As we prepare to close the 2017 year – our 70th anniversary of being a leading trade association – I would like to take a moment to thank our Executive Officers, Board of Directors and staff for helping to continue our progress in making a positive impact in the tile industry. Highlights of 2017 include the following accomplishments: 1. Net assets of association reach $2 million for the first time. This provides stability and the ability to grow the associa- tion and expand our influence. Becoming financially stable was a strategic objective established by the Board of Directors sev- eral years ago and this has been accomplished primarily through membership growth and dili- gent operational management. 2. NTCA takes a leading role in international collaboration with other tile installation associa- tions. In the past few years, NTCA has worked closely with the Australian Tile Council and the Tile Terrazzo and Marble Association of Canada (TTMAC) to market the NTCA Reference Manual to their members. In 2017, NTCA partnered with Assoposa, the Italian installa- tion association managed by Confindustria Ceramica, to hold an installation association meet- ing at Cersaie. This is the first meeting of its kind and had rep- resentatives from 12 countries present. Plans are being made for a World Installation Forum in 2018. The agenda is currently being developed. 3. NTCA staff grows to 17 full- or part-time employees, includ- ing several key positions to By Bart Bettiga, NTCA Executive Director From the desk of the Executive Director: year-end NTCA status report NTCA YEAR-END REVIEW ––––––––––––––– NTCA’s Bart Bettiga (l to r), Martin Howard and James Woelfel meeting with Assoposa during Cersaie. 94 TileLetter | December 2017