nating more awareness about the value of educational opportunities as well as CTI and ACT (Advanced Certification for Tile Installers) in my area.” Mourelatos works hard to further the goals and vision of the National Tile Contractor’sAssociation (NTCA). He has been an NTCA member for 11 years. Five years ago he became an Arizona State Ambassador, and more recently joined the NTCA Membership and Training and Education Committee. “I believe that the NTCA is working hard to help the tile contractor succeed in busi- ness and installations,” Mourelatos said. “And I want to be a part of that. I want to bring that back to my local area and share it with other contrac- tors and installers. Mourelatos believes in the value of becoming a CTI. “Being able to dem- onstrate your skill in a testing environment by a third party,” said Mourelatos, “that shows the value of the CTI program.” Such an exam is only valuable if it really tests the met- tle of those taking it. Mourelatos stated, “The CTI test chal- lenges your skills in all facets of ceramic tile installation, from the details of prep work, the layout, cutting and installing of the tile, to the fin- ish work.” Moreover, Mourelatos believes time management is a key lesson of the CTI test. “A well- managed day can bring production up to a profitable level,” he said. Mourelatos encourages all tile installers to take the CTI exam. “I think that today’s tile contractors are continually striving to define their company’s strength and to show the benefits of hiring a qualified instal- lation company,” Mourelatos said. “The CTI and ACT programs set the bar higher for installers to demon- strate their knowledge, which will result in respect for the tile instal- lation trade. In this day and age of 30-minute ‘How to Install Tile’ ses- sions at your local hardware store, CTI and ACT help in proving your skill as a professional.” QUALIFIED LABOR ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– John Mourelatos is intent on his task, as he takes the hands-on portion of the Certified Tile Installer exam during TISE West 2017 in Las Vegas. 44 TileLetter | April 2017