2021 EMERGING LEADERS: Young professionals are making a big difference in the flooring community and their hometowns - Feb 2021

Challenging times require exceptional leadership, and 2020 showed just how critical that can be. Across the country, young men and women in the flooring industry were rising to the challenge, from establishing safety protocols for staff amid a pandemic to helping their communities’ most vulnerable populations, and their creative and thoughtful solutions drew the attention of colleagues and peers.

Each year, the Emerging Leaders Awards recognizes the outstanding talent of people under 40 like these within the dealer/retailer/contractor sector. And this year saw the largest pool of submissions in the award’s history, which was judged by field veterans Ralph Boe and Paul Friederichsen. Among the winners are a president, vice presidents, managers and directors, all of whom are bringing new perspectives and fresh ideas to the flooring world and shaping the future of the industry.

JESSICA HANSEN, 34
Workplace Services, sales and finance manager
• Earned a bachelor’s degree in interior design from San Francisco State University and attended the Golden State Contracting School
• Received a contractor’s license with the California Contractor State License Board
• Handles accounting, payroll, estimating, insurance, journal entries, marketing, sales commissions, 401(k)s and processes monthly and yearly accounting closeouts
• Helped design and oversee her company’s showroom and office remodel
• Member of Brunch Club, a nonprofit organization that feeds the homeless population in San Diego

TYSON MARCHAND, 36
Great Floors, Spokane commercial division manager
• Started career at Great Floors as a driver in 2002 and worked his way up to warehouse manager, then installation manager and then commercial project manager before becoming branch manager in 2016
• Has managed projects across four states-Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon
• Named to Great Floors’ President’s Club in 2013, 2014 and 2015
• Oversees more than 30 people and exceeds sales of $10 million each year while meeting profit goals and exceeding customer expectations

MATT BODE, 31
CB Flooring, vice president
• Graduated cum laude with bachelor’s degrees in finance and real estate from Florida State University
• Oversaw a $3.4 million condo project in Washington, D.C. as first job with CB Flooring
• Earned $1 million in sales in his first two months in com-mercial sales
• Became a top salesperson in 2017 with $12.5 million in sales
• Responsible for $100 million in annual sales and head of business development

CHRISTIAN BRAID, 39
• Earned a degree in business and commerce from the
University of Saskatchewan
• Instrumental in implementing the company’s first ERP system
• Co-founded a separate flooring company, Prairie Flooring, a First Nations majority-owned business
• Became the youngest president in the 100-year history of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce
• Named one of the Canadian Broadcast Corp.’s top 40 under 40 for the province of Saskatchewan

MECHELLE DESROCHES, 37
Pavilion Floors, director of operations
• Worked with sales team to improve the bidding process and communicate the bid award back to project coordinators
• Oversaw 40,000-square-foot warehouse operations, includ-ing employees, fleet management and transportation operation in her first year with company
• Promoted to director of operations in her second year with organization
• Worked to ensure field staff and operations teams were safe during pandemic, creating policies and procedures based on CDC and state guidelines

JAKE PETERSON, 26
Albany Carpet One, store manager
• Has worked in the fioorcovering business for 12 years, having started in the family business at age 14
• Has a Five Diamond flooring sales and interior design certi-fication from Carpet One
• Selected by Carpet One’s NEXT 40 to be one of six on the council to represent 150 Millennials
• Named as an Emerging Leader by the Albany Chamber of Commerce
• Volunteers with Albany Helping Hands, an organization that provides resources to the homeless and drug addicts

PALMER JOHNSON, 35
Johnson Floor and Home Carpet One, vice president
• Graduated magna cum laude with a degree in business administration from the University of Tulsa and then earned a juris doctor law degree
• Oversees all aspects of the day-to-day operations, ranging from sales staff, operations, installation and merchandising
• Instrumental in opening five new retail locations, handling merchandising along with other crucial functions
• Served on the inaugural NEXT 40 Council created by CCA Global to help provide resources for emerging leaders

ANDREW MARDEN, 35
CFS Interiors and Flooring, account manager
• Earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. John’s University
• Was the company’s top salesperson in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2019, and was runner-up in 2016 and 2017
• Sells $3 million to $5 million annually across all markets with sales in P&I, maintenance and interior design
• Will assume role of vice president of sales and will oversee the sales, maintenance and interior design teams
• Serves on the board of a foundation for a senior living organization

VICTORIA TURKICH, 26
Universal Metro, estimation lead
• Earned a bachelor’s degree in construction management from California Baptist University
• Has worked at Universal Metro for nearly 12 years, having started when she was in high school as an executive assistant
• Has supported tens of millions of dollars in successful bid-ding efforts
• Developed new standard operating procedures for her team, including a communal bid calendar, a project backlog data entry system and the standardization of estimation resources
• Supports business development and specification efforts and researching customized solutions with vendor partners

ERIN WYATT, 38
Paradise Carpet One Floor and Home, director of sales
• Attended the University of Kansas and Johnson County Community College
• Became top sales professional two years after starting at Paradise, selling more than $1 million annually
• Creates, organizes and caters the company’s customer service events
• Participates in Habitat for Humanity in various roles
• Has been involved NEXT 40 and the Lawrence Young Professional Network
• Selected to be on the inaugural Retail Sale Professional Council for CCA Global

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