Coverings 2012 seeking conference speakers

Coverings 2012, the international tile and stone exposition scheduled for April 17-20, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida, has issued a “Call for Presentations” in its hunt for conference speakers and professional development seminar leaders. Experts and leading authorities in retail and distribution, installation and fabrication, architecture and interiors are invited to submit proposals for one or more topics that can be incorporated into the offering of educational sessions. Applications are available at www.coverings.com, or at www.facebook.com/CoveringsShow. The deadline for proposals is Monday, August 15, 2011.

According to Jennifer Hoff, president of events for National Trade Productions, which manages and produces Coverings, seminars consistently score high marks as a key Coverings attraction, with more than half of all visitors attending at least one session each year. For instance, color guru Leatrice Eiseman consistently packs the house when she presents her annual color trends program, which she has been offering at Coverings for more than a decade. Flooring industry expert Jonathan Trivers is another show regular who serves up valuable sessions for distributors, while James Dion, a highly respected authority on flooring retail, typically speaks to an SRO crowd. Presentations are not limited to solo speakers; numerous interactive forums that bring together the best and brightest of experts and diverse perspectives also are a draw. The National Tile Contractors Association helps put together many of these, and Coverings welcomes proposals for such group-led discussions, as well, said Hoff.