People making a difference in the flooring industry come from all walks of life and experiences. There are top-level business executives as well as flooring installers and even a well-known politician (but perhaps not the one you’re thinking of).
What binds tie these people together? They improved a situation, solved a major challenge or dramatically raised the performance bar. They may have taken different routes to get there, but in the end their efforts benefited the flooring industry.
FCNews’ annual “People Making a Difference” special section is a tribute to those who go about their daily business lives striving to make a positive impact.
Amie Gilmore: Leading the charge at TISE
By Dana Hicks
Amie Gilmore has been the driving force behind The International Surface Event (TISE) for an impressive 25 years.Professionally, Amie’s impact on TISE has been nothing short of extraordinary. She masterfully orchestrates an annual trade show that draws more than 20,000 attendees, managing everything from venue contracts and floor planning to marketing strategies and sales management. Her comprehensive understanding of the flooring, stone and tile industries, combined with her natural ability to build lasting relationships with exhibitors, partners and media has been instrumental in TISE’s continued success.
What truly sets Amie apart is her ability to balance multiple responsibilities while maintaining exceptional attention to detail. Whether she’s developing sponsorship programs, overseeing registration systems or conference programming, she approaches each task with enthusiasm and precision. Her love for spreadsheets and technology projects reflects her commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.
Amie’s unwavering dedication and expertise continue to drive the event’s growth and success, ensuring its position as the leading platform for the flooring, stone and tile industries.
Beyond the boardroom, Amie brings her authentic self to everything she does. Her easy-going, Texas-style approach to life perfectly complements her professional rigor. As a proud Texas mother, she cherishes every moment with her children, whether it’s cheering at lacrosse games, giving driving lessons or exploring college campuses together.
P.S. If you ever need to find Amie outside of work hours, check the nearest live music festival—that’s where her heart finds its rhythm.
—Dana Hicks is group director, Informa Markets
Benjamin Liebert: Customer-focused leadership
By Tim Baucom
It is a privilege to recognize Benjamin Liebert as a person making a difference in the flooring industry. Since joining Shaw’s residential business in early 2024, Benjamin has demonstrated purposeful leadership, a results-driven mindset and a steadfast commitment to helping customers succeed in an increasingly dynamic market. His approach has focused on building a team that fosters deep customer partnerships, promotes collaboration and enhances the value we deliver to our customers.
Under Benjamin’s leadership, Shaw’s residential business has aligned around a shared vision that prioritizes trust, clarity and effective execution. He is committed to fostering deep and meaningful relationships with customers, ensuring that every decision reflects the core belief that success is built through partnership. Internally, Benjamin has inspired a culture of accountability and performance, ensuring teams are empowered to act quickly and with confidence to meet the evolving needs of the market.
At the heart of his leadership is a focus on strengthening our brands and ensuring they resonate with the customers and consumers we serve. By balancing national strategy with local insights, Shaw is able to maintain agility while delivering excellence in local markets. Through thoughtful collaboration across teams, Benjamin is also driving growth within our core businesses while identifying opportunities for innovation and expansion.
Most importantly, Benjamin is creating a culture that values agility and empowerment. By introducing new ways of thinking and working, he is helping Shaw’s residential business move faster, make strong business decisions and lead the industry.
Benjamin Liebert is not only leading with vision—he is inspiring a team that brings that vision to life. We are proud to recognize him as someone who is truly creating a better future—for our business, for our people, customers, communities and company.
—Tim Baucom is president and CEO, Shaw Industries
Reid Waxman: Building a community of customers
By Brandon Shidlowski
Reid Waxman comes from the school of “get it done—whatever it takes.” She joined Roomvo four years ago and quickly flourished into the natural leader for our dealer operations, which today supports 7,000-plus independent flooring retailers.
Reid’s greatest strength lies at the intersection of her passion and determination to help everyone around her. She has never lost sight of the fact that our customers are typically less familiar with technology. Where others may see that as an opportunity to charge more while offering less, Reid relentlessly guides her team to go above and beyond the call, ensuring customers are getting the most out of what they pay for.
Her hard work has paid off in spades. She frequently speaks on the main stage at countless industry events, sits on the board of the NAFCD and has built a community of customers who are undoubtedly raving fans. One must look no further than FCNews’ Award of Excellence to see Reid’s impact, where flooring dealers have voted Roomvo as their preferred technology vendor two years in a row.
When I think of people making a difference—both at Roomvo and in the industry—I struggle to think of anyone more deserving than Reid Waxman.
And guess what? She’s just getting started.
—Brandon Shidlowski is vice president of sales for Roomvo
Michel Vermette: A steady hand in the storm
By Jason Goldberg
Michel Vermette is the perfect CEO and just what America’s Floor Source needs for our future plans. He is smart, hardworking, thoughtful, driven and strategic. His demeanor is unshakeable, and he has a true passion for this business. I’ve worked with a lot of people over the years but never with someone who bears the overall skillset Michel has. At the high level where we operate, decision making is critical, and Michel is not afraid to make decisions. The amount of thought and feedback he puts into every decision puts those decisions in the best place to be successful. If you looked up CEO in the dictionary there should be a picture of Michel Vermette.
—Jason Golberg is founder, chairman and COO of America’s Floor Source
Connor Lokar & Lauren Saidel-Baker: Voices of reason in uncertain times
By Michael Wilbur
NAFCD prides itself on providing our members across the distribution channel with the market insights they need to make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of their competition. The most effective way we’ve found to provide this competitive advantage is through our partnership with ITR Economics and their world-class economists such as Connor Lokar and Lauren Saidel-Baker.
Connor and Lauren have each earned the highest ratings among speakers at the NAFCD annual convention in 2023 and 2024, respectively, and for good reason. They consistently showcase their firm’s renowned analytical mindset while presenting their forecasts in a way that is engaging, digestible and applicable. Their passion for interpreting complex market trends, policy impacts and behavioral patterns to inform decision-making is unrivaled, and our members rely on them for strategic business planning.
It’s hard to make economic forecasting fun, but Connor and Lauren infuse their insights with humor in a way that connects with our members and keeps them asking for more.
—Michael Wilbur is executive vice president of NAFCD
John Steier: Heart for service, passion for flooring
By Kaye Whitener
John Steier has been a guiding light in the world of floor covering installation. Our paths first crossed when I saw him volunteering his time to introduce local high school students to the flooring industry—not for recognition, but simply from a servant’s heart.
One of my earliest conversations revealed that John once thought he’d serve as a police officer. But after a short time on the force, he realized his heart was elsewhere. “As a police officer, I met people on their worst day,” he said. “As a flooring installer, I get to help create one of their best.” That perspective captures the spirit John brings to this industry.
John now teaches at Hawkeye Community College, where his investment in students extends well beyond the classroom. He stays connected, mentors them after graduation and celebrates their victories as if they were his own—which they are. His steady encouragement and leadership are felt throughout our weekly conversations, and by countless students whose lives he has impacted.
John is more than an installer and instructor—he’s an ambassador for the future of our trade.
—Kaye Whitener is the executive director of the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF).
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp: Champion of region’s flooring industry
By Scott Humphrey
In north Georgia, flooring is more than just a business—it’s a way of life. Few leaders have recognized and supported this reality more effectively than Governor Brian Kemp. From his earliest days in office, Governor Kemp has consistently championed the industries that fuel Georgia’s economy, and the flooring sector has been a clear priority in his vision for a prosperous state.
As Governor Kemp so aptly put it: “There are some industries that are simply synonymous with certain parts of our state, and flooring is one such industry for north Georgia. The jobs it provides are the backbone of many economies in this region of our state, and the goods they produce are used worldwide, supporting various other industries such as construction and logistics. By supporting over $3 billion of Georgia’s economy, the flooring industry plays a pivotal role in ensuring hardworking Georgians can succeed, no matter their zip code.”
Under his leadership, Georgia has remained a national hub for flooring innovation and manufacturing. His commitment to infrastructure development, workforce training and pro-business policy has allowed our industry to grow and remain globally competitive, even during challenging economic and supply chain cycles.
Governor Kemp understands that when flooring succeeds, Georgia succeeds. His steadfast support has helped ensure that our industry continues to provide thousands of quality jobs and world-class products. We are grateful for his leadership and proud to partner with him in securing the future of flooring in Georgia.
—Scott Humphrey is CEO of the World Floor Covering Association
Raj Shah: A brilliant businessman with heart
By Emily Holle
When asked to describe Raj Shah, the words that immediately come to mind are admirable, brilliant and hardworking. Raj is not only an icon in the building products industry but also a leader whose impact reaches far beyond business metrics. His sharp business acumen— coupled with an innate curiosity and creativity—has positioned him as a visionary in his field. Always looking ahead, Raj consistently identifies opportunities where others see obstacles, driving innovation and setting trends that shape the future of the industry.
But what truly sets Raj apart is the way he balances his professional success with his deep commitment to people. A devoted family man, he brings that same sense of care and responsibility to his role as a leader. He genuinely invests in the well-being of his employees, understanding that their livelihood and success are integral to the company’s growth. His approachable nature and thoughtful leadership have earned him the respect and loyalty of colleagues at every level.
Perhaps one of Raj’s most remarkable traits is his steady composure. Whether navigating complex business challenges or dealing with the pressures of a tight schedule, Raj remains cool, calm and collected. In every sense, Raj Shah exemplifies leadership, innovation and humanity. His contributions to the business world and his dedication to his team continue to leave a lasting mark.
—Emily Holle is the director of trend and design at MSI
Jamann Stepp: Leadership, knowledge and vision rolled into one
By Christine Zampaglione
The addition of Jamann Stepp to Stanton Carpet Corp., has proven to be a strategic and impactful move in the company’s expansion into the hard surface category. With decades of industry experience and a reputation for building successful product portfolios, Jamann brought a fresh, focused vision to Stanton’s evolving hard surface strategy.
Since joining the team in November of 2023, he has played a critical role in redefining the brand’s position in this segment, aligning product development with customer demand and market trends.
Jamann’s leadership has been instrumental in enhancing both the quality and breadth of Stanton’s hard surface offerings, introducing new hard surface categories including laminate, WPC and engineered hardwood that reflect the same level of design, sophistication and craftsmanship that define Stanton’s legacy in soft flooring. Under his guidance, the company has expanded into every hard surface category with a clear design-forward point of view.
He has streamlined the go-to-market process, ensuring Stanton’s hard surface lines are presented with compelling, easy-to-shop displays that resonate with designers and retailers alike. Additionally, his keen eye for trends and dedication to collaboration across departments have led to increased speed-to-market and elevated customer engagement.
Jamann is committed to strengthening the foundation of Stanton’s hard surface business, cultivating growth opportunities and helping to position Stanton Design as a comprehensive source for luxury flooring across both soft and hard surfaces.
—Christine Zampaglione is VP of marketing at Stanton Design
Dan Koh: A man of so many talents
By Sajal Patel
I believe the key ingredients to a company’s success are a leader who is both a subject matter expert in their industry and someone who intentionally takes the time to get to know people. That’s what makes Dan Koh an incredible CEO.
First impressions are everything, and when I first met Dan, I immediately saw these qualities in him. He spoke about creating products that make a positive impact and emphasized the importance of cultivating strong relationships to enhance communication. His deep knowledge of every facet of the industry—from innovation to marketing to supply chain—was remarkable. I was inspired by his relentless drive for excellence. Here was someone who knows his company like the back of his hand and wasn’t afraid to chase greatness.
After getting to know Dan these past few years, what continues to impress me most (aside from his golf game) is his ability to truly connect with people. Beyond his expertise, he understands that success comes from listening and learning. He takes genuine pride in making that a priority—not just with customers, but with NOX employees as well. That level of authenticity fosters trust. And, ultimately, isn’t that what you’re looking for in a difference maker? I believe it is.
How he finds the time to do it all is a mystery. Maybe he doesn’t sleep? Or maybe his family roots shaped him into an exemplary multi-tasker. Either way, I feel fortunate to work with, learn from and grow alongside Dan Koh.
—Sajal Patel is chief marketing officer of Nox Corp.
Kelli Widdifield: Fierce leadership and compassion in equal doses
By Laura Bartley
It’s no secret that Mohawk has set the standard for empowering women in leadership. From HR to legal and sustainability to marketing, the company is a beacon of progressive thinking, fostering a culture where intelligent and passionate thought leaders thrive. However, it’s also no secret that the flooring industry is traditionally a male-dominated space and has few, if any, leaders quite like Kelli Widdifield.
Her two sons, family and friends know Kelli by a nickname that speaks volumes about her competitive spirit and, though it remains a closely guarded secret, it goes to show how she embodies this rare blend of strong leadership and gentle grace that her marketing team appreciates so much. Her presence at Mohawk is a testament to feminine strength in a field where it is often underrepresented. Kelli’s leadership style is a perfect mix of command and compassion.
She brings a fresh, outside-the-industry perspective and a deep understanding of the market and consumer behavior, which has not only elevated the role of marketing within the organization but has also set new benchmarks for the industry as a whole. Leading by example, Kelli sets a high standard for herself and expects the same from her team. She is a mentor and a coach, always ready to roll up her sleeves and dive into the details, and she instills this same drive in everyone around her.
But what truly sets Kelli apart is her empathy and genuine care for her team. She is a leader who exceeds the expectations of her role, all while uplifting those around her. She understands that leadership is not just about achieving results; it’s about nurturing talent and creating a supportive environment where everyone can grow and succeed. Kelli’s approach is holistic, recognizing that a well-rounded team is a strong team.
Among a world-class leadership team at Mohawk, Kelli’s presence is and has been a welcome addition. She challenges the status quo and paves the way for more women to rise to leadership positions. Her success is a testament to the fact that leadership is not defined by gender but by the qualities one brings to the table.
—Laura Bartley is VP of marketing, communications and events at Mohawk
Lauren Delee: An indispensable resource
By Floris Koopmans
With a dynamic blend of technical expertise, market insight and personal dedication, Lauren Delee is making a strong impact in the U.S. flooring industry. As a key figure at Unilin Technologies, she plays a vital role in educating the market about Unilin’s innovative locking systems and ensuring these technologies are fully understood and effectively applied.
Lauren focuses on building close, collaborative relationships with importers, distributors, retailers, big box stores and installers—providing each stakeholder with the tools, knowledge and support they need. With five years of industry experience, she pairs hands-on expertise with a true passion for innovation. Her deep understanding of Unilin’s locking technologies allows her to assist everyone from installers and brands—by ensuring access to the latest installation guidelines and videos—to retailers, distributors and importers looking to streamline their offerings through a guided locking system standardization.
For U.S. buyers seeking to connect with the right Unilin licensees, Lauren is the go-to resource. Her ability to combine deep knowledge of cutting-edge innovations with up-to-date insights into flooring manufacturers worldwide makes her an invaluable partner for sourcing teams across the country.
—Floris Koopmans is sales director of intellectual property at Unilin Technologies
Joe Young: A rising star burning bright
By Eric Ruppert
Having been with Engineered Floors from its inception, Joe Young’s ascent through the company is a testament to his diverse skill set and impactful leadership. His early involvement provided a foundational understanding of the business, which he further cultivated through roles spanning sales, manufacturing, account management, brand management, marketing and product development. This comprehensive experience across various facets of the organization has equipped him with a unique and holistic perspective.
Described by his colleagues as sincere, enthusiastic and intelligent, qualities that likely fostered collaboration and success across the different teams he’s been a part of. He offers valuable industry ideas and has high standards and lots of energy, suggesting he’s a leader who values new ideas and quality work. Young actively contributes to shaping the company’s offerings and future direction, which can be seen by his involvement in showcasing the new 2025 introductions. While the specifics of his overarching vision for Engineered Floors’ growth aren’t detailed here, his journey and multifaceted experience strongly indicate a leader deeply invested in the company’s continued success and expansion within the competitive flooring market.
—Eric Ruppert is senior director of product marketing and category management at Engineered Floors
Mark Farnsworth: Epitome of purpose
By Lisbeth Calandrino
Three years ago, I received a call from Mark Farnsworth with a bold vision: to transform the flooring industry by making professional training accessible and state supported. Drawing from his roots in a family flooring business and years in distribution, Mark recognized the growing need for skilled labor and decided to act.
He secured state funding for training programs in Ohio, then took that success to the federal level. Thanks to his efforts, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding can now be used nationwide to support flooring education and training.
What sets Mark apart is how he achieved this. Despite limited industry backing and repeated setbacks, he pressed on—investing his own time, resources and energy. “No” was never an option. Over the past year alone, his company has trained more than 100 individuals—including high school students, veterans and incarcerated adults.
Mark also works tirelessly to raise awareness, attend events and partner with colleges—five of which are preparing to launch his curriculum. He has invited retailers and workrooms to observe and engage, helping bridge the gap between training and employment. His perseverance has turned a dream into a national opportunity. Mark has built a model where anyone, regardless of background, can access free training and enter a sustainable, skilled trade. His journey is a testament to the power of purpose.
For his vision, determination and impact, I proudly congratulate Mark Farnsworth as a person making a difference in the flooring industry.
—Lisbeth Calandrino is a retail consultant and FCNews columnist
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