Charles, Mo.—The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) announced that John Forbes, director of manufacturer services, has retired from the organization as of December 31, 2025.
Forbes joined NWFA in 2014 to oversee the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers’ Association (NOFMA) certification program, ultimately growing it to include 30 manufacturer participants. He also served as a voice for the wood flooring industry in sustainability conversations, including the Flooring Sustainability Summit.
“As a member of the NWFA team, John’s passion for showing that wood flooring is a superior product was evident in his work,” said Stephanie Owen, president and CEO of NWFA. “He led our manufacturer services portfolio into a nationally and internationally respected platform for quality, performance and sustainability. We thank John for his contributions to the NWFA and wish him the best in this new season of life.”
During his time with NWFA, Forbes deepened manufacturer engagement through inspections, grading schools, technical guidance and hosting the Wood Flooring Manufacturers Assembly. He launched the NWFA Engineered Refinishable Program, establishing credible performance expectations and expanding market clarity around engineered wood flooring. Additionally, he led the development of industry averaged Life Cycle Assessments and Environmental Product Declarations, as well as NWFA’s collaboration with the Tile Council of North America on life-cycle cost research.
“It’s been a privilege to help grow NWFA’s manufacturer services and develop tools that support quality, credibility and long-term value for the industry,” Forbes said. “I’m proud of the foundation we’ve built and confident this work will continue to serve manufacturers, specifiers, and the broader wood flooring community well into the future.”
Throughout 2026, Forbes will continue in a part-time role with NWFA, providing continuity and transition support while conducting a select number of mill inspections. Companies with questions regarding NOFMA, the Refinishable Program, the Responsible Procurement Program or other NWFA manufacturing initiatives may contact Terry Patton, technical service manager for NWFA, at 636.736.5231 or terry.patton@nwfa.org.