NEWS BRIEFS by NTCA executive officers. Martin Brookes, president of Heritage Marble & Tile Inc. and second vice president of the NTCA Board of Directors, said Bettiga was chosen because of his dedi- cation to the tile industry and the tile installation trade. “Bart has demonstrated both leadership and friendship that has advanced the NTCA into a world-class trade association. His relentless ener- gy and passion for the tile and stone trade is remarkable and he is a true asset to the industry.” https://bit.ly/2ERy7I6 MODOMO Tiles opens North Carolina warehouse – U.S./ Italian tile manufacturer Modomo announces the opening of its state- side warehouse with over 250 SKUs available, ranging from 2” x 2” mosaics to 24” x 48” color body and rectified porcelain tiles. https://bit.ly/2EYnt2u Melcer Tile celebrates 50 years – 2018 marks 50 years of busi- ness for Melcer Tile Company, a tile and stone distributor based in Charleston, S.C. The business was founded by Mel and Phyllis Rauton in 1968, and is currently owned and operated by 2nd generation tile distributor, Jay Rauton. Back in April, the company hosted a 50th anniversary BBQ for nearly 200 customers, vendors and friends. https://bit.ly/2Tl0xxv New construction starts in 2019 to hold steady – Dodge Data & Analytics recently released its 2019 Dodge Construction Outlook, a mainstay in construction industry forecasting and business planning. The report predicts that total U.S. construction starts for 2019 will be $808 billion, staying essentially even with the $807 billion estimat- ed for 2018. https://bit.ly/2zj4lpB Coverings calls for top projects and emerging leaders – Coverings is now accepting submissions for boththe2019CoveringsInstallation and Design (CID) Awards and 2019 Rock Stars Awards. Both pro- grams honor the best and brightest within tile and stone, underscoring Coverings’ mission to support the growth and success of the industry. The CID Awards recognize out- standing design and installation in residential and commercial tile and Past winners of the Coverings Rock Stars Awards. 104 TileLetter | November 2018