Welcome to spring. The long, dark winter (for some – here in New Mexico, we’ve had 80 degree temperatures in March already!) is over and the tiling season has begun. Of course, for most contractors, the tiling season is all year round, though the warmer weather affords some flexibility (and struggles – with wind, humidity, high tem- peratures, sun and rain) and oppor- tunity for indoor and outdoor tiling projects. Though warm weather is upon us (or nearly upon us, for those of you in the Northeast), cool weather will come round before we know it. That’s why it’s worth discussing electric floor warming with your clients. Today’s technologies make it easy to install and the benefits of a warm, cozy floor (even enjoyed on cool summer nights) will be appreciated for years to come. Take a look at our Tech Talk section for some discussion of electric floor warming challenges straight out of the NTCA Reference Manual. Despite the push towards spring, we’re taking a look back at The International Surfaces Expo West (TISE West) that took place in the dead of January in Las Vegas. Take a gander at the events and activi- ties that NTCA sponsored and sup- ported at the show, which has real- ly grown into a vibrant and vital opportunity for tile and stone con- tractors. Our product section this month also contains a sampling of what was seen at the show, both in terms of finishing product and set- ting materials and accessories. We also have a fun Business Tip this month – Riding Shotgun with Connie Heinlein. Connie is wife and intrepid assistant to NTCA technical trainer/presenter Mark Heinlein, and accompanies him to workshops around the coun- try (many of the excellent photos of Mark you see in TileLetter or on social media are courtesy of Connie). She has a unique per- spective on the value of NTCA to installers in the industry, and in the Business Tip section, she shares it with you. At Total Solutions Plus, Training and Education coordinator Becky Serbin interviewed some of our prominent contractor members on video about the value of being a EDITOR’S LETTER Lesley A. Goddin "Spring is the time of plans and projects." – Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina 12 TileLetter | March 2017