Flooring industry executive and philanthropist Roger S. Marcus died Nov. 4 at his residence in New Jersey. He was 80.
Following the news of his death, Charlie Dilks, board chair of the Floor Covering Industry Foundation (FCIF) of which Marcus was a tireless supporter, shared this statement:
“Roger’s contributions to the floor covering industry span nearly six decades. As the long-time leader of American Biltrite, Roger built upon his family’s legacy with vision, innovation and integrity. Beginning his career in 1967 as a sales representative after graduating from Boston University, Roger rose to become CEO in 1983. Under his leadership American Biltrite—and later Congoleum, following their merger in 1992—developed groundbreaking products such as DuraStone, DuraCeramic, Ultima and ArmorGuard, helping the company grow to more than $250 million in business.
“Beyond his professional accomplishments, Roger was deeply committed to advancing and supporting the entire flooring community. He joined the FCIF Board of Directors in January 1998, serving faithfully for more than 27 years. He also served multiple terms as president of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute, where his leadership and advocacy helped advance the entire resilient flooring category. His wisdom, kindness and unwavering commitment have left an indelible mark on our organization and the many lives it touches.
“Roger chaired FCIF’s grant committee for many years and was instrumental in planning the first three FCIF galas. His leadership, generosity and tireless advocacy resulted in a lifetime impact exceeding $1 million in contributions to FCIF, through funds raised at the galas and through corporate support from American Biltrite.
“Most recently, FCIF honored Roger’s lifetime impact on the flooring industry and his steadfast dedication to the Foundation’s mission at a gala held at Gotham Hall in October 2024. Hundreds of industry executives gathered to celebrate his achievements, leadership and compassion. In lieu of focusing on his personal accomplishments, Roger chose to share the stories of FCIF grantees, hoping to inspire the next generation of industry leaders to continue passionately supporting the cause of helping those in need.
“As we remember Roger, we also reflect on the mission that he championed throughout his service. FCIF exists to support those in the floor covering industry who experience catastrophic illness, severe disability, or other life-altering hardships. Roger believed deeply in this mission and worked tirelessly to ensure that those facing difficult times could receive the compassion and financial assistance they needed.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Roger’s family, friends and colleagues. His passing is a tremendous loss to our flooring family, but his legacy of leadership, generosity and care for others will continue to inspire us for years to come.”
