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CCA Global Partners’ Retail Group convened members and leadership from its Carpet One Floor & Home and Flooring America and Flooring Canada divisions for their Spring Advisory Council Meetings, bringing together key stakeholders to align on strategy, share insights, and shape future growth.  

Held in St. Louis, the meetings created a unified platform for collaboration and strategic alignment across the organization’s leading retail brands. Across both meetings, a consistent theme emerged: equipping independent retailers with tools to compete – and win – through smarter technology, simplified operations, and expanded growth opportunities through diversification. 

Advancing the Future of Retail 

CCA leadership previewed key focus areas leading into its Summer Regional Meetings and January conneXtion convention, where members will experience the next phase of the co-ops retail strategy. Central to that vision is a more seamless, customer-first experience that connects in-store and digital journeys. 

Deeper Integration of AI and Technology 

A major focus of the meetings was the expanding role of artificial intelligence across the co-op. From enhanced customer engagement tools to smarter marketing optimization and operational efficiencies, the CCA Retail Group is actively embedding AI-driven capabilities to help members improve conversion, streamline processes, and deliver more personalized customer experiences. 

Next-Generation Marketing and Merchandising 

Management also shared updates on new marketing and merchandising initiatives designed to make execution easier while driving stronger results. Enhancements to its digital marketing platform, in-store technology, and data-driven decision-making tools are aimed at delivering clearer performance visibility and stronger ROI. The group continues to evolve its merchandising approach, blending physical and digital experiences to better meet today’s consumer expectations and support higher-value project selling. 

Retail 3D and the Evolution of the Showroom 

A key highlight was the plans to pilot Retail 3D, an innovative merchandising and visualization platform that reimagines how customers shop for flooring and home projects. By integrating digital displays, visualization tools, and curated product storytelling, Retail 3D represents a significant step forward in modernizing and creating a more immersive and intuitive showroom experience. 

Driving Growth Through Diversification 

Members also explored expanded opportunities beyond flooring, particularly in adjacent categories such as kitchen and bath. These diversification efforts are designed to help retailers capture a greater share of home improvement spend while building on their existing customer relationships and expertise. 

Commitment to Education and Member Success 

CCA Global Retail Group reinforced its investment in ongoing education through its award winning CCA University platform, which continues to deliver training, certification, and professional development programs for members and their teams. New learning tools, including AI-supported coaching and training resources, are helping retailers improve performance at every stage of the customer journey. 

A Collaborative Path Forward 

The Spring Advisory Council Meetings underscored the power of CCA Global Retail Group’s cooperative model—bringing members together to share insights, shape strategy, and align priorities for the future. 

“Our members’ needs engagement, and feedback drive the evolution of our program. These meetings are critical to ensuring we stay focused on what matters most, helping our members grow profitability, differentiate their businesses, and ultimately take market share in an increasingly competitive marketplace.” 

— Keith Spano, President, CCA Retail Group 

With a clear roadmap centered on innovation, technology, and member success, CCA Global Retail Group continues to position its members for long-term growth and leadership in the evolving home improvement landscape. 

Four cities. Hundreds of independent retailers. One mission: build stronger businesses together. 

CCA Global Partners Retail Group is taking its most ambitious Regional Meeting series yet on the road this summer, bringing together independent retailers and co-op leadership across four marquee markets: Houston, Texas; Savannah, Georgia; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Anaheim, California — running May through June 2026. 

Leaders from Carpet One Floor & Home, Flooring America, Flooring Canada, International Design Guild, and The Floor Trader Outlet will be on the ground in each city, alongside members for two days of high-impact strategy sessions, expert-led education, and the kind of candid, in-the-room conversations that move businesses forward. 

Building on the energy of the co-op’s annual convention, the Summer Regional Meetings go deeper — trading convention-center scale for localized, peer-to-peer engagement tailored to what’s actually happening in each region’s market. 

What Attendees Can Expect 

New to the 2026 agenda is a full Education Day, offering members access to targeted courses across multiple tracks — covering areas including claims, CRM platforms, lead conversion, profit strategy, and digital marketing. The expanded curriculum reflects the co-op’s commitment to meeting members where they are and equipping them with skills they can put to work immediately. 

The main-stage agenda features The Vault — a series of focused sessions covering marketing, merchandising, and operations tactics to add margin and reduce expenses leading to increased net profit — alongside interactive coordinator panels on artificial intelligence adoption and lead generation strategy. A vendor fair with more than 25 preferred suppliers rounds out the program, giving members direct access to the products and partnerships that drive their businesses. 

“Independent retailers win when they’re connected — to each other, to the right tools, and to a co-op that’s genuinely invested in their growth. These meetings exist because we believe the best ideas in our industry come from our members, and our job is to create the space where those ideas can spread.” 

— Keith Spano, President, Carpet One Floor & Home 

Beyond the meeting room, each stop in the series will feature networking events designed to bring members together in more informal, high-energy settings. In Houston, members will gather at Truck Yard Houston, known for its open-air atmosphere and eclectic charm, and at The Rustic Uptown — one of the city’s most celebrated live music and dining venues. These events extend the conversation beyond the day’s sessions, creating space for connection, collaboration, and community. 

“What makes this co-op different isn’t any single program or resource — it’s the culture of members who show up for each other. Every time we get in a room together, retailers leave with something they couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. That’s what we’re building toward.” 

— Steve Sieracki, President, Flooring America | Flooring Canada | International Design Guild | The Floor Trader Outlet 

The Summer Regional Meetings underscore CCA Global Partners Retail Group’s ongoing commitment to delivering personalized support, actionable insights, and a collaborative network that helps independent retailers build resilient, future-ready businesses in every market they serve. 

Carpet One Floor & Home, a division of CCA Global Partners Retail Group, today announced it has been named to the SOCi 100 Most Visible Local Enterprise Brands of 2026, recognizing its leadership in local visibility across search, social media, online reputation, and AI-powered discovery. 

Selected from nearly 2,700 multi-location enterprise brands, the SOCi 100 recognizes companies that are winning visibility where consumer decisions increasingly happen, moving beyond local search presence to earn recommendation, trust, and selection across today’s top discovery channels and emerging AI platforms. 

“We’re excited to be named to the SOCi 100 Most Visible Local Enterprise Brands of 2026,” said Frank Chiera, Senior Vice President of Marketing at CCA Global Partners Retail Group. “What makes this meaningful is that it reflects what happens in the local communities we serve every day. We’re much more than just another retail store; our members are neighbors and families who make a big difference in their towns and cities. It’s why great local content comes from real people telling real stories, and that’s precisely what fuels our strategies. We know that as AI shapes how more consumers discover businesses, staying authentic and locally connected isn’t just important; it’s crucial to create space between us and the competition. I’m proud of our team and our members for leaning into that future while staying true to who we are.” 

The SOCi 100 is derived from the SOCi’s 2026 Local Visibility Index (LVI), which analyzed more than 350,000 locations across 2,751 brands. For the first time, the 2026 LVI includes AI visibility as a core benchmark, reflecting how AI-powered assistants are reshaping local discovery by narrowing consumer choice to a single recommended answer. 

SOCi’s research shows that brands with strong local signals, including accurate business information, positive customer sentiment, and consistent local engagement, are more likely to be surfaced and recommended by AI-driven platforms such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity. 

“Visibility today isn’t about ranking — it’s about being selected,” said Monica Ho, Chief Marketing Officer at SOCi. “The brands recognized in the SOCi 100 are setting the standard for trust, consistency, and performance across both traditional local channels and the next generation of AI-powered discovery.” 

For more information about the SOCi 100 Most Visible Local Brands of 2026 and the full SOCi Local Visibility Index, visit www.soci.ai/insights/lvi.

About SOCi 
SOCi is redefining how multi-location enterprises achieve local and AI search visibility with the world’s first agentic workforce. Built specifically for distributed brands, SOCi’s brand-trained agents are guided by a unified visibility engine that autonomously executes and optimizes local marketing work across AI search, GEO ecosystems, social, and reviews — ensuring every location is visible, discoverable, and growing in today’s geo-driven landscape.  

Trusted by leading brands like Ford, Ace Hardware, and Liberty Tax, and recognized by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, SOCi transforms marketing from software you manage into work that gets done — intelligently, consistently, and at scale. Learn more at www.soci.ai or contact [email protected]. 

CCA University is proud to be recognized, for the sixth consecutive year, as an elite global winner of the prestigious 2026 Training MVP Awards. This honor places CCA University among the top organizations worldwide for excellence in innovation for professional development, human capital, and advanced learning.

The award was announced following a comprehensive review process, with winners invited to celebrate at the exclusive black-tie Gala held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, FL. 

CCA University is honored to be recognized for its commitment to learning and development. We look forward to celebrating this achievement with our peers and continuing to set the standard for training excellence.

The summer of 2025 marked an exciting chapter for CCA Global Partners as the Retail Group successfully concluded its third annual Summer Regional Meetings. Spanning five locations across the United States and Canada, these gatherings brought together members from Carpet One Floor & Home, Flooring America & Flooring Canada, The Floor Trader, The International Design Guild, CCA Global Partners staff, and industry vendors.

The meetings were designed to foster collaboration, share insights, and introduce strategies to help members thrive in an ever-evolving market. As the cooperative gears up for its flagship conneXtion 2026 event, these regional meetings served as a powerful springboard for driving growth, innovation, and stronger cooperative ties.

A Summer of Connection Across North America

The 2025 Summer Regional Meetings began in June in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and extended through the summer with stops in Scottsdale, Arizona; Newport, Rhode Island; Big Sky, Montana; and Atlanta, Georgia. Each location provided a unique backdrop for members to connect, learn, and exchange ideas within a more intimate setting.

Why Regional Meetings Matter

Regional meetings represent a cornerstone of CCA Global Partners’ cooperative model. “Regional meetings like these are an integral part of how we collaborate as a cooperative,” said Keith Spano, President of Carpet One Floor & Home. “The smaller setting allows for more in-depth conversations and creates opportunities to explore strategies that will drive our members’ growth and the overall success of our brands.”

These gatherings are not just about presentations—they are interactive, collaborative, and packed with actionable takeaways. Members had the chance to engage directly with their peers, share feedback, and discuss the challenges and opportunities in their respective markets. Steve Sieracki, President of Flooring America, Flooring Canada, International Design Guild, and The Floor Trader Outlet, emphasized the value of these meetings. “These meetings are where we connect on a personal level and work through the challenges and opportunities unique to individual markets. The momentum generated here will propel us into our broader initiatives, especially as we prepare for conneXtion 2026.”

Key Themes and Takeaways

The 2025 Summer Regional Meetings covered a wide array of topics, ensuring members left with valuable insights to implement in their businesses. Below are the key themes that shaped the discussions this year:

Marketing Innovations
Members explored the latest trends in digital and local marketing, with practical strategies to strengthen their brand presence utilizing AMP, CCA Global Partners’ cutting-edge marketing program tailored specifically for locally owned flooring businesses. In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, independent retailers often face challenges competing with big-box competitors. AMP Marketing is designed to level the playing field, offering high-impact marketing solutions that drive results.

Education Sessions
The 2025 Summer Regional Meetings brought members together for a series of hands-on educational sessions aimed at helping them strengthen and grow their businesses. Topics covered everything from fraud and cyber security awareness to human psychology in business, the latest marketing and tech trends, and new approaches to hiring and merchandising. Members shared ideas, learned from one another, and walked away with practical tips they can implement immediately. The event sparked valuable conversations and fresh thinking that will help drive business success across the cooperative.

Installation Best Practices
A strong focus was placed on advancing installation techniques and refining processes to streamline operations, reduce errors, and ultimately boost customer satisfaction. Several installation experts from our supplier network were on hand to answer member questions and provide valuable guidance on claim prevention—ensuring members were left with practical strategies they could implement.

Hiring and Onboarding Best Practices
With recruitment being a significant challenge for many members, the meetings included sessions on updated hiring and onboarding strategies. Members learned how to attract and retain top talent to sustain growth.

Expansion Through Diversification
A key focus this year was helping members grow their business portfolios through smart diversification. Opening additional locations can create new revenue streams and strengthen a member’s market presence. Sessions also highlighted the strong potential in expanding product offerings, such as kitchen and bath, which have delivered impressive sales results for members already featuring these categories in their stores.

Member-Led Discussions: Learning from Each Other

Member participation was at the heart of this year’s regional meetings.  Peer-led discussions allowed attendees to share their experiences, learn from one another, and develop actionable strategies tailored to their unique needs.

Aaron Reid, a Flooring Canada member from Saint Paul, Alberta, shared his enthusiasm: “Being in the co-op has helped me immensely. At this year’s Summer Regional Meeting, I’m taking away some key components that I will put to work, whether it be with my staff and the compensation structure or my relations with certain vendors.”

The value of networking was also highlighted by Chad Gurski from Valley Floors Carpet One in British Columbia. “The most impactful part of the meetings is networking with our group. Learning from them and sharing ideas is very valuable.”

Rick Weibe from Red Deer Carpet One in Alberta emphasized the importance of active engagement: “What you get out of a meeting like this is what you put into it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help—you’ll get new ideas and new perspectives.”

Looking Ahead: Setting the Stage for conneXtion 2026

The momentum generated at the 2025 Summer Regional Meetings is already fueling excitement for conneXtion 2026, CCA Global’s flagship annual convention. Scheduled for January 11-14, 2026, in Denver, Colorado, conneXtion 2026 promises to bring members together on a larger scale to explore the latest innovations, share expertise, and strengthen connections across the cooperative.

“Regional meetings set the foundation for what’s to come,” said Keith Spano. “They provide the personalized discussions and strategy-building that make our annual convention even more impactful.”

The convention will feature dynamic programming, including educational sessions, networking opportunities, and entertainment, culminating in a memorable closing event. Members will leave with the tools and inspiration needed to drive success in the year ahead.

CCA Global Partners invites you to join us for the 24th Annual Alan Greenberg Charity Golf Tournament, celebrating the legacy of Alan Greenberg, the esteemed co-founder of CCA Global Partners. The event will take place on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at the breathtaking Barnsley Gardens in Northern Georgia, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

More than just a day on the greens, the Alan Greenberg Charity Golf Tournament is an opportunity for the floor-covering industry to unite and make a lasting impact. Proceeds from the event benefit the Floor Covering Industry Foundation (FCIF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals in the flooring industry who face unexpected life challenges. The FCIF provides financial assistance for critical needs, such as medical care, housing, and basic living expenses.

“Our industry is built on a strong sense of community, and this tournament exemplifies the spirit of coming together to support one another,” said Charlie Dilks, Chief Product Officer at CCA Global Partners and Chairman of the FCIF Board. “The generosity of our sponsors and participants over the years has made a meaningful difference in the lives of so many. We’re excited to continue this tradition and hope to surpass last year’s success. This is about giving back to those who helped build the industry we love.”

Exciting Additions This Year
Newly added this year, the Alan Greenberg Charity Golf Tournament will feature a pickleball event, offering additional ways to participate, play, and support this incredible cause. Whether you’re a seasoned golfer, an enthusiastic pickleball player, or simply someone wishing to make a difference, there’s a way for everyone to get involved.

Event Details

• Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025
• Location: Barnsley Gardens, Northern Georgia
• Registration and Information: www.alangreenbergfcif.com

Register to play golf or pickleball, sponsor the event, advertise, donate, or attend the awards dinner. Last year’s event raised an impressive $125,000 for FCIF, and with your support, we hope to break records and change lives.

Make a Difference Today
By participating in the Alan Greenberg Charity Golf Tournament, you’re helping industry professionals and their families endure life’s most difficult challenges. Together, we can provide hope and relief to those in need.

To learn more about the Floor Covering Industry Foundation and its mission, please visit www.fcif.org.

Join us for a day of community, competition, and giving back. Register now and be part of something truly impactful!

On June 5, Carpet One Canada – a division of CCA Global Partners Retail Group – proudly hosted a community walk around the iconic Citadel in downtown Halifax, raising funds for the Homes for Heroes Foundation – a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting unhoused Canadian Veterans on their path to stable housing.

Since 2019, Carpet One Canada has supported Homes for Heroes by providing all flooring, tile, and installation supplies for the charity’s innovative village projects. These villages offer unhoused veterans a safe community environment with personalized services tailored to each resident’s unique needs and goals.

Carpet One Canada’s involvement began with the second Homes for Heroes village in Edmonton, Alberta, and continued contributions to subsequent villages. Most recently, Carpet One Canada supported the Kingston, Ontario, village, which opened its doors in June 2024. The cooperative actively supports the upcoming Winnipeg and London villages, both scheduled to open in the summer of 2026.

“It was a pleasure spending time walking around the Citadel in Halifax. Having community partners like Carpet One support Homes for Heroes has a profound impact on our Veteran community,” said Brad Field, CEO of Homes for Heroes Foundation and recent walk participant.

Carpet One Canada’s dedication extends beyond financial support. Members regularly host grassroots fundraising events, including the Walk for H4HF, Remnants for Remembrance, and Carpet One Coffee for H4HF, rallying local communities to support veterans in need.

“We’re proud to see our Canadian Carpet One members continue to support the Homes for Heroes Foundation,” said Cynthia Arsenault, Director of Retail Brands (Canada). “From our walk in Halifax to their ongoing commitment to the upcoming veterans’ villages in Winnipeg and London, their dedication truly makes a difference.” For more information about the Homes for Heroes Foundation and their impactful work, please visit homesforheroesfoundation.ca.

CCA Global Partners Retail Group is hitting the road again, bringing its Summer Regional Meetings back for a third year. From June through August 2025, leaders from the cooperative’s flooring divisions—including Carpet One Floor & Home, Flooring America, Flooring Canada, The International Design Guild, and The Floor Trader Outlet—will collaborate with members in five regional locations across the United States and Canada.

With stops in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Scottsdale, Arizona; Newport, Rhode Island; Big Sky, Montana; and Atlanta, Georgia, this series of intimate, high-impact meetings aim to cultivate peer-to-peer connections and equip members with tools to thrive in a dynamic marketplace.

“These meetings are built around initiatives that directly impact our members’ businesses,” said Steve Sieracki, President of Flooring America, Flooring Canada, International Design Guild, and The Floor Trader Outlet. “From accelerating smart marketing strategies to expanding member-to-member networking, we’re creating opportunities for growth and support in every session.”

Designed to complement the larger national convention, conneXtion, these regional gatherings offer a more localized setting for members to engage deeply on topics relevant to their respective market environments. Each event features collaborative workshops, expert-led discussions, updates on cooperative initiatives, and a vendor fair with over 25 participating suppliers.

“Our agenda maximizes every moment for our members,” said Keith Spano, President of Carpet One Floor & Home. “The energy and enthusiasm coming off conneXtion carry right into these regional meetings. We’re offering focused insights, stronger networking, and actionable strategies that members can immediately put into practice.” As the cooperative continues to evolve alongside a competitive retail landscape, the Summer Regional Meetings illustrate CCA Global Partners Retail Group’s commitment to personalized member support, innovation, and business excellence.