Hardwood Floors October/November 2017

ALLISON FINKELL Executive Vice President, American OEM

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At the young age of 12, Allie was already an entrepreneur, ful lling internet requests for samples on the Anderson website. By 24, she was living in Manha an as the northeastern regional sales manager for Anderson, posting a 40 percent increase in sales for her territory. In 2007, she moved to Cha anooga and assumed responsibility for Shaw Commercial hardwood sales in addition to other hard surface products. In 2015, she joined her father at American OEM Wood Floors as Executive Vice President where she leads the sales force, marketing, and new product development. She has recently conceived, developed, and introduced American OEM’s own brand of high- end wood oors, Hearthwood. Allie is a LEED AP and involved in sustainability initiatives. She is a Big Sister of a young woman in Cha anooga and is also involved in the Gary Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment) program. She also participates in the Hardwood Federation Fly-ins, lobbying Congress on behalf of the hardwood industry.

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JOHN DUPRA Co-Founder/Director of Marketing, Revel Woods

BILL HARRINGTON Foreman, Baker Hardwood Flooring

John has brought a fresh approach to the distribution paradigm. He has opened Installers Warehouse to new channels and approaches to distribution of wood ooring. John’s passion is to elevate the importance of wood ooring in the selection process and get wood ooring closer to the front of the process versus positioned as a late addition to the project. John is also working on ways to help consumers understand the value of wood ooring and is one of the primary drivers behind the launch of Revel Woods, a completely new approach to the selling of wood oors speci cally designed to disrupt old selling channels in our industry. Before Installers Warehouse, John served as national oor sanding specialist for Norton Abrasives. John was an active participant in the Hardwood Federation’s Fly-in last year. He has played various instruments in his church worship band and volunteers to provide drums and percussion for his local school’s fall and spring musicals.

Bill is the Foreman for Baker Hardwood Flooring located in Barnegat, New Jersey. e company provides a variety of hardwood ooring services including installations, repairs, conventional sanding, dust containment sanding, and oor re nishing work. Bill is an NWFA Certi ed Installer, posesses an NWFA Cra sman degree, and currently serves on multiple NWFA commi ees. He is strongly commi ed to the industry and frequently serves as a volunteer instructor assistant, as well as assists in demo theaters and tech zones at the yearly NWFA Wood Flooring Expo. Bill also participates in many community service projects for wounded soldiers with the NWFA, and serves as a board of elections worker in his community.

JAKE HICKMAN Operations Manager, Hickman Lumber Jake grew up working at the Hickman Lumber sawmill during the summers, starting at the bo om by stacking boards. A er college, he spent a few years working in construction and traveling the country. He came back full-time to Hickman Lumber in 2008, went to lumber grading school, and commi ed himself to becoming the fourth generation of the Hickman family running the sawmill. He’s at the mill every day making sure the lumber is cut and dried correctly to make the high-quality material for which Hickman Lumber is known. is lumber is then used at Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring and is shipped all across the world. Jake is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce and volunteers to organize the local summer festival in town. 12.

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