The National Installer of the Year Installation Competition (The Nationals) returned LIVE on the floor at TISE 2020. A panel of judges reviewed project submissions from around the country and selected the top three finalists in the categories Carpet, Stone/Tile, and Resilient to compete.
Competitors took a written exam, then were given a work order that they had to execute live in two 8-hour working days on the floor. The judging panel bestowed the awards on the show's final day.
Carrying away the top prize in their categories were John Fowler for Stone/Tile; Mike Adkins for Carpet; and Daniel Gonzales for Resilient flooring.
On his Facebook page post-win, Fowler, owner of John Fowler Designs of Fleming Island, FI, called the event lots of fun, commenting, "It's one thing to be watched by your client, but we had a minimum of 1,500 people come by to watch us." A bit nerve-wracking, maybe, but the attention obviously didn't faze Fowler or his fellow competitors. Adkins, owner of Adkins Flooring in Cordova, MD, who like both of his fellow winners, has 20 years' experience in installation, called the competition tough, and in a Facebook posting congratulated his competitors, writing that they did a great job. "I'm happy to be part of this industry," he said. Resilient flooring category winner Gonzales, a partner at Preferred Flooring MI in Grand Rapids, MI, also gave a shout-out to his fellow competitors and judges: "As you all know, the competition would not exist if not for those willing to put it all on the line and be judged and do the judging.
"The live event attracted a lot attention from showgoers, who returned time and again to the competition site to watch competitors showcase their skills and put their talents to the test.
The National Installers of the Year received a prize package, and now own well-deserved bragging rights in the industry and with their customers.
