Introducing:

'TCAA Tile Talk Monthly'

December 2023

We've gone digital!

Welcome to the new digital format of our TCAA newsletter! No, you’re right; this is not your parents' form of communication. But we no longer travel miles and miles from plan room to plan room or carry a roll of dimes while desperately searching out pay phones to communicate with contractors and job sites. Nor do we spend half our evenings calling our team, trying to catch up with job progress or communicating where to go the next day.

Yes, we do seem to be just as busy, or busier, but we gather information more quickly, communicate it more swiftly, and then move on to the next challenge. The days where any of us really sit down to read a newspaper each morning or evening, casually turning each page and reading it from front to back are long gone. We take our information quickly, decide if it is meaningful to us, and then move on to the next news item.

That’s why TCAA is changing the way we provide up-to-date information to our members and our partners in the ceramic tile industry. We will offer monthly e-newsletters that are “quick reads,” featuring the latest in design, installation methods, labor, and member news.

We understand – yes, we are all terribly busy, but we all still want to stay connected with the industry and each other. It’s just that we want to accomplish those connections on our individual terms. So, go ahead, open up our TCAA Tile Talk Monthly email, digest it, pick out what interests you, and “quickly” stay up on the latest TCAA news.

TCAA Publications

A message from TCAA's outgoing President

By: Michael Kriss

Hello my fellow TCAA members,

It seems just like yesterday I took the oath of office and became the TCAA president. It was one of the highlights of my professional career in the United States - I, the emigrant from USSR became a President of the great national tile organization - the Tile Contractors Association of America (TCAA).

This is the greatest organization for union tile contractors to collaborate and exchange knowledge, discover new products and installation methods, make friends, and receive technical support. I can proudly say that during my tenure we increased the membership, contractor members as well as the supplier members, and more companies qualified for the highest achievement in the tile industry - The Trowel of Excellence.

Our scholarship program is going strong, awarding two scholarships every year. One scholarship is awarded to the architectural community member and a second to a family member of TCAA members. The educational seminars and training conducted by our partners at International Masonry Institute (IMI) keep our members informed and up to date on sustainability issues, the latest trends, techniques, and best practices in our industry.

As I look to the future, the Tile Contractor's Association of America remains dedicated to serving as a driving force for positive change within the tile industry. We invite you to join us on this journey, actively engaging in the wealth of opportunities and resources our association provides.

Thank you for your continued support, and I am excited about the collective impact we will make in the years to come.

As I wrote in my previous letter starting February 24, 2022, I hope of celebrating the end of Russian invasion to Ukraine and believe in Ukraine’s Victory. Thank you and Glory to Ukraine!

Michael Kriss – Krisstone, LLC

GRAZZINI BROTHERS & COMPANY 100^th ANNIVERSARY!

By: John Trendell

Just like our new TCAA Digital Newsletter, Grazzini Brothers are “not your parents' company”. In fact, as a 5th generation ceramic tile and terrazzo company, it is your great-great-grandparents’ company!

My first seminar in college as a civil engineering student in 1971 was a discussion regarding construction companies. What I always remembered was a quote from a family-owned contractor who said, “second and third-generation construction companies are like dinosaurs; they don’t exist”. Well, in the case of Grazzini Brothers, they not only defy the odds but have become one of the largest and most successful ceramic tile and terrazzo companies in the country!

The fourth-generation president and CEO, Greg Grazzini, credits this amazing legacy and success to a constant adherence to the company’s core values, “Proven, Reliable Craftsmanship”. This mantra has allowed them to earn a reputation for providing the best ceramic tile installation services for the biggest projects all across the country. Their projects include airports, the Mall of America with 1.5 million sqft. of ceramic tile, and most recently U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings and the largest construction project in Minnesota history!

Of course, like any company, there are always challenges. Technology has certainly been one of them, and it is Grazzini Brothers’ openness in adapting to and investing in systems that allow their estimating, accounting, and project management teams to successfully complete projects anywhere across the country while instantaneously sharing the most current information with everyone on the team regardless of what time zone they may be in.

But like most skilled craft contractors, their biggest hurdle is finding a qualified workforce. That’s where training programs such as qualified apprenticeships are absolutely essential. These programs ensure that the knowledge and skills of craftworkers today are carried on and improved by future generations. Also, supporting trade associations such as TCAA allows for networking and collaboration to help keep up with the latest trends in ceramic tile materials and installation standards.

Congratulations to Grazzini Brothers as they look forward to their next 100 years!

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Calling all guest authors!

Interested in writing an article or featuring an installation in a future TCAA Tile Talk Monthly? Email us!