As senior vice president of sales, North America, Mohawk, what excites Jamie Kim the most is the opportunity to lead the sales organization at a moment in time where “execution and alignment” truly matter.
“We have an unmatched portfolio and tremendous talent, and my focus is on translating that scale into consistent, profitable growth for our customers,” Kim told FCNews. “I’m especially energized by developing strong sales leaders, simplifying priorities and strengthening partnerships across channels.”
Kim is well suited for his new role. He has spent almost his entire career at Mohawk operating in the sales organization leading across brands, categories and channels while staying close to customers and the field.
“From territory manager to my current operating capacity, I understand how to translate strategy into execution, especially around price, mix and growth from many of the touchpoints our people have in the field having had almost every sales role at Mohawk,” Kim said. “I’ve also built and developed strong sales leadership teams, which is critical in a role of this scope. That combination of enterprise perspective, operational awareness and people leadership gives me a strong foundation to pull from.”
On the product side, Mohawk has had a string of hits in recent years. Kim said the launches gaining the most traction share several key themes. “Platform-based innovation continues to lead the way across Mohawk, Karastan and Pergo, with extensions of trusted products like SolidTech, LuxeCraft and Pergo Extreme consistently outperforming net-new products by building on familiar brand experiences customers already trust,” he explained. “At the same time, simplified selling stories are proving effective across both soft and hard surfaces. Offering a single look across multiple formats or tiers makes it easier for retailers to upsell while reducing customer objections.”
In soft surface, two products have stood out in particular. SmartStrand featuring Pure-Ease Technology and the updated PETPremier collection—with more current visuals and on-trend color variations.
In hard surface, success has been driven “by delivering on-trend design at the right value,” Kim said. “Larger planks, EIR texture and more authentic visuals are resonating with consumers, especially when offered at price points that minimize friction.”
Retailers react
Products that are easy for retailers to sell and easy for consumers to understand is what Mohawk’s 2026 lineup is all about, according to dealers. “Mohawk and Karastan were the first to have their new introductions sampled in our 34 locations across the country,” said Justin Linington, vice president, national sales director, Brewer Carpet One Floor & Home, Edmond, Okla. “Our salespeople present Mohawk/ Karastan with confidence, knowing we have top-down support from Mohawk. In addition to this support, Mohawk/Karastan is always striving to innovate. This year’s introductions exemplify their commitment to creating quality flooring while offering style, color and innovation.”
Specifically, Linington cited Mohawk’s SmartStrand carpet products with Pur-Ease technology, which recently earned the Asthma & Allergy Friendly Certification. “This achievement is significant for Mohawk and flooring retailers,” he said. “Many homeowners visiting our retail locations mention asthma or allergies during the buying process, and being able to present Pur-Ease as an asthma- and allergy-friendly option will be a game changer.”
Beyond soft surface, Linington said Mohawk’s PureTech has been gaining market share in his locations over the past 18 months. “Our team enjoys selling PureTech, and customers appreciate the style, price point and planet-friendly, PVC-free flooring,” he said. “RevWood laminate has been our fastest-growing category since 2022, has our lowest claims rate company-wide and looks great on the floor; 2026 has started off well for Mohawk/Karastan in our locations, and we are excited to see what the rest of the year brings.”
The year has already started with a bang for Johnson & Sons Flooring in Knoxville, Tenn. “From our perspective Q1 has been great with Mohawk products,” said Aaron Johnson, president. “We’ve seen excellent traction with SmartStrand, and we’re especially excited about the growth around Pur-Ease as allergy concerns continue to be a big factor for homeowners here. Overall, products that are easy to sell and easy for customers to understand are clearly driving results at the local level.”
As a full-service floor covering manufacturer, Mohawk not only has products to cover the entire home, but it also has the coordination accessories to complete the installation.
“As someone who describes Mohawk Performance Accessories to customers, works with the installation teams, and then sees the finished product, I am loving the direction Performance Accessories is going,” said Typhannie Harker, owner of Carpeting by Mike, Somerset, Wis. “They really are capturing nearly every situation in our unique customer’s homes. I value the finish and quality of the products myself. When a customer comes in and invests a large amount of money on their new floors the finishing touch is what turns an ‘OK’ floor experience into a ‘wow’ experience. I just worked with the Performance Accessories team recently on a home near me and never realized how many options they have for subfloor prep.”
Rick Murray, an owner of Rumsur Floors Carpet One in Pittsburgh, said that while overall business has been flat to start the year, Karastan has been a bright spot. “We’ve had some good success with Karastan’s LCL carpets,” he said. “We’re starting to see more people get interested in multicolor and are having success with that, which is wonderful.”
