MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ———————————— sponsored by Forty years ago, a school-age Kerry Rogers started helping out his dad and granddad in the tile trade, as a way to earn some pocket money and work with his hands at something he enjoyed. This hobby became a profession over the years, as Rogers gained proficiency and helped his fam- ily members tile the country’s first Bass Pro Shop and chain restau- rants like McDonald’s, KFCs and Burger Kings in the Springfield/ Kansas City, Mo., area. “I mixed my first bucket of grout in 1969,” Rogers said. “We didn’t have mixing drills – we made our own grout. I didn’t know how to work the tool, and I splashed it up and got it in my eye, and that helped me remember when I first mixed grout!” After Roger graduated high school, he moved to Arizona in 1980, opening his first company and doing business in the Tempe area. He had his own employees – mostly running a crew of four, which was his sweet spot in being able to keep tabs on quality – but Springfield, Mo., contractor values vouchers, technical assistance Kerry Rogers, in business 40 years, trained NTCA trainer/presenter Robb Roderick as a helper By Lesley Goddin Kerry Rogers Kerry Rogers in the early days. The original Rogers Tile Company truck from Rogers' family business. 68 TileLetter | May 2018