The Cronin Company hosts Portland, Ore., CTI exam QUALIFIED LABOR –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– On July 21, Cronin Company in Portland, Ore., hosted two days of Certified Tile Installer (CTI) test- ing in its Portland location. Shon Parker of Hawthorne Tile explored the possibility of Cronin Company providing the location for the test with Heidi Cronin, president and owner of the distribution company. Cronin said, “I have a high pas- sion for certified installers, so this was a perfect fit when Shon approached me to host. We are happy to do it, because there is a shortage [of qualified installers], and it’s important that people are skilled at what they do.” This fifth generation company has been in business for 138 years. In the ’60s, the company got into flooring. Heidi began working alongside her father, and she took over in 2013. Cronin Company has eight locations in Oregon, Washington and Alaska. In fact, a CTI test is being planned at the company’s Anchorage location later this year. NTCA member and new Regional Evaluator (RE) Don Hutcheson flew from Alaska to train as a RE in preparation for the Alaska event. At this event, four candidates took the test on Friday, and six more went through the exam on Saturday, July 22. In addition to verifying their skills through the exam, candi- dates received special giveaways, The CTI group on July 21 at Cronin Company, Portland, Ore.: (l. to r.) candi- dates Vasiliy Popov and his son Vladimir Popov of VVL Industries, LLC , Vancouver, Wash.; NTCA’s Kevin Insalato; candi- date Curtis Jones of CJ’s General Labor, Lewiston, Id.; Heidi Cronin; Hawthorne Tile’s Shon Parker, Regional Evaluator (RE); candidate Erik Trexel of Level Plane Tile and Stone, Portland; and Jason McDaniel of Stoneman Construction, LLC (RE). Don Hutcheson of Hutcheson Tile & Stone – RE in training – is in the white shirt directly behind Cronin. 84 TileLetter | October 2017