Ambassador Mid-West Floor appoints new talent

Chesterfield, Mo.—Ambassador Mid-West Floor recently made strategic additions to its executive team, appointing flooring professionals Reist Mummau and RJ Petersen to its staff.

Ambassador Mid-West Floor’s vice president of sales and business development, Reist Mummau.

As the newest vice president of sales and business development, Reist Mummau is said to bring a wealth of knowledge to the company, most recently serving as executive vice president at Happy Floors Distribution. In his previous role, he led national sales strategy, built high-performing teams and helped position the company for sustained growth. At Ambassador Mid-West, he is set to oversee all sales efforts across the retail, builder and pro pro-business divisions. Mummau also will work closely with estimating and customer service teams in an effort to refine strategy and strengthen customer relationships.

RJ Petersen is also set to join the company as the vice president of operations and technology, bringing more than two decades of experience streamlining processes, leading teams and implementing strategic technology solutions in efforts to increase efficiencies.

Ambassador Mid-West Floor’s vice president of operations and technology, RJ Petersen.

Prior to joining Ambassador Mid-West, Petersen served as director of professional services at RFMS for 19 years, where he is said to have led major implementations, help clients maximize technology effectiveness and build high-performing teams that consistently exceeded expectations. When he is not tackling operational challenges, Petersen said he enjoys spending time with his family and exploring new places.

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Carpet One Canada support Homes for Heroes Foundation

Halifax, NS—On June 5, Carpet One Canada, a division of CCA Global Partners Retail Group, hosted a community walk around the iconic Citadel downtown, raising funds for the Homes for Heroes Foundation—a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting unhoused Canadian Veterans on their path to stable housing.

Since 2019, Carpet One Canada has supported Homes for Heroes by providing all flooring, tile and installation supplies for the charity’s innovative village projects. These villages offer unhoused veterans a safe community environment with personalized services tailored to each resident’s unique needs and goals.

Carpet One Canada’s involvement began with the second Homes for Heroes village in Edmonton, Alberta, and continued contributions to subsequent villages. Most recently, Carpet One Canada supported the Kingston, Ontario, village, which opened its doors in June 2024. The cooperative actively supports the upcoming Winnipeg and London villages, both scheduled to open in the summer of 2026.

“It was a pleasure spending time walking around the Citadel in Halifax,” said Brad Field, CEO of Homes for Heroes Foundation and recent walk participant. “Having community partners like Carpet One support Homes for Heroes has a profound impact on our Veteran community.”

Carpet One Canada’s dedication extends beyond financial support. Members regularly host grassroots fundraising events, including the Walk for H4HF, Remnants for Remembrance and Carpet One Coffee for H4HF, rallying local communities to support veterans in need.

“We’re proud to see our Canadian Carpet One members continue to support the Homes for Heroes Foundation,” said Cynthia Arsenault, director of retail brands (Canada). “From our walk in Halifax to their ongoing commitment to the upcoming veterans’ villages in Winnipeg and London, their dedication truly makes a difference.”

For more information about the Homes for Heroes Foundation and their impactful work, please visit here.

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Southwind launches digital hub

Dalton—Southwind Flooring launched The Southwind Exchange, its new digital hub. The hub is intended to enhance communication and engagement with both its dealer network and customers online. The centralized hub, now live on the company’s website, offers one-click access to a range of Southwind updates, tools and insights.

“The Southwind Exchange provides single-click access to everything related to Southwind,” said Drew Hash, president and CEO. “Today, strong brands thrive on close, consistent customer relationships. We believe The Southwind Exchange—alongside our exceptional sales force—will strengthen those connections.”

The Southwind Exchange digital hub includes:

• The Southwind Social: A monthly newsletter featuring product spotlights, dealer tips, company updates and employee highlights. Past issues are archived for easy reference.
• Press releases: Official announcements and news shared with the media
• Media coverage: Published articles, video features and podcast appearances involving Southwind.
• LinkedIn insights: Thought leadership and topical posts from the company’s team.
• Archived advertisements: A gallery of recent ad creatives used in various campaigns.

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Murran Billi conceives new artwork for Antolini

Milan, Italy—Antolini and Florence-based Murran Billi have launched their partnership, which culminated in the unveiling of four unique projects during Milan Design Week 2025. Antolini’s Stoneroom, located in the heart of the city, served as the stage for the artworks—each designed to represent a journey from the Renaissance to the present, through four iconic figures of the era, all linked to the de’Medici family.

At the heart of the project is visionary artist Murran Billi, whose work is centered on the human figure, intending to blend the essence of classical Italian tradition with contemporary sensibility.

Through his collaboration with Antolini, Billi explored the dialogue between antiquity and the future, where he chose natural stone as a medium to implement aesthetics into his creations. Additionally, his works incorporate layers of paint, a technique applied to reinterpret classical marble craftsmanship and infuse it with new meaning.

Billi chose four women from the de’ Medici lineage as the symbolic core of his artworks—meant to represent emblems of Renaissance ideals, intellectual strength and political influence. These female figures are not only considered the core of the cultural legacy of their time but also represent an expression of power, resilience and vision.

“The de’Medici, through their intelligence, were able not only to preserve power, but to elevate it, making the family a cornerstone in the history of art and politics,” Billi said.

The women portrayed—Clarice de’ Medici, Clarice Orsini, Lucrezia de’ Medici and Lucrezia Tornabuoni—each inspired a dedicated artwork. Their portraits are rendered in intentionally selected natural stones, chosen for their expressive qualities and symbolic resonance. Cristallo Rosa “Wow” natural quartz, from Antolini’s Exclusive Collection, along with Onice Bianco “Extra” onyx and Onice Verde Persiano “Light” onyx from the Natural Stone Collection, give form to this design in an effort to merge historical depth with contemporary vision.

Through this project, Antolini says it intends to underscore the idea that natural stone is far more than just a material or structural element—it aims to be a living symbol of history, art and nature itself.

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Shaw unveils product innovations for NeoCon 2025

Chicago—At NeoCon 2025, Shaw Contract is set to debut its entry into a new product category, porcelain and ceramic, intending to mark a bold expansion of its holistic flooring portfolio. Alongside this launch, the brand will showcase a range of new innovations across soft and hard surfaces, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable design, material performance and spaces that support well-being. Taking place June 9 – 11 at theMART here, visitors are invited to experience Shaw Contract’s latest offerings in showroom #1014.

“At Shaw Contract, we’re constantly evolving to meet the diverse needs of our clients, and—NeoCon 2025 is a powerful expression of that vision,” said Carrie Edwards Isaac, vice president of marketing. “From groundbreaking introductions in porcelain and ceramic to forward-thinking solutions from multiple flooring categories, this year’s product highlights strengthen Shaw Contract’s place in the market as a design leader with an unwavering commitment to staying ahead of the curve in terms of on-trend visuals and sustainability goals. We’re excited to offer our clients more ways to create beautiful, high-performing spaces that check all their boxes.”

Porcelain, ceramic

Shaw Contract’s entry into the porcelain category was designed to push the boundaries of surface design through cultural storytelling, material innovation and emotional resonance. Tempo + Pulse are meant to translate rhythm into form, blending vibrant energy with geometric flow, while Bask + Dusk yearn to explore the emotional spectrum of light by exhibiting both warmth and depth. Aria reinvents its Carrara marble with veining and texture. The Coexist collection draws from Japanese raku pottery, intended to be celebratory of imperfection, balance and cultural heritage. Together, these collections are intended to offer a multi-sensory experience that unite innovation, craft and connection.

Coexist

Coexist is meant to be more than a series of carpet tiles—it’s also intended as a catalyst for social impact. Designed to adapt to various spaces, from intimate corners to expansive areas, these tiles are designed to mold environments into a community thread. The collection’s tactile surfaces and abstract, organic textures are designed to create a welcoming ambiance that encourages conversation, creativity and meaningful connection.

ColorLink LVT

With a vast palette that is meant to harmonize beautifully with the rest of Shaw Contract’s portfolio, ColorLink LVT can be used to foster collaboration, evoke nostalgia and even link people to their environments. Featuring abstract and linear design, the collection is available in 8-inch x 48-inch plank format.

Grounded Spaces

Grounded Spaces is a new carpet tile collection that was designed to bring balance, connection and well-being into modern environments. Featuring 90 SKUs across nine styles in 10 colorways, Grounded Spaces aims to deliver affordable yet high-performance flooring solutions, tailored for commercial spaces such as workplaces, healthcare, medical office buildings and education environments.

Midnight

Designed for hospitality, Midnight works to transform areas into tranquil retreats for guests to feel both grounded and relaxed. The collection is customizable in hopes of allowing users to tailor the mood and aesthetic of their designated space. Soft blends of color merge with hues of navy and green in an effort to create a gradient that can be found in nature.

Texture Study

Texture Study is a broadloom collection that is designed to illustrate how spaces blend community, hospitality and well-being to serve a broad spectrum of needs. The collection was inspired by traditional textiles—including tweeds, bouclé, and chunky knits—to be featured in its Homespun Thread and Cozy Layer styles.

Digital Tools

Two new digital tools are now available to A+D professionals from Shaw Contract—Inspiration Curator and View In My Space. Inspiration Curator allows users to upload a photo that serves as the motivational catalyst for their space by analyzing the image before presenting a curated selection of Shaw Commercial flooring products that match.

View In My Space technology aims to help specifiers visualize Shaw Contract flooring in their projects. This tool allows users to view single flooring, multi-flooring surfaces, rugs and tiles within their own spaces or pre-selected rooms with different segment applications. This innovation is designed to enhance decision-making and ensure that the chosen products match the intended design of the space.

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Contract: Hardwood shines bright in commercial

It’s common knowledge that hardwood flooring is arguably the most aspirational product for homeowners, but it also happens to be a favorite among architects and designers who specify the product for marquee commercial installations. Despite the many options available to commercial clients today, hardwood continues to be utilized in a variety of end-use applications, including restaurants, boutiques, retail spaces, libraries and law offices, among others.

So, what unique attributes make hardwood flooring desirable and/or suitable for commercial applications?

Proponents agree there are many. “One of the most appealing attributes that wood offers is its natural characteristics, which brings a sense of warmth and comfort to visitors of the space,” said Brett Miller, vice president of technical standards, training and certification for the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA). “Other attributes include the durability of wood, and its ease of maintenance and ability to be refinished—all of which brings longevity to the flooring selection option.”

There’s also a larger, more overarching trend that bodes well for hardwood in the commercial arena: the trend towards designing spaces using more natural materials. “This has become commonplace based on the theory of biophilic design, which has proven to provide occupant health benefits when surrounded by natural materials,” Miller said. “With the focus in design and commercial space specifications becoming more about sustainability, wood has become the clear option when compared to many other floor coverings.”

Following are a few noteworthy installations that exhibit hardwood flooring’s suitability in key commercial markets:

Bjelin

Bjelin’s click herringbone strips provided the focal point for the Dogwood Southern home-cooked themed restaurant in Charlotte, N.C. The planks installed easily and seamlessly, providing little downtown for the busy downtown restaurant anchored to the Westin Charlotte hotel.

Havwoods

Pallido from Havwoods’ Italian collection furnished the flooring of The Mulberry Restaurant in Conwy, UK. The multi-layered engineered, 3/8-inch- thick European oak strips were installed in an eye-catching Chevron pattern.

Mercier Wood Flooring

Mercier’s Generations Intact 2500 finish is suitable for commercial installations such as hotels, retail applications and offices that generate high foot traffic. The product is extremely resistant to scratches, scuffing and dents.

Hallmark

Drawing on the inspiration from the hills and sea surrounding San Luis Obispo, Hotel SLO chose Hallmark Floors Ventura Oak engineered hardwood series in the natural, sandal color to complement their guest and conference room floors and even the lobby ceiling.

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Tuesday Tips: It’s about who knows you

Dalton—The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) released a new “Tuesday Tips” this week. In the series, WFCA experts present short video tips for improving customer service and optimizing staff performance. In the end, it’s all about understanding the importance of doing 100 things just 1% better than your competition.

In this week’s Tuesday Tips, Tom Jennings reminds viewers that sometimes success isn’t about who you know, but about who knows you. After all, it’s important to remember our profession is who we are—not just what we do.

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