NTCA Names 2022 Tile Setter Craftspersons

JACKSON, Miss. — Gabriel Cortez and Triniti Vigil are this year’s National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) Tile Setter Craftsperson of the Year awards in residential and commercial market segments.

Cortez, with Heritage Marble & Tile in Mill Valley, Calif., receives the residential award, and Vigil, with J & R Tile Inc. of San Antonio garners the commercial award. 

Both will be recognized at the NTCA Ambassadors Reception at TISE in Las Vegas on January 30, 2023.

Cortez started with Heritage Marble & Tile in 1998 and has become a key player to the growth of the company.  Today, Cortez not only sets tile but also mentors and trains up-and -oming tile setters.  Cortez not only mentors in the trade but he is also involved in the community and mentors young people at his church.

Vigil started with J & R Tile in 2007, and is now director of installation and training, and still sets tile as part of active mentoring. Vigil also educates the design community on the need for qualified labor, and is Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) Regional Evaluator for the CTI program. In his spare time, he’s a volunteer coordinator for the Westside San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, where he works to improve neighborhoods. 

To be considered for this honor, nominees were required to have a minimum of 15 years of installation experience and must still be setting tile today. They’re evaluated on artistry, technical correctness, problem solving, continuing education, and mentoring / leading others.