The National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) held its annual Total Solutions conference recently in San Antonio, TX, with more than 300 professionals participating in various meetings and seminars that covered pertinent technical and business topics.

Business presentations focused on “How to get your price and maintain profits in a tight and challenging market.” Also explored was the important aspect of “Marketing your company/generating business in these challenging times.”

Several NTCA workshop seminars/hands-on demonstrations were also offered, including:

• Proper installation of glass tile and large format tile
• Proper mortar selection and performance
• Correct expansion joint placement and location.

At the annual awards banquet, NTCA executive director Bart Bettiga presented the “Tile Person of the Year” award to contractor John Cox of Cox Tile & Marble in San Antonio, TX. This year’s “Ring of Honor” winner was Don Scott, president of the David Allen Company. A videotaped acceptance presentation from Don’s office in Raleigh, NC, was shown, as Don was unable to attend in person.  

Bettiga also gave several Best Practice Awards to those “who are making a difference and representing the NTCA as a strong Voice of the Tile Contractor… with an incredible volume of work in their respective communities.”

• Best Practice Award, Commitment to Education: Michael Whistler, Whistler Tile & Stone, Bigfork, MT
• Best Practice Award, Community Support: Ed Strickland, Tile Crafters, Apax, NC
• Best Practice Award, Promoting the tile trades as a Career, Rod Owen of CC Owen Tile, Jonesboro, GA
• Best Practice Award, Safety Management, Jeff McCammack, McCammack Tile, Indianapolis, IN
• Best Practice Award, Dedication: James Woelfel, Artcraft Granite & Marble, Mesa, AZ
• Best Practice Award, Certification Effort for the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation, Jan Hohn, Hohn & Hohn Tile, St. Paul, MN

Jim Olson, NTCA’s assistant director, recognized three manufacturers for their support of NTCA Workshops, Advertising and Membership Campaigns.

• Special Recognition for Support to NTCA Training Efforts: Dal-Tile
• Special Recognition for Support to NTCA Membership: LATICRETE International
• Special Recognition for support to NTCA Marketing: MAPEI Corp.

“The NTCA Board of Directors has worked tirelessly for several years to create an energetic and highly successful conference called ‘Total Solutions,’” stated Bettiga. “Now, with support from the Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA), Tile Council of North America (TCNA) and Tile Contractors Association of America (TCAA), we hope to further benefit the entire tile industry with a jointly held association conference called “Total Solutions Plus.” The first conference will take place Nov. 4-7, 2010, in Naples, FL. We look forward to sharing great details on this exciting partnership very soon.”