sponsored by BUSINESS TIP Connie Heinlein is the wife of NTCA technical trainer Mark Heinlein. She accompanies him all over the country and assists him as he gives workshops, participates in trade shows and conferences (many of Mark’s great photo docu- mentation of his workshops, and people and places he visits is due to Connie’s photography skills). Here she shares her perspective on the value of NTCA, as she “rides shot- gun” with Mark. Follow her and Mark’s adventures on Facebook. – Lesley Goddin ––––––––––––––– I spend a lot of time riding in the passenger seat of the NTCA van, traveling all over the country to workshops and trade shows with my husband Mark. Much of that time I watch out the window as the country passes by – rolling hills in Pennsylvania, corn fields in Iowa, mountain vistas in Montana, farms with red barns everywhere, and the ubiquitous truck stops. Sometimes I read or listen to the radio. I never sleep because I don’t want to miss anything. Most of the time I can’t help but listen in on Mark’s phone calls – what he refers to as the “Heinlein Hotline.” He gets a lot of calls from NTCA members and non-members alike. Most of them have a tile cri- sis. Some just want to chat. I am not always very interested in the con- versations although I have learned a great deal in the past year about many aspects of the tile industry. I know all about mortar coverage and substrate preparation; I under- stand the basic complexities of a tile Riding Shotgun By Connie Heinlein Connie Heinlein (center) at the Mechanicsburg, Pa., workshop earlier this year at Daltile. With Connie are (l. to r.): Scott Carothers (CTEF/NTCA); Todd DeKorte, MAPEI; Tim Phoenix, Daltile; and Dale Kreider, Schluter. 24 TileLetter | March 2017