Educating Design Community available to Five Star Contractors

The NTCA Five Star Contractor Program was developed to recognize companies in our Association who have a proven track record of success, and who can demonstrate this by meeting the criteria established by the Board of Directors. We are approaching twenty five companies in the Association who have submitted their applications and have been approved by the NTCA Board. Our goal is to continue to grow this program and to begin to recognize these companies in marketing efforts. In addition, the NTCA is now offering FREE to its Five Star Contractors several AIA Approved Seminars that will allow its members to educate architectural and design professionals in their community and provide them with important HSW Continuing Education Credits. The NTCA manages this process and trains you to offer these programs professionally. If you are interested in learning more about this exciting new program, or in becoming a Five Star Contractors, contact Jim Olson at jim@tile-assn.com.

New State Director Program can lead to increased membership

The NTCA, under the direction of our Assistant Executive Director Jim Olson, has developed a State Director Program to complement our Executive Officers and Board of Directors. The eventual goal is to have an active member of the Association represented in every state in the United States. We are already halfway to that goal. A press release on this important new initiative will be unveiled at Coverings, and we urge and challenge all of our members to join us. We realize that the answer to growing the NTCA is not just in growing our membership, which we have done every year for the past eight years despite the challenging economic conditions we face, but to grow and ever-increasing pool of active members. State Directors is a real answer to this challenge. We can have more than one State Director in a state as well, so if you see that there is someone in a different city in your home state, do not let that stop you. This is more about becoming involved in your Association. Contact Jim Olson at jim@tile-assn.com if you would like more information about this important program.

Educational Topics Desired

One of our most difficult challenges is to consistently offer refreshing and new educational programs in our Workshops, Seminars, Symposiums and Conference Programs. In 2011, we are conducting over 100 programs and seminars around the country, reaching thousands of industry professionals. We welcome ideas and topics that you think are important to offer. We are always developing new technical seminars, but recently people have asked us to begin to create business leadership programs for contractors. Another suggestion is to create seminars for architects and design professionals to walk them through the process of developing a quality tile and stone specification. We would truly appreciate your ideas on other programs that you feel this Association should develop.

Business Development a key strategy for NTCA

The NTCA is has appointed a Business Development SubCommittee to work together to create a new section to the Reference Manual focusing on business assistance. We need your help. What templates, forms, or business aids would be helpful to you or would have been helpful when you were first starting out in business? Your comments will be reviewed by the SubCommittee and will really make a difference.

Welcome to the New NTCA Website

Welcome and take a look around. We are currently building content and more ways to serve you, our members and the tile installation community. We would love suggestions, feedback, special features, and/or social media ideas. Please send an emial with your ideas to webmaster@tile-assn.com.

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