In celebration of CFI’s twenty years of serving the industry as the most well known installation training group in the world, “we enthusiastically announce the launch of The CFI Educational Endowment Fund,” said Robert Varden, CFI executive director. “Personna has taken the lead as the first sponsor of this endeavor to increase installation training programs and make them more affordable for the installation network.”
“Because of Personna’s emphasis on installation training performed correctly, a contribution has been made to the CFI Educational Endowment Fund,” noted Bob Senasac, vice president of marketing. “We see the need for installation training and we have watched the growth of CFI and the positive effect it has on the industry. We are proud to become the first sponsor because CFI is in a position to reach the largest number of flooring installers that will increase awareness of the impact of quality installation. A well trained, customer service oriented flooring installer brings value to our products. We are convinced that CFI is committed to this goal. Personna wants to play a major role in the continuation of these programs by offsetting the cost to the installer.”
“The CFI Educational Endowment Fund has been established to ensure that additional training programs can be scheduled in CFI’s goal to reach installers in this country who take pride in their work,” Varden added. “Training is expensive when one recognizes the cost of travel expenses, paying the instructors and all the fees associated with taking our program on the road. It is costly and with the establishment of this fund, we can insure that the program continues for the next twenty years. The World Floor Covering Association has supported this endeavor since 1997 with almost two million dollars directed toward programs that enhance the value of flooring installation. Manufacturers have shipped an abundance of flooring materials and supplies without which CFI could not maintain the level of training that is available today.”
Commitment from industry members will defray the fees that are charged for the programs that include carpet, ceramic, resilient, laminate and wood installation training. “This will assist CFI in adding more programs at a lower cost to reach more installers as we take hands-on training to their locations,” he said.