Hardwood Industry schools:
National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)
National Wood Flooring Manufactures Association (NOFMA)
NOFMA Certified Wood Flooring Inspectors School
NWFA Certified Wood Flooring Inspectors School
Basic Coatings Sand & Finish Training
Mapei Moisture Solution School
NWFA Commercial Wood Inspector School
NWFA Subfloors Solutions
Virginia Technical University – Technical Certificate – Wood Kiln Drying and Veneer Kiln Drying Course, August 2019; completed and passed
Hardwood Flooring Manufactures Degrees of Certification:
Bruce
Mannington
Hartco
Harris Tarkett
Professional Experience
1975 to Present
- Independent Flooring Contractor, 1975 to1980
- Hardwood Flooring Retail Store Owner from1980 to1995
Commercial and retail sales, installation, & inspections
- Bruce Hardwood Training Manager Sept 1995 to Feb 1997
Installation and Product Knowledge training with Distributors, Retailers and Installers
Testing of new products
- Columbia Flooring Training and Technical Service Manager, Feb 1997 to June 2006
Setting specification for Quality Control and Grading
Writing of Technical and Installation procedures and manuals
Testing of New Products
Instructing Basic and Advanced Installation Schools for Distributors, Retailers and Installers at the Factory
Field Training with Distributors, Retailers and Installers
Claims reviews for large claims
- Director of Technical Service Scandian Hardwood Floors, June 2006 to April 2008
Setting specification for Quality Control and Grading
Writing of Technical and Installation procedures and manuals
Testing of New Products
Field Training with Distributors, Retailers and Installers
Developing and Regulating Claims Rules and Claims Department
- General Manager Scandian North America, April 2008 to March 2009
Responsible for 6 Distributors and Sales in the Southern section of North America from the Carolina’s to Texas
Oversee the Technical and Claims Departments
- Owner of Rick Jones LLC 2009 – NWFA Certified Wood Flooring Inspections and Consulting for several major Wood and Bamboo manufactures and distributors.
- 2010 to March 31, 2014 – Technical Service Manager for Swiff-Train Co. Responsibilities include all training on Wood, Laminates and LVT for EarthWerks brands. Responsible for Claim Dept. oversight for Wood and Laminates, Hardwood and Laminate inspections and Dealer negotiations on claims. IN charge of quality control on all import brands of EarthWerks Flooring and consulting with the Factories and Vendors. Responsible for development of all Technical literature, flooring specifications and warranties.
- Present – owner Rick Jones Inspections and performing Inspections and Consultations across North America, including Canada
- September 2018 attended the NWFA Inspectors School to refresh and learn new guidelines for Inspection Report information gathering and report writing and called upon to help instruct in the class.
Industry Positions
- NWFA Chairperson Certified Installation Professionals and Sand & Finish
- Professional Certification Committee
- Member of NWFA Certified Professionals Inspector Committee
- Director NWFA Certified Professionals, Board of Directors
- Past – Vice President NWFA Certified Professionals, Board of Directors:
- Certification of Inspectors, Installers, Sand & Finishers and Sales Consultants.
- NWFA Board of Directors
- NWFA Task Force for setting Guidelines for Bamboo Flooring North American and International
- NWFA Board of Directors liaison to the International Hardwood Flooring Specification Committee
- Chairman NWFA Committee Tar & Screeds Revisions
NWFA Degrees
Instructor, Craftsman, Master Craftsman, Advanced Master Craftsman,
Vanguard and Ambassador
Certified Wood Inspector
Certified Installation Professional
Certified Sand & Finish Professional
Certified Commercial Wood Inspector
Certified Sales Advisor
Flooring Guild – Training Certification on Wood Veneers and panel manufacture (Virginian Technical University – 2018
Moisture and Concrete Testing – Mapei Corporation 2019
IFCII Certification for Wood, Laminate, LVT/LVP, SPC, Vinyl, Carpet – February 2020
Obtained the current maximum Educational Credits with the NWFA 2020 – 90 credits
Noteworthy Achievement
Published in Hardwood Flooring Magazine as recently as October 2016
Guest speaker at the” Hardwood Flooring Summit” in Atlanta, GA 2008
Presenter at the Inspectors Symposium during the NWFA Convention
Designated as an Expert Witness by TASA and other attorney groups/firms
Designated as an Expert Witness by local Attorneys in Houston, TX
Designated as an Expert Witness by local Attorneys in Portland, OR
