The Flooring Podcast with Mike Harris

Mike Harris
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Business
  • Updated Semimonthly

Welcome to The Flooring Podcast with Mike Harris, the show where we cover New Construction, restoration and everything to do with Flooring in Commercial Construction. We will be discussing New Construction along with restoration. Projects such as Hospitals, Schools, Laboratories, Universities, College dormitories and class rooms, High Rise and low rise office space, condo’s and apartments, warehouses and skyscrapers of all shapes and sizes, Data Centers,  Elderly Housing and Airports. Flooring and everything that goes along with it like VCT, Rubber, Vinyl,  sheet goods, wood, tile and stone, epoxy, terrazzo, polished concrete, and all the products that go along with them like, patching and leveling cements, moisture mitigation, adhesives, preparation equipment like grinders, shot blasters, swing buffers and polishing concrete equipment. 

  1. 3d ago

    Ray Mancini Jr. on Building a Multi-State Flooring Distribution Leader

    Mike welcomes Raymond Mancini Jr., CEO of UCX (formerly Belknap White), to discuss UCX’s history as a third-generation family business that began with a Rhode Island liquor distributor (Providence Beverage Company) and entered flooring in 1982 by buying Rifco and focusing on the Armstrong brand. Mancini explains how the company grew through consolidation—acquiring 12 distributors over about 45 years, including JJ Haines in 2019—expanding from New England to 28 states from Maine to Florida and Texas, covering about 70% of the U.S. population. He outlines the UCX rebrand (“Ultimate Customer Experience”), relationship-driven culture, leadership values, and logistics advantage with 140–150 trucks. They also cover Mancini’s education and mentors, hiring from Bryant MBA classmates, industry trends (consolidation, succession, private equity/ESOPs), and future impacts of AI.   Contact Ray at  rmancini@ucx.com.    Topics 01:27 UCX Origins and Family Legacy 02:19 From Liquor to Flooring Distribution 04:23 Armstrong Focus and Early Territory 05:25 Acquisitions and East Coast Expansion 07:18 Rebrand to UCX and Customer Experience 08:56 Leadership Journey and Mentors 12:20 Cranston Roots and Pop Culture Detour 14:00 Hiring Talent and Building the Team 16:04 Logistics Advantage and Company Culture 20:58 Customer Success Mindset 21:11 Real Housewives Rhode Island 21:36 Rhode Island Favorites 22:35 Family and Empty Nest 23:33 Fourth Generation Plans 24:25 Acquisition Playbook 27:09 Industry Future Trends 30:05 AI and Relationships 32:07 Adapting Like Music 33:16 Three Fun Questions 37:26 Wrap Up and Contact

    39 min
  2. Jared Colombo of JC Floors: Family Business Growth, Union Work & Change Orders

    May 20

    Jared Colombo of JC Floors: Family Business Growth, Union Work & Change Orders

    Mike interviews Jared Colombo of JC Floors, a family business founded by his father in 1989 after inheriting accounts from Somerville Floors, then expanding from East Boston to Wilmington and now Billerica, with 15–20 office staff and 30–60 union installers. He explains the roles of his parents and siblings, and highlights longtime project manager Ed Higgins. Jared outlines JC’s focus on tenant fit-outs in downtown Boston and notes post-COVID office trends toward enhanced amenities and likely office-to-apartment conversions. He shares personal background (Peabody, BU, Westford), early work hustles, and starting in the warehouse before moving into estimating and buyouts. Industry topics include NEFCA board involvement, union recruiting, buying-group participation, AI’s potential in estimating, and a detailed discussion of change orders and documentation.   Topics 00:54 Nicknames and Small Talk 01:36 How JC Floors Started 03:35 Ed Higgins Industry Veteran 05:05 Family Roles at JC Floors 06:24 Typical Projects and Market 07:08 Post COVID Office Changes 09:08 Jared Background and Homebuying 10:31 Remote Work During COVID 11:45 School Years and Early Hustles 15:17 Bachelor Trips and Travel Stories 17:37 Career Path in the Business 19:02 Brother Joins the Trade 19:42 Business Outlook and Crew Size 20:49 Unions and NEFCA Role 22:47 Recruiting the Next Generation 24:03 Buying Groups and Conferences 25:33 AI for Estimating 27:05 Change Orders Explained 30:35 Famous Three Questions 34:15 Italian Roots and Family Life 35:58 Wrap Up and Contact Info

    37 min

  3. Apr 29

    Jamie Lopez on Large Flooring Projects & the Power of Collaboration

    Mike interviews Jamie Lopez of Allegheny Contract about his flooring career, leadership, and personal background. Lopez, originally from El Salvador, came to Chelsea at 15 without speaking English and later built a career starting at union shop Circle Floors before leaving to seek more opportunity, briefly working independently and in California, then returning to Boston and gaining job-running experience through a non-union shop. He describes advancing at Allegheny during major early-2000s Cambridge/Boston growth and leading large projects including Battery Wharf and a Natick job installing wood in 500 luxury apartments in six weeks with extensive logistics and multiple crews. Lopez credits success to clear protocols, craftsmanship, and collaboration, and shares a Paris, France project that led to a client-funded family vacation. He cites mentors, emphasizes minimizing waste of time/materials/talent, and answers fun questions about coffee ice cream, grilling steak, and desired travel destinations.   Topics 00:46 Meet Jamie Lopez 02:49 Union Beginnings 04:45 Leaving the Union 05:34 Back to Boston 08:03 Running Bigger Jobs 09:21 Natick Six Week Sprint 11:35 How They Pulled It Off 15:08 Craft Pride and Floors 15:51 Immigration and Family 17:10 Home Life and Daughters 17:54 Hiking and Outdoors 18:45 White Mountains Reflections 19:39 Mentors And Standards 21:17 Why Ardex Matters 22:18 Paris Job Origin Story 25:54 Design Details And Perfection 28:46 Vacation Surprise Reward 31:53 What Sets Allegheny Apart 34:15 Famous Three Questions 36:02 Thanks And Sign Off

    37 min

  4. Apr 8

    LeeAnn DiPietropolo on Distribution, Relationships & Giving Back in Flooring

    Mike interviews LeeAnn DiPietropolo of Spartan Surfaces about her 25-year flooring distribution career, including 17 years at Sales Master after Western Carpet lost the AROC VCT line, and how Spartan’s acquisition expanded her work from contractor-driven sales to architect/designer specification for commercial projects like hospitals and schools. She describes Spartan’s product mix (rubber, Roppe, EVA/Capri Eco Surfaces, ceramic tile, wood, and installation supplies like MAPEI and Bostik), and shares her relationship-first sales philosophy and upcoming book, “Soul to Soul Selling.” Leanne also discusses her 501(c) charity Santa’s Porch, which has run for 10 years and helped over 1,000 children last year, including recognition on Live with Kelly and Ryan. She serves as vendor partner on the NEFCA board and addresses being a woman in a male-dominated industry, sustainability trends like PVC-free flooring, and current strength in the Boston market.   Mike Harris: michaelharris76@gmail.com LeeAnn DiPietropolo:  LDiPietropolo@spartanservices.com   Topics 00:45 Italian Nicknames Banter 01:55 Career at Sales Master 03:10 Spartan Transition and Spec Work 04:26 Product Lines and Job Types 06:18 From Philly to Massachusetts 07:59 Family Life and Kids 09:16 Sales Mentors and Roots 11:23 Soul to Soul Selling Book 13:16 Santa's Porch Charity 15:59 NEFCA Role and Mission 16:48 Owner Side Insights 17:16 Vendor Showcase Plans 17:28 Santas Porch Donation 19:20 Union Jobsite Economics 21:27 Life In Westerly 22:22 Nickname Call In 23:07 Women In Flooring 25:31 Green Materials Shift 27:41 Boston Market Outlook 28:21 Family Sports Stories 29:20 Famous Three Questions 31:20 Travel And Wrap Up

    33 min

  5. Mar 25

    The Wood Man of Boston: Steve Becht of Redhawk Solutions

    Mike welcomes Steve Becht, a Boston-market wood flooring expert with 43 years in the industry. Becht recounts starting in estimating at Circle Floors after studying architectural engineering at Wentworth and civil engineering at Northeastern, learning under mentors including Phil Maria, then working at Allegheny and Congress before buying Charles Auditory Flooring in 1991, later renaming it BE Corporation and completing notable restoration and museum projects. He explains industry shifts such as manufacturer consolidation, engineered and prefinished wood trends, and the challenge of installing wood in uncontrolled commercial environments due to moisture and humidity changes. Becht sold BE Corp to Pavilion in 2016, helped build a specialty flooring division, then experienced Pavilion’s acquisition by Diversify. He now runs Redhawk Solutions, offering consulting, diagnostics, specification help, mentoring, and tools like Climate (formerly Floorcloud) and Clearstory.   Mike Harris: michaelharris76@gmail.com  Steve Becht:  Steve.Becht@redhawkflooringsolutions.com    Topics   00:37 Show Welcome 01:23 Meet Steve Becht 02:13 Early Career Origins 02:49 Circle Floors Mentors 04:18 Allegheny Connections 05:17 Manufacturer Buyouts Era 06:39 Buying A Wood Business 07:50 Simmons Flood Save 08:40 BE Corporation Growth 09:48 Historic Restoration Work 10:37 Arsenal Mall Leveling 11:59 Prep Adhesives Evolution 13:11 Commercial Wood Trends 14:25 Museums And Moisture 15:13 Exit To Pavilion 16:31 Specialty Division Build 17:59 Family And Career Pride 18:36 Family Updates 19:17 Traveling The World 20:41 Sports Tickets And Roots 23:04 Pavilion To Diversify 25:28 Launching Redhawk Solutions 27:31 Wood Flooring Challenges 29:06 Exotics And Jobsite Reality 31:56 Tech Tools And Partnerships 35:13 Rapid Fire Favorites 37:45 Wrap Up And Sponsors

    35 min

  6. Mar 11

    Third-Generation Growth, Co-ops, and Industry Leadership with David Ruggieri

    Mike is joined by David Ruggieri of Ruggieri Brothers in Rhode Island, a third-generation flooring company founded in 1949 by David’s grandfather and his two brothers after World War II, evolving from linoleum and residential tract homes into major commercial work. David describes growing up in Warwick, working summers in the field, studying accounting and computer science at Quinnipiac, then spending about seven years in public accounting focused on construction subcontractors before returning as president and treasurer, alongside cousin Peter. Jeri Brothers operates both commercial and retail (Carpet One), with revenues about 75% commercial and 25% residential, roughly 30 office staff and 50–70 field workers, and recently earned Carpet One Diamond Club recognition. David discusses Starnet membership since 1994, his role chairing its meetings committee, and serving as NFCA president, highlighting labor bargaining and industry education. They also cover industry changes toward digital estimating, LVT and carpet tile, and emerging AI.   Visit https://ruggieribrosflooring.com/   Topics 00:45 Meet David Ruggieri 01:44 Ruggieri Brothers Origins 03:53 Family Roles Today 05:16 Nicknames And Legacy 06:38 Growing Up In The Trade 08:12 Accounting Career Detour 10:06 Cancun And Marco Stories 11:54 Outside Experience Pays Off 15:22 Rhode Island Roots And Pride 16:51 Family Life And Hometown 19:04 Business Scope And Retail 19:56 Business Mix and Payroll 21:00 Diamond Club Recognition 21:49 Starnet Membership Benefits 24:50 NFCA Leadership and Mission 27:39 Family Legacy and Tagline 29:30 Industry Changes and AI 31:33 Patriots Projects and Fandom 34:19 Rapid Fire Favorites 38:27 Closing Thanks and Website

    36 min

  7. Feb 25

    John Gabaree, President at Jantile Flooring Systems LLC

    John Gabaree recounts his 20+ year career in epoxy, polished concrete, and urethane cements, starting at Industrial Abrasive Blasting (IAB) in Gloucester, where he brought polished concrete into the business after Schofield certification, then building a major epoxy/polish division at Business Interiors with peaks of 45–50 field staff across 7–11 jobs. He discusses BI’s sale to Capital Flooring and his move to the Jantile Group, which includes large New York operations and Jantile Boston’s union tile/stone business. John is now president of the newly formed Jantile Flooring Systems, expanding into epoxy, polished concrete, and also carpet, resilient, and wood. The episode covers expectation-setting for on-site coatings, prep methods (shot blasting vs. grinding), power and access limits, silica dust control, and purchasing new equipment. John also shares personal background, Patriots tailgates, and former wedding DJ experience.   Topics 00:43 Meet John Gabaree 01:24 Breaking Into Flooring 02:05 IAB and Polished Concrete 03:08 Business Interiors Growth 04:56 BI Sale and Free Agency 05:51 Why Epoxy Is Different 06:43 Joining Jantile Boston 09:23 Life and Family Roots 10:26 Pats Tickets and Florida 11:45 The Wedding DJ Years 13:09 Wedding DJ Lessons 14:45 Flooring Question Segment 14:55 Epoxy Versus Soft Goods 18:40 Prep Methods And Dust 21:09 New Equipment At Jantile 23:17 Final Three Questions 25:54 Wrap Up And Contact

    27 min
  8. John Felker: Reflections & Lifelong Passions

    Feb 11

    John Felker: Reflections & Lifelong Passions

    Mike Harris welcomes guest John Felker, Manager of National Strategic Accounts for Ardex. The conversation covers a wide range of topics including their professional history, particularly their time together at Ardex, the evolution of the tiling and stone industries, and the unique aspects of working within a family-owned business. John shares personal anecdotes such as his background growing up in Columbus, Ohio, his unexpected journey into the industry, and his love for running marathons and poetry. The episode concludes with a light-hearted rapid-fire round where John shares his favorite ice cream flavor, Dunkin' order, and comfort food meal. The discussion is filled with insights on career growth, lifelong passions, and the importance of maintaining a balanced life.   Topics 00:36 Guest Introduction: John Felker from Ardex 01:37 Reflecting on Retirement and Social Aspects of Work 02:38 John's Background and Career Journey 04:38 Ardex: A Family-Owned Business 06:12 Leadership and Longevity at Ardex 08:48 John's Family and Personal Life 15:07 John's Running Journey 17:05 Turning 60: A New Competitive Edge 17:28 The Evolution of Ardex's Hardscape Business 20:20 Training and Innovation in Hardscapes 21:54 Personal Passions: Poetry and Journaling 24:15 Life Lessons from Boy Scouts 26:56 Storytelling and Humility 31:06 Final Reflections and Farewell

    34 min
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About

Welcome to The Flooring Podcast with Mike Harris, the show where we cover New Construction, restoration and everything to do with Flooring in Commercial Construction. We will be discussing New Construction along with restoration. Projects such as Hospitals, Schools, Laboratories, Universities, College dormitories and class rooms, High Rise and low rise office space, condo’s and apartments, warehouses and skyscrapers of all shapes and sizes, Data Centers,  Elderly Housing and Airports. Flooring and everything that goes along with it like VCT, Rubber, Vinyl,  sheet goods, wood, tile and stone, epoxy, terrazzo, polished concrete, and all the products that go along with them like, patching and leveling cements, moisture mitigation, adhesives, preparation equipment like grinders, shot blasters, swing buffers and polishing concrete equipment. 

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