The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), the world's largest tile contractor association announced recipients of its first-ever NTCA “Tom Ade” Ceramic Tile Scholarship Award at Coverings 2016 in Chicago, Illinois, April 18-21, 2016. The scholarships were presented during the Association’s Awards Night, April 20, 2016 to two students who were selected out of 16 nominees.

The Scholarship was established by the NTCA to provide educational opportunities in college or trade for children or grandchildren of NTCA contractor members. It was respectfully named after Tom Ade, a former NTCA regional director and a previous recipient of NTCA’s Ring Of Honor and Tile Person of the Year Awards. Through his generosity and support of training and education, funds were earmarked to launch this scholarship. The association hopes to raise additional funds to offer multiple scholarships to deserving applicants in the future.

Jan Hohn, NTCA state director from St. Paul, Minnesota, and last year’s Tile Person of the Year recipient, presented the first award. Receiving the Grand Prize and a $5,000 scholarship to be given to the college of his selection was Connor Meehan of Harwich, Massachusetts. Connor is the son of Tom and Lane Meehan of Cape Cod Tileworks. His father, who accepted the award on his behalf, is a state director in Massachusetts. Connor comes highly recommended as a young man of integrity, high moral standards, and character. He intends to focus on business and marketing, with a desire to help small businesses like his parents tile store and installation company.

Jim Olson, Assistant Executive Director of the NTCA presented its $2,500 Scholarship award to Brianne Martinho, daughter of Robert and Melanie Martinho of NTCA Five Star Contractor Visalia Ceramic Tile in California. Brianne is a student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and has chosen Mathematics as her major with a goal to be a calculus teacher. Brianne hopes to study abroad in Europe while at Cal Poly, and will use these funds to help pay for this unique cultural experience.

NTCA is a non-profit trade association serving every segment of the industry, spearheading education for the professional installation of ceramic tile, natural stone and allied products. For more information, please contact NTCA executive director Bart Bettiga at bart@tile-assn.com, via telephone at (601) 939-2071, or visit
www.tile-assn.com. Or, contact Terri Sparks: 708-921-3517; tas@communicatorsintl.com