Grosser TCNA Tile Person of the Year
SAN ANTONIO – Donato Grosser, a longtime supporter of Italian tile and stone in the United States, is the 2014 Tile Person of the Year as noted by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA).
Donato GrosserGrosser, the founder and president of D. Grosser and Associates Ltd. In New York, received the honor here at the recent Total Solutions Plus 2014. The award is presented annually to an individual making transformative changes to the North American tile industry.
Grosser’s efforts in the early 1980s led to the first large scale tile exposition open to all, bringing specifiers, distributors, retailers, installers and more to an international tile exhibition. This quickly led to the international tile industry partnership known today as Coverings, which celebrated its 25th year of success in 2014.
“Mr. Grosser is a scholar whose vision and quiet but massive efforts over 40 years have had a transformative effect on the North American tile industry,” said TCNA Executive Director Eric Astrachan. “Additionally, through Coverings, funding for the promotion of tile and industry standards work has been possible.”
From 1974-1984 he worked for the Italian Trade Commission, first as market research director, then as director of consulting services. Since 1980 he has directed promotional programs for the Italian ceramic tile and marble industries.
In 1982 and 1984 Mr. Grosser directed Casa Tile, a showcase of Italian tile held in New York with the participation of up and coming architects and designers. The show was featured on the cover of the New York Times Home section and in a six-page article in Interior Design magazine, as well as in numerous other newspapers and magazines.
“This show did more to promote ceramic tile in America than anything that was done before,” said William Snyder, former president of American Olean Tile.
D. Grosser and Associates, founded in 1984, provides international clients with specialized assistance in entering and increasing their presence in the American market. Clients include manufacturers’ associations, trade associations, banks, and individual manufacturers in the U.S., Italy and Canada.
Grosser also has been the U.S. consultant for Confindustria Ceramica (the Italian Association of Ceramics, formerly Assopiastrelle) since 1984.
“I’m so happy to hear about such a distinguished recognition for my friend, Donato. My sincere congratulations to him: it is well-deserved,” said Luciano Galassini, deputy managing director of Confindustria Ceramica. “Donato has been a consultant to the Italian tile industry for many years in the United States, but his words and actions to promote tile consumption have been beneficial to all the players in the American marketplace.
“I highly appreciate the fact the North American tile industry today recognizes this work and dedication by someone who has done it behind the scenes in a fair manner. Congratulations to TCNA for this.”
Since 1980 Grosser has given more than one hundred seminars on ceramic tile to AIA and ASID chapters all over the U.S. He was also a member of the Ceramic Tile Marketing Federation. He also advised many ceramic-tile manufacturers and authored numerous articles in trade publications.
Grosser is an executive board member of the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF), which provides installer training and certification.
In 1984 Grosser was named “Master of the Art of Stone” at Marmomacc in Verona, Italy, for the promotion of Italian marble in the United States. In 1985 he received an Award of Excellence for his promotional activities from Interior Design.
In 1989 he received the Cesery Memorial Award by the Tile Contractors’ Association of America for his “Outstanding Service to the Industry,” and he also gained honors from the Tile Heritage Foundation in 1994.
Born and raised in Milan, Italy, Grosser has a B.A. in economics from the University of Jerusalem and an MBA in management and marketing from New York University.
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