Page 12 - Demo

12|December 2020
NTCA Tile Setter Craftspersons of the Year
Slippery rock Gazette
The 1.75 million square foot U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings, located in Minneapolis, is the largest construction project in Minnesota. Ferid Hasic was chosen to install the large format thin porcelain panels, a new form of tile in 2015, which required training/ mentoring 10 additional tile setters for this installation. Ferid and his crew installed 35,000 square feet in 3 months on 6 different concourse levels.
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“Since Total Solutions Plus was changed to a virtual event this year due to COVID-19,,” explained Bart Bettiga, NTCA’s executive director, “we will be presenting the award to Ferid and Leo at Coverings 2021.”
Praiseworthy Achievement
Nyle Wadford, a residential category judge and industry con- sultant, noted, “I am honored to be chosen to judge these entries. Viewing their work and their dedication to their craft was an uplifting experience. When this fast-paced world in which we live demands that it be done more rap- idly with ‘get by’ quality, these entrants eschew that notion and proved their dedication to qual- ity on each of the installations reviewed.
“It is both pleasing and hum- bling to know that there are still tile installers today that adhere to these practices,” he added.
“Congratulations to all the en- trants. They’re all winners in my book.”
Rod Owen, C.C. Owen Co., Mike Micalizzi of Custom Building Products, and James Woelfel, consultant, scored the commercial entries. Jan Hohn of Hohn & Hohn, Inc., William White, ARDEX, and consultant Nyle Wadford judged the residen- tial entries.
Judging criteria for the awards included the following factors:
• 15 years or more setting tile, and continuing to set tile as part of job today (Yes/No)
• Technical Correctness of tile installations - 25%
• Craftsmanship/Artistry - 30% • Ability to Resolve Tile Installation Problems - 20%
• Self-Improvement/Continuing Education - 15%
• Mentoring/Leading Others - 10%
How They Got Here
Hasic was nominated for the
award by Greg Grazzini, CEO and president, Grazzini Brothers and Company, while Reynaga was nominated by Teresa Inglehart, residential operations assistant, Visalia Tile. Both winners hailed from NTCA Five-Star contractor member companies.
Hasic grew up in Bosnia and learned the tile trade from a third generation tile setter in Germany. He and his family moved to the U.S. in January 1998 and he be- came a naturalized U.S. citizen. His training in Germany allowed him to obtain his Tile Setter
Journeyman card with the lo- cal union. He also holds a Stone Mason Journeyman card.
He supervises up to 45 work- ers with Grazzini Brothers and Company, while mentoring crew and overseeing projects, and has become a role model for his crew members.
“If I show the people by my working hard, they will work hard,” Hasic said. “I take pride in my work and want to set a good example. I strive for no punch list on every job. It is important for the people to see that I put myself
in their shoes – both my crew and the company. I want to do a good job, so the company gets more jobs. If the company prospers, I will prosper.”
As a young father who started working before finishing high school, Reynaga came to Visalia Ceramic Tile with no experience, and learned his craft through train- ing with owner Robert Martinho, discovering that this career could provide a good living for his growing family.
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