Hardwood Floors June/July 2019

Hodges then modified the buffer he was using by adding a hose connection and dust skirt to the buffer to allow for better dust pickup. Soon after, he connected the edger to this same modified vacuum, and later the big sander. The rest, as they say, is history. “These are just a couple of the many stories whereMike’s creative thinking had an impact on product developments for the industry,” says MarkWeglowski, BrandManager, PallmannUSA. “Mike is a very humble andmodest individual when it comes to discussing many of the achievements that he has had during his 30-plus year career. We firmly believe that individuals likeMike should be recognized for their dedication, contributions, and passion for the wood flooring industry.” WOMEN'S INDUSTRY NETWORK AWARD Barbara Titus, of Sheoga Hardwood and Paneling, in a number of committees and boards. She is also the person who introduced the NWFA to the Gary Sinise Foundation. After providing flooring for a veteran and his wife in Marion, Ohio, Titus got to know some of the individuals who would later start the Gary Sinise Foundation. At the time, Sinise was the spokesperson for another veteran organization, but felt he could do more, and do it better, on his own. After working on the local project, Titus made a phone call to the NWFA, and said, “I believe in what Gary Sinise is doing for our veterans; I’ve seen it personally. I would like Sheoga to provide the wood flooring for all of these homes myself, but we’re a small manufacturer and we just can’t do it alone. The mission Gary is working on will provide more than 10 homes per year for our veterans.” And, in response, the NWFA unanimously said yes resulting in nearly $5 million in product and labor donations by NWFA members to date. Middlefield, Ohio, was the first recipient of the newly created NWFAWomen’s Industry Network Award. The award was presented by 3M's Jim Schumacher. Titus was one of the founders of the NWFA Responsible Procurement Program (RPP) and has served on

INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AWARD

The purpose of the NWFA Industry Leadership Award is to recognize individuals whomake significant contributions to the wood flooring industry through service and leadership. This year, Mike Hodges,

TerritoryManager for PallmannUSA, was awarded this honor.

Throughout his career, Hodges has been responsible for multiple innovations in the wood flooring industry that contractors use every day to help them complete successful projects. One of those products is the intercoat abrasion pad, or “maroon pad” as it is known today. While working for one of the first companies to introduce waterborne finishes and sealers in the United States, Hodges was tasked with figuring out how to get one coat of finish to stick to another and how to abrade waterborne sealers. Steel wool, which was common for the time, was not an option for waterborne finishes and sealers. Also, the screens that were being used were too aggressive for the finishes and sealers at the time. After looking through a cabinet in the warehouse, Hodges stumbled upon a 7’’ maroon-colored Scotch-Brite pad. After abrading a small section of freshly coated waterborne sealer, Hodges then took three of the pads and stuck them onto a 16’’ white pad and under a buffer. The results were exactly what he set out to achieve. Talks began with 3M, the manufacturer of the Scotch-Brite pad, which ultimately led to 3M producing these maroon pads in 16’’ versions for Hodges’s company. Another major innovation that Hodges played a role in was the discovery and implementation of dust containment vacuum systems. Hodges was in charge of running training schools for a manufacturer, which were being held in the same warehouse as where product was being shipped. The warehouse manager kept complaining that every time panels were sanded during the schools, the warehouse would end up coated in fine dust, which took days to clean up. Using his resources, Hodges contacted a local custom vacuum shop in Denver and had a special vacuum on a dolly created.

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

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