CCA Global Hosts First Women's Forum at Convention 2020

Program Consists of Structured Peer Networking, Presentations and Female-Focused Programming for Success

Phoenix, AZ

For more than three decades, CCA Global Partners, the parent company of Carpet One Floor & Home, Flooring America, Flooring Canada and The Floor Trader, has demonstrated its commitment to equality in the workplace by significantly promoting more women to leadership positions than reported by the U.S. Depart of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Indeed, 62 percent of CCA’s management positions are held by women, eclipsing the United States average of 40 percent1. Despite CCA’s position on this issue, the company recognizes that as entrepreneurs, women face unique barriers to building successful businesses. To tackle these issues, CCA Global hosted its first-ever Women’s Forum Luncheon that features a structured network program with a panel discussion and networking session during their 2020 Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. The luncheon opened with a kick-off discussion on the topic of the “Multiplier Effect,” the leadership philosophy outlined in The New York Times best-selling book by researcher and executive advisor Liz Wiseman. The program explored the five principles of effective leadership outlined in the book.

A panel discussion featured floor industry experts Chanel Clifford, Vice President National Accounts for COREtec, Ann McDermitt, Vice President National Sales of Shaw Industries and Senior Director Sales at Mohawk Industries Kelly Oberschlake. The three panel members discussed the opportunities for women in the flooring industry along with tips for supporting women on their professional journey.

To accommodate all female members including owners, co-owners and designated management, Flooring America/Canada and the Floor Trader members met on Tuesday, January 7 and Carpet One Floor & Home members met on Thursday, January 9, 2020 during their Conventions.

“This inaugural Women’s Forum was a continuation of our efforts to support members with resources, programs and services to help their businesses grow and reap the enormous benefits of the cooperative experience,” explained Vice President of CCA Global University Nicole Harding, who organized the Forum program. “We discussed the ‘multiplier effect’ coined by leadership expert Liz Wiseman as her work complements the way CCA supports our businesses. When we share our efforts, we are stronger together and multiply the success of our members.”

Why a Women’s Forum?

The National Academy of Sciences found that high-performing women have one thing in common: they have a tight-knit circle of other women who help them with “gender-specific private information and support.”2 But a survey of 800 female small business owners cited balancing work and family life, being taken seriously, and gaining access to capital, as their biggest barriers to success.3

The CCA staff realized they had the opportunity to bring members together at Convention to specifically address these unique challenges and barriers females face in the industry, and provide resources and professional development tools to help women work together and support one another. 

During the Forum CCA surveyed attendees to identify gaps in member services and will use the information to add to the summer convention program. Sponsors of the Forum include CCA suppliers Mohawk Industries, Shaw Inc. and US Floors LLC.

About CCA Global Partners, Inc.

CCA Global Partners is a privately held cooperative based in the United States with member businesses throughout the U.S. and Canada, and in Australia and New Zealand. Since 1984, CCA Global has partnered with entrepreneurial business people to create a cooperative powerhouse unmatched in the marketplace. Across North America, more than 2,800 retail locations, 20,000 childcare centers, and 1 million small businesses benefit from CCA Global’s leadership through its 14 different businesses – Carpet One Floor & Home®, ProSource®, Flooring America® and Flooring Canada®, FEI Group®, The Floor Trader®, International Design Guild®, Lighting One®, savings4membersTM, The Bike Cooperative®, CCA Sports Retail ServicesTM, CCA for Social GoodTM, Innovia Co-opTM, Lionsbridge Contractor GroupTM, and DriveTM.

# # # 

1. US Labor Department, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018

2. National Academy of Sciences, January 2019

3. One Poll, October 2019 

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