It has been an honor to serve as the President of the National Tile Contractors Association the last two years. Representing tile installers across the country has been a great experience. My focus as president was to put forward a path to personal growth and success for all members of the NTCA, business owners and employee installers. During this time there have been many parallels to my own company and the current state of the NTCA with a big focus on succession and positioning the association to continue to be a leader in the tile industry.
If you have read my president’s letters during this time, I always tried to write with the intention of reaching business owners and employee installers. As a business owner, it is your duty to strive for personal growth and success, since your employees rely on you to create opportunities for their own growth and success. If business owners are not doing this then they will lose good employees.
As an employee installer, personal growth will lead to a successful career. Employee installers need to decide: do they have a job or a career; are they construction workers or professionals? As an installer, you should seek learning opportunities to continue to make yourself better in the trade.
The relationship between business owners and employee installers is a partnership that works when it is not one sided and benefits both parties. Business owners, continue to create opportunities for your employee installers. Employees, keep growing in this career and become professionals in this trade. These measures will lead to a successful partnership.
The NTCA is known for its leadership in the tile industry and is positioning itself to continue to lead the tile industry for decades to come. Having the right people to make an impact and strengthen the association has been a big focus, and I believe we have the right people to carry on that tradition. I am thankful to the leadership that Bart Bettiga and Jim Olson have provided to the NTCA, taking it to new heights and leading us forward in a positive direction every year. The last two years my business has had to plan for similar succession, and it has reconfirmed that having the right people in the right positions is key for continued success and growth.
The NTCA’s Executive Committee is no different. It is with much excitement that I’d like to introduce our incoming NTCA President, Rod Owen of CC Owen Tile located in Jonesboro, Ga., outside of Atlanta. Rod is a third-generation family member and the owner of CC Owen Tile, a company that has been operating since 1956. He brings a unique wealth of knowledge and insights that distinguish him from other members of the Executive Committee. He is a man of integrity, humility, and also brings a thick southern accent that is hard not to love. His service to the NTCA has been selfless and his term as the President of the NTCA will be an asset to everyone. The Executive Committee is strong as ever, and continues to give its time and resources to lead the NTCA with one thing in mind: the welfare of its membership.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me during this time and believed in me to fulfill this position. As I transition forward to NTCA Chairman, I will continue to do my part in leading the NTCA in a positive direction and continuing to always have the interest of NTCA’s membership first.
Best to your success,