Experience the NWFA Leadership Development Summit at the exceptional Live! by Loews – Ballpark Village, a premier venue located in the heart of St. Louis.

This state-of-the-art location offers a vibrant and dynamic setting, perfect for networking, learning, and connecting with industry peers. With its modern amenities, convenient access to local attractions, and stunning views of the city, Live! by Loews ensures an unforgettable experience for all attendees. Join us at this fantastic venue to enhance your professional journey in an inspiring and lively atmosphere.

Event Information

October 10-12, 2024
Live! by Loews – Ballpark Village
799 Clark Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63102

Leadership Development Summit

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Event Lineup

Opening Reception

Thursday, October 10, 2024

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Join us for an exclusive Joint Hospitality Reception on Thursday evening, bringing together the NWFA Board of Directors, the NWFA Certified Professionals Board of Directors, the NWFA Education & Research Foundation Board of Directors, the Emerging Leaders Council, and attendees of the Manufacturer’s Assembly and Real Answers Small Business Workshop. This event is a prime opportunity to connect with industry decision-makers, share insights, and build lasting professional relationships.

Wood Flooring Manufacturers Assembly

Friday, October 11, 2024 | 7:30 am – 1:30 pm

This industry forum, geared towards NWFA solid and engineered wood flooring manufacturer members, will feature timely presentations and a panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities in the wood flooring industry. Key speakers include the nation’s leading analyst of the residential construction industry, Robert Dietz, Chief Economist for the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB). Flooring market analytics specialist, Santo Torcivia, publisher of the coveted annual US & Canadian FLOOReport. And the hardwood industries voice on Capital Hill, Dana Lee Cole, Executive Director of the Hardwood Federation.

More information on the assembly coming soon.

Real Answers Small Business Workshop

Friday, October 11, 2024 | 7:30 am – 4:30 pm

Designed for NWFA contractors and retailers, this workshop will feature networking opportunities with industry leaders and training sessions developed by NWFA and the Small Business Administration (SBA). The workshop will be emceed by Chris Zizza, owner of C&R Flooring, and will include four business sessions on finance, marketing, operations, and social media. Chris will also lead a panel of successful contractors, including Steve Brattin of SVB Floors, Kevin Mullany of Benchmark Wood Floors, and Sprigg Lynn of Universal Floors, sharing best practices to help shape the future of your company and the industry.

Learn more about the workshop here.

Open House

Friday, October 11, 2024 | 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

The week will culminate with an Open House for all NWFA members, providing an exclusive opportunity to tour our brand-new headquarters. This event is designed to offer an in-depth look at our state-of-the-art facilities, which will serve as the central hub for NWFA’s technical training, industry events, and member activities.

Golf Tournament

Saturday, October 12, 2024 | 8:00 am – 2:00 pm

Join us for the first annual NWFA Education & Research Foundation Golf Tournament, right next to our new headquarters. Registration for a foursome is $600, and sponsorship opportunities are available. This tournament kicks off the first-ever NERF campaign to raise funds for student attendance at our quarterly Introduction to Wood Flooring event.

Learn more and register here.

Don’t miss this chance to engage more deeply with the NWFA community, build lasting relationships, and advance your career.

We look forward to welcoming you to our new headquarters and seeing you at NWFA Leadership Development Summit!

Real Answers Small Business Workshop

Join us at the upcoming NWFA Leadership Development Summit to engage with top industry leaders and gain invaluable small business education. This is your chance to network with professionals, attend impactful education sessions, and connect with solution providers who can elevate your business.

Whether you’re looking to refine your estimating accuracy, improve your margins, ensure adequate insurance, optimize scheduling, or make informed equipment investments, this event has it all. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn the business fundamentals essential for your company’s growth. Take a significant step toward advancing your career and thriving in the industry you love.

Thursday, October 10, 2024

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm: Joint Hospitality Reception with NWFA Board of Directors, Emerging Leaders Council, and Manufacturer’s Assembly attendees

Friday, October 11, 2024

7:30 am – 8:30 am: Breakfast

8:30 am – 12:30 pm: Small Business Administration Presentations

Small Business Administration Overview

Thomas Yochim
Deputy District Director, Small Business Administration, St. Louis, MO

St. Louis District Office staff will present an overview of SBA and share how SBA programs can help your business grow. Find out about:

SBA’s resource partner network for counseling and technical assistance
SBA loan programs
Government contracting programs
Export assistance
SBA disaster programs
Other SBA programs available to your small business

Business Planning Overview

Tom Meyer
Volunteer, SCORE, Washington, D.C.

A good business plan guides you through each stage of starting and managing your business. It should serve as a roadmap for how to structure, run, and grow your new business. It also can help you get funding or bring on new business partners. Investors want to feel confident they’ll see a return on their investment. Your business plan is the tool you’ll use to convince people that working with you — or investing in your company — is a smart choice.

Decoding the Numbers: A Financial Statements Workshop for Small Business Owners

Lynette Watson
Regional Director, America’s SBDC, St. Louis, MO

Learn how to understand and utilize financial statements (Profit and Loss and Balance Sheets) to manage your small business according to current market conditions, ratio analysis, and industry benchmarks. By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

Create and explain fundamental financial statements, forecasts, and crucial financial ratios.
Perform and employ financial analysis and forecasts to assess a company’s financial robustness and capability.

How to Build a Simplified, Sensible Marketing Plan

Chris Ruzika
Director of Business Development, Carmody MacDonald Law Firm, St. Louis, MO

Learn how to create your own, short marketing plan. This seminar will provide step-by-step guidance for building an effective, concise, and actionable marketing plan.

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Lunch

1:30 pm – 4:00 pm: Real Answers Panel Discussion

The NWFA Real Answers Podcast addresses best practices for small businesses specifically engaged in the wood flooring industry. Now, for the first time, you can get real answers, in real time, live. Join a panel of successful contractors including podcast host Chris Zizza, C&R Flooring, and his regular podcast guests, Steve Brattin, SVB Flooring, John Lessick, Apex Wood Floors, and Kevin Mullany, Benchmark Wood Floors. The panel will be moderated by Doug Howard with Growth Team Strategies. This unique opportunity to get answers to the industry-specific and small business questions that are keeping you up at night will help you lean into growth and plan for 2025 and beyond.

Chris Zizza

President, C&R Flooring Inc., Westwood, MA and NWFA Real Answers Podcast Host

Kevin Mullany

President, Benchmark Wood Floors Inc., Albuquerque, NM

John Lessick

President, Apex Wood Floors, Chicago, IL

Steve Brattin

President, SVB Wood Floors, Kansas City, MO

Doug Howard

President, Growth Team Strategies, Sykesville, MD

4:00 pm: Closing

5:30 pm: Bus to NWFA Headquarters

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Open House at new NWFA Headquarters

Real Answers Speaker Line-Up

Chris Zizza

President, C&R Flooring Inc., Westwood, MA and NWFA Real Answers Podcast Host

Chris Zizza is the President of C&R Flooring. He currently is a member of the NWFACP Board of Directors and is a former Chairman of the NWFA Board of Directors. Chris has served on numerous NWFACP and NWFA committees, and is an NWFACP Certified Inspector. He also is the host of the NWFA Real Answers Podcast.

Kevin Mullany

President, Benchmark Wood Floors Inc., Albuquerque, NM

Kevin Mullany is the President of Benchmark Wood Floors. He is a member of the NWFA Education & Research Foundation Board of Directors, currently serving as its Vice Chairman. Kevin has served on the NWFA and NWFACP Boards, numerous NWFA and NWFA Certified Professionals committees, and is an NWFACP Certified Installer, Sand & Finisher, and Inspector.

Sprigg Lynn

President, Universal Floors Inc., Washington, D.C.

Sprigg Lynn is the President of Universal Floors, where he specializes in historic restorations on high-profile projects like the U.S. State Department, the Supreme Court, and the White House. He has served on numerous NWFA Committees, the NWFA Board of Directors, is NWFACP certified in Installation and Sand & Finish, and has won multiple NWFA Wood Floor of the Year awards.

Steve Brattin

President, SVB Wood Floors, Kansas City, MO

Steve Brattin is the President of SVB Wood Floor Service. He is a member of the NWFA Board of Directors, currently serving as its Chairman. Steve has served on numerous NWFA and NWFA Certified Professionals committees, and is an NWFACP Certified Installer, Sand & Finisher, and Sales Advisor. He has won multiple NWFA Wood Floor of the Year awards.

Michael Martin

President & CEO, NWFA, St. Louis, MO

Michael Martin is the President & CEO of the National Wood Flooring Association. Since joining the NWFA in 2011, he orchestrated rebuilding the association’s annual Wood Flooring Expo, recognized as one of the 50 Fastest-Growing Shows by Trade Show Executive magazine four times. Michael was named a Top Association CEO by CEO Update and serves on several not-for-profit Boards.

Doug Howard

President, Growth Team Strategies, Sykesville, MD

Doug Howard is the President of Growth Team Strategies, a consulting company specializing in growth planning, succession planning, and business improvement. He has worked with owners of growing businesses for more than 30 years to help them overcome challenges and develop strategies for successfully navigating growth.

Tom Meyer

Volunteer, SCORE, Washington, D.C.

Tom Meyer is a Volunteer with SCORE, a free resource that brings together experts in a variety of professions to mentor small business owners, 11 million and counting. Tom has 35 years of experience in business development, marketing, sales and product management, and client development. He also has worked as a liaison with the St. Louis Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Lynette Watson

Regional Director, America’s SBDC, St. Louis, MO

Lynette Watson is the Regional Director for the University of Missouri Extension-Small Business Development Center where she leads a team providing business coaching, training, counseling, and resources to small business owners. She has a background in economic development and connects mentors with small business owners, emphasizing cultural connections.

Chris Ruzika

Director of Business Development, Carmody MacDonald Law Firm, St. Louis, MO

Chris Ruzicka is the Director of Business Development with Carmody MacDonald law firm. He has extensive business development and marketing experience, ranging from start-ups to large organizations, focusing on ideas and resources to improve the sales and marketing efforts.

Thomas Yochim

Deputy District Director, Small Business Administration, St. Louis, MO

Tom Yochim is the Deputy District Director for the Small Business Administration, St. Louis District Office. Tom worked for the General Services Administration prior to coming to SBA in 2018. He hired small businesses through Government contracting and now is excited to help businesses start and grow through SBA’s programs of Mentoring, Lending, Government Contracting and Disaster Assistance.

Event Information

Experience the NWFA Leadership Development Summit at Live! by Loews – Ballpark Village, a premier venue in the heart of St. Louis. With modern amenities, convenient access to local attractions, and stunning city views, this dynamic setting is perfect for networking, learning, and connecting with industry peers.

October 10-12, 2024
Live! by Loews – Ballpark Village
799 Clark Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63102