Kephart Named NTCA Consultant
JACKSON, Miss.– Michael Kephart has joined the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) as an executive consultant. Kephart will focus on advancing training, education and advocacy for the U.S. tile industry.
More specifically, Kephart will serve as an executive adviser and advocate for NTCA and the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) in Tennessee, where he will work closely with the U.S. Tile Collaborative and local factories to promote training, education and advocacy initiatives.
Kephart, president of the Franklin, Tenn.-based Kephart Group, cited the Volunteeer State as the center of the U.S. ceramic tile industry, both now and in the future.
“Working with state of Tennessee resources, existing producers, and the leading organizations for labor – NTCA/CTEF manufacturing standards and political advocacy – we will lead in elevating culture, education, training, collaboration and future investment supporting dynamic growth and market share for the U.S. ceramic tile industry,” Kephart said.
The U.S. Tile Collaborative has partnered with the Tennessee Economic Development Department, state universities, technical colleges, TCNA, and the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) to launch a groundbreaking education initiative supporting the U.S. ceramic tile industry.
The U.S. Tile Collaborative is an advocacy and advisory group for expanding the Tennessee tile manufacturing base with training and education for plant labor supported by the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) model.
The three tiers of education are the supporting initiative working with the State of Tennessee Economic Development and the Tennessee Workforce Development teams.
Kephart has played a crucial role in bringing NTCA before the Tennessee Economic Development Department, setting the stage for this initiative. Now, as an executive advisory/consultant, he will help align factories in Tennessee to support CTEF and NTCA initiatives, including developing a tile installation curriculum within the TCAT and Tennessee College Systems.
Bart Bettiga, executive director of NTCA, says the industry leadership recognizes the unique opportunity Tennessee provides to positively impact the ceramic tile industry.
“We intend to utilize (Kephart’s) unique talents and state and industry relationships to help us reach our goals,” Bettiga said.
