by Michael Chmielecki, senior editor
Jackson Aho of Sterling Floors Inc. in Vancouver, Wash., and Hugo Gutierrez of Golden State Contract Flooring in Concord, Calif., were named finalists in the first TISE (The International Surface Event) Installer of the Year regional event, held recently at RC Willey in Salt Lake City.
The two installers will go on to compete at the Nationals during TISE 2027—set for Feb. 2-4 in Las Vegas—against the winners of upcoming regionals in Philadelphia on Sept. 12, Houston on Oct. 17 and Dalton, Ga., on Nov. 7. Two grand prize winners will then receive the National Installer of the Year title, a cash prize and championship belts.
Aho went head-to-head in the lvp category against three other competitors: Mario Fernandez Sr. of Fernandez Floor Covering in Corona, Calif.; Travis Robison of Robison Design Flooring in Rigby, Idaho.; and John Apodaca of Cuttrate Flooring in Northglenn, Colo.
Gutierrez bested two opponents in the carpet category: Jason Estes of Jason’s Installations & Carpet Repair Inc. and Brandon Beckstead of Quality Carpet Repair, both based out of Salt Lake City.
The competition partner for the TISE Installer of the Year contest is International Certified Flooring Installers (CFI). The platinum sponsor is Mohawk. Product sponsors are Performance Accessories, Sika and QEP/Roberts. The media partner is ProInstaller magazine.
For more information and to enter, visit https://form.jotform.com/253094547874166.
