CHICAGO—Don Wohlfarth Sr. of Bayard Sales Corp.; Roger Hunt of Flex Credit; and L.A., Kenny and Jeff Train of Swiff-Train are the 2011 recipients of the North American Association of Floor Covering Distributors (NAFCD) Lifetime Achievement Award.
The honor cites exceptional leadership or contributions that have led to expanding the vision of the floor covering distribution industry.
This is the first time NAFCD has honored more than one individual in a single year. “Together, [these five men] have given more than 26 decades to the floor covering industry,” said NAFCD president Bob Wagner. “As we navigate through this tough economy, we will be turning to the wisdom of these pioneers to help us get back to the basics of what made us successful.”
With a career in flooring that started in 1952, Hunt has been a model of integrity and honesty, Wagner said. He got his start in wholesale flooring working at a customer service desk, and worked his way up to become the senior vice president/general manager of Carson Pirie Scott’s wholesale flooring division. He went on to become the executive director of Flex Credit, the Floor Covering Consumer Credit Association, working with manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. He now serves on the board of directors of the Floor Covering Industry Foundation (FCIF).
For the last 49 years L.A., Kenny and Jeff Train have grown Swiff-Train from a small family business in Texas to an inter- national wholesale flooring company with eight branch locations, as well as a strong import/export business with staff and inventory in Belgium, China and South Korea. “The brothers’ entrepreneurship and vision have made them a prominent supplier of flooring products to a wide range of customers that span the globe,” Wagner said.
Wohlfarth has devoted his entire professional life to the floor covering industry. “From humble beginnings in the warehouse of Bayard Sales Corp., Don rose through the ranks and purchased the com- pany in the early 1990s,” Wagner said. “With generosity, strength and leadership, he led his company through tumultuous years of challenge as well as growth. At 79, he is still working every day, supporting his company, his family and his church.”
Each recipient will receive his Life- time Achievement Award at the NAFCD Annual Business Meeting, scheduled for Nov. 9 at the NAFCD & NBMDA Distributor Marketplace in Nashville, Tenn.
For information, call 312.673.5469 or visit distributormarketplace.org.