are satisfied with their flooring purchase.

With announcements by Mohawk Industries, the National Wood Flooring Association ( NWFA) and the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) that each has formed a training and/or certification partnership with CFI, as well as other major programs not yet finalized, the group is being looked at as the industry’s “training and certification body,” said Jon Namba, executive director.

“For them to trust us with their programs is a wonderful opportunity and something we’ve been striving for these past 15 years,” he added. “This is a monumental moment in the industry and will put CFI on the map. But this doesn’t mean our job is accomplished. Rather, we’ve just begun a new chapter, and we promise to work hard and make you proud.”

While all were announced at the convention, with the same end purpose in mind—to make the industry better service the end user—each is a separate agreement unto itself.

Doyle Slaughter, Mohawk’s senior technical specialist, told the membership, “For the past five years we’ve been working with CFI chapters to do training, but we want the relationship between Mohawk and CFI to not just continue but grow.”

CFI in Mohawk U

To that end, the company will start using CFI training and certification as part of its Mohawk University program. What this means is, in addition to the mill’s own training, classes will include CFI certification. “So, when a mechanic comes through our school he will leave with a Mohawk factory trained certification as well as CFI.”

Because of the nature of Mohawk’s classes, which are already recognized among the nation’s top training programs, students will be able to obtain the first level of CFI certification in residential or commercial, better known as R1/C1.

An added benefit and purpose of the program, Slaughter added, is this gets the installers into CFI, “so they will have immediate access to greater education and training as well as all the resources the association provides.”

He said the reason Mohawk is expanding its partnership with CFI beyond being a major sponsor of its programs (Editor’s note: For many years Mohawk has donated materials and shipping for CFI’s certifications around the country), has to do with the confidence the company has in the organization’s members.

“CFI is the cream of the crop,” Slaughter told the membership, “and we truly appreciate the assistance the group gives us. Whenever we have a problem in the field we know we can count on our CFI friends, and that’s why we will continue to support you with materials, product and training.”

Namba said the commitment Mohawk is making to CFI is “a great opportunity” and something the association has been working on—“to get mills to jump on board with our certification program.”

Jim Walker, CFI’s CEO, called Mohawk “a tremendous supporter,” adding, “this partnership, strengthened with the addition of the residential CFI Mohawk Certification and training will have a positive impact on the installation and retail community.”

Expanding to hard surface

At the beginning, CFI’s concentration was on training and certifying carpet installers, but it never forgot the fact that many of its members also worked with other types of flooring. To that end, the group has always maintained a positive relationship with hard surfaces suppliers, even hosting mill certification programs during its conferences.

Recognizing that installers are continuing to diversify to make themselves more valuable to retailers and contractors, CFI is taking its training and certification to this side of the industry thanks, in part, to the partnership announced with CTEF.

Scott Carothers, CTEF’s executive director, told the group his organization has been around almost as long as CFI and similarly has charted a course of education. “But now it is time to chart a new direction. We want to eliminate the terms ceramic installer, carpet installer and such and be just a flooring installer because we are all together in this.”

With that, he explained, CFI is bringing its team of installers who are already certified in other aspects of the industry to be further qualified by including ceramic tile certification. “Adding the CFI team to the certification process will augment our existing program by certifying more people who possess the validated ability to install ceramic tile correctly.”

CTEF has already produced the Certified Ceramic Tile Installer program specifically geared to the experienced installer. This along with the Tile Council of America Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation and the American National Standard Specification for the Installation of Ceramic Tile comprises the basis for the course knowledge review. “I would like to say,” Carothers said, “that our new program is like building the Model T from the ground up, and we are adding parts daily.”

Now, he explained, with CFI as a partner, “we are working together in this program of sharing curriculum, sites and qualified installers to provide the consumer with an experienced tile installer who has demonstrated he has the necessary knowledge, skills and talent to provide a beautiful and long lasting installation. Whether it is a small residential or large commercial installer, the consumer is demanding, and rightfully so, a job that is done correctly.”

To get as many installers trained as possible, Carothers continued, they will be adding more regional locations from which the installer may choose. “This will allow the installer to take the test closer to home, thus eliminating as much travel cost as possible and less time away from the jobsite.”

Both CFI and CTEF said the ultimate goal of the partnership is to provide the general public with a sufficient quantity of certified ceramic tile installers to meet the needs of the consumer.

Selling wood properly

In addition to training installers to be more professional, CFI recently launched a program to train salespeople to better understand what is required to achieve a professional installation and, thus, a happy customer. “The idea is to put everyone on the same page,” Namba explained.

At the same time, the NWFA has created a similar program to train salespeople on properly selling wood. “For years,” said Don Conner, director of NWFA certified professionals, “organizations like CFI have been teaching and trying to help installers raise their professional level and profitability. Now CFI has something for salespeople. So does NWFA—and we’ve been running parallel. So why not combine them and really ensure salespeople are selling it right?”

He told FCNews that CFI will run the training classes, which feature a curriculum culled from what both organizations were doing, and NWFA will handle the certification part. If successfully completed, the student will be acknowledged as a CFI/NWFA Certified Sales Counselor.

The concept is to eliminate finger pointing and problems when the installer gets to the jobsite. By making salespeople understand the situation in the consumer’s home, from the subfloor to the moisture conditions to the types of wood and construction, they can properly sell the total job.

“In short,” Conner explained, “the goal is for salespeople to sell better so the installer can correctly install and the consumer is happy. The idea is to sell the right floor for the right job to the right person.”

While the two organizations have just kicked off the program, Conner feels “it is just the tip of the iceberg. We’ve just begun and there are a lot of places we can go with this.”

Trusting CFI

Walker commended each organization for placing their trust in CFI. “I guarantee they will not be disappointed. They have worked years developing these programs just as we have, and CFI will make certain installers have the opportunity to add to their skills. Jon [Namba] can be credited with achieving the partnerships of NWFA and the CTEF.”

Not one to take credit, Namba said, “The hard work the association has been doing these past 15 years is starting to pay off. We’re finally making headway. I believe we’ve made it over the hump but it doesn’t mean we are stopping—we always strive to move forward.”

In moving forward, he added, “Our sails are full and we have a huge opportunity in front of us. So we need to make sure we steer the course and continue to do the right thing—be responsible to ourselves and the industry.”

Walker added, “I honestly believe we are on the threshold of something great. We are now being looked upon as the training arm of the industry. But we need to look at the big picture. And that is, no one can do it alone. We need everybody to cooperate because we are all part of the same thing—to get the consumer to spend her expendable dollars on flooring. And the only way to get that is to produce a better product from start to finish.”

In the end, he concluded, it’s to ensure “end users receive what they anticipate at the time of the sale—a flooring installation experience without hassles.”

(Editor’s note: In addition to these major announcements, much more happened at CFI’s 15th convention. Look for more coverage in future issues).