Manchester, N.H.—Flooring America recently appointed two new members to its advisory council. Chris Green of Great Southeast Flooring America in Melbourne, Fla., and Bill Huss, of D & M Interiors in Appleton, Wis., were selected to join the group, which represents the perspective of Flooring America’s retail members to the leadership team.
Advisory council members are chosen for their dedication to the cooperative and history of business success. They meet throughout the year to provide feedback and council to senior management that helps the flooring retailer cooperative develop programs and initiatives.
“The role of our advisory council has never been more critical than it is at this point in our co-op’s growth,” said said Keith Spano, president of Flooring America, Flooring Canada, International Design Guild and NISI. “The feedback and input we receive from the Advisory Council helps to shape decisions and directives as we tackle the challenges that face our members and the industry. Chris and Bill bring so much knowledge, experience and unique expertise to the Advisory Council, and we are grateful for their time and dedication to helping all members succeed.”
Green and Huss fill the advisory council spots vacated by outgoing members Gary Titiner of Family Flooring America in St. Charles, Ill., and Joey Zengel of Top Notch Flooring America in Bel Air, Md. “Gary and Joey provided valuable guidance during their tenure on the Advisory Council. We are very thankful to them for their service,” Spano noted.
Green has 32 years of experience in the flooring industry and, like many of his fellow members, he joined his family’s business. Passionate about marketing and branding, Green said he wants to help support future Flooring America programs and initiatives to ensure they work for all members. “Being part of the council allows me to impact the decisions that affect every member directly,” he said. “It also gives me the opportunity to connect with other members and Flooring America staff.”
A pickup basketball game with his now business partner Craig Verkuilen 27 years ago led to Huss starting his flooring career with D & M Interiors. He started in sales, then worked up the ladder to management and eventually, ownership. In his new role on the advisory council, he said he wants to help members understand all programs in detail to ensure every initiative is taken advantage of to help other dealers.
“My sole goal is to make sure all things put in place are relevant and financially rewarding for every member of the group by being a voice and advocate for all the Flooring America members,” Huss said. “I’m in the trenches like every dealer. Things like quality control, claims, margins, and merchandising are my daily concerns. I also think helping to create the next generation of well-trained installers is something we strive to do daily.”