Trade shows can sometimes blur together. Booth numbers, bright lights, handshakes, quick conversations in the aisle. But every once in a while, a week stands out for the right reasons.
TISE 2026 was one of those weeks.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, four installers stepped onto the show floor to take the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) hands-on exam. All four came from Elite Tile Setters out of South Jordan, Utah.
Schluter Systems stepped up and sponsored the testing fees — two installers on Tuesday and two on Wednesday — and that support matters.
CTI testing on a show floor isn’t easy. It’s loud. It’s public. There are distractions everywhere. But those four installers focused, laid out their modules, managed their time, and proved what they could do. With Tom Cravillion evaluating and his wife, Shana, keeping everyone encouraged and on task, each one earned the credential.
Congratulations to:
Mike Newbold – CTI #2055
Luis Fernando Castillo – CTI #2056
David Diaz – CTI #2057
Luis Rossi – CTI #2058
That’s what progress looks like.
Qualified labor. Verified skills. Industry backing.
Beyond testing, CTEF had a full schedule.
Scott Carothers delivered two Live Theatre sessions that cut straight to the core issues we keep seeing in the field. Waterproofing failures, deflection misunderstandings, and the hidden cost of callbacks aren’t abstract concepts — they’re daily realities. His sessions focused on practical correction: how to build showers that last, how to recognize structural movement before it becomes cracked tile, and how smart risk management and certification can improve results without increasing payroll.
On the demo side, Matt Welner and I had some fun — and made some intentional messes.
“Waterproofing Gone Wild” showed exactly how showers fail when corners get cut.
“The Floor That Fights Back” let attendees see real deflection instead of just hearing about it. When people can see what happens when two hefty fellas stomp on a floor and clearly watch it flex, the lesson sticks.
Scott also led a Pulse session focused on the hidden cost of callbacks.
The message was simple: most failures start long before the tile is set. Communication, proper substrate evaluation, qualified labor, and clear expectations are not optional. They’re the difference between profit and rework.
When I step back and look at the week, what stands out most isn’t the sessions or the crowd. It’s partnership.
Schluter Systems didn’t just sponsor a booth or hang a banner. They invested directly in installers by covering CTI testing fees. That’s tangible support for craftsmanship. That’s putting resources behind raising the bar.
Four new CTIs.
Five educational sessions.
Countless conversations about doing it right the first time.
That’s a good week.
And if we keep aligning manufacturers, associations, and installers around education and verified skill, the entire industry moves forward.
Coverings is just around the corner - so come by and see us there as we continue to increase the real value of the ceramic tile industry with all our wonderful partners!
Brad Denny – Executive Director, CTEF, CTI #1190