What do you know about the NTCA Five-Star Accredited Program? This group of nearly 60 residential, commercial and large commercial tile contractors have documented their commitment to excellence through a rigorous application process, and form a community of collaboration, regionally and nationally. This story in April’s TileLetter magazine by Deputy Director Jeremy Sax gives you an overview of the program, including benefits and educational opportunities they enjoy: https://www.tileletter.com/ntca-five-star-accreditation-program/. But in this month’s NTCA Members story, we talk to a few Five-Star Accredited Contractors to learn what they value most about the program, benefits they’ve experienced and what they’d like to see in the future.
Five-Stars new and old
Gianna Vallefuoco, Co-Owner of high-end residential Vallefuoco Contractors of Rockville, Md., said being a Five-Star since 2012 has been “exponentially beneficial for our company from day one.” She knew that “full accreditation would be worth the effort to pursue,” she said.
Greg Games, President of Premier Tile & Marble, a large commercial tile contractor in Gardena, Calif., affirmed that being a Five-Star Accredited member demonstrates the company’s “commitment to excellence and craftsmanship in our industry.”
Jeff Occhipinti of Columbia River Tile & Stone, Inc., in Portland, Ore., was the first new Accredited Five-Star when the program transitioned in 2024. Named the NTCA Residential Tile Craftsperson of the Year at TISE in January this year, he thinks accreditation demonstrates that “We adhere to the highest industry standards, not only in the technical aspects of tile installation, but also in business ethics and customer satisfaction. For our clients, it provides peace of mind, knowing they are working with a company that values integrity and high-quality work.”
It’s a way for Columbia River Tile & Stone to differentiate itself – as only one of two Five-Star Accredited Contractors in the Pacific Northwest (Hawthorne Tile is the other one!). “As more architects and designers prioritize qualified labor for projects, we see significant benefits in being a Five-Star Accredited Contractor,” he said.
The accreditation process
Games described the application process as “very easy to follow and straightforward.”
Vallefuoco advised, “For anyone seeking this accreditation, do not hesitate to ask questions! NTCA is there to support you and help you thrive in our industry.”
She recommended that new installers work to elevate their business one step at a time, obtaining state licenses and insurance requirements. Additionally, they should “join NTCA, utilize the NTCA University platform, attend NTCA and industry workshops and events, get your hands-on experience, and take the Certified Tile Installer exam.
“NTCA is your support network,” she added, pointing out that NTCA – specifically Becky Serbin, and Amber Fox before her – helped streamline the process. “They responded to every question and guided us through each step without making us feel stupid for asking,” she said. “This accreditation has proven vital to our business.”
Commercial contractor Brekhus Tile & Stone in Denver. Colo., has been a member for more than five years. Austin Andrews, Scheduling/Materials Manager-Tile of Brekhus found the accreditation process meant various departments in the company had to work together to gather information: HR, Finance, Project Management. “I am a huge proponent of community team work,” he said, adding the process also allowed everyone to see how comprehensive the accreditation process was.
Occhipinti said his company didn’t know what to expect, but found the process thorough, with organization and keeping detailed records being key to making it a smooth experience.
“We recommend starting early and leveraging NTCA resources,” he said. “The effort is well worth it, as this accreditation is not just a credential – it emphasizes a company’s values, expertise, and dedication.”
Benefits of Five-Star
Occhipinti finds great value in the educational resources offered through the NTCA. That’s something that Andrews echoed, citing the RIB Speclink reports distributed monthly by Becky Serbin, who runs the program. These reports show projects in the planning stages, and that specify qualified labor.
Serbin also sends a monthly list of the most active to least active architectural firms utilizing NTCA’s qualified labor language.
“Five-Star members can then use this information along with other programs to eventually bid on those projects or reach out to architectural firms in their area to either tell the firm they are qualified labor or to educate the firm on using qualified labor in their specs,” Serbin said.
Andrews shares these resources with his team, enabling them to chase leads that are specifying projects. Andrews also praised NTCA University, as well as articles in Tileletter and online and technical resources NTCA provides on its website, tile-assn.com.
Games seconded the advantage the NTCA Five-Star Accredited Program offers by “giving us an edge on bid comparisons with company owners and general contractors.” He added that, “We like being involved and in the know with the latest happenings in the industry.”
Vallefuoco said the Five-Star Accredited credential reassures clients. It demonstrates “our financial capability to provide premium labor and setting materials worthy of the tile we install. It expresses that we can conduct business with adequate resources to cover potential liabilities. It also makes us stand out, so we’re more likely to compete only with other companies of our caliber.”
The Five-Star community and beyond
“Five-Star is not an elitist title, boasting performative credentials,” Vallefuoco observed. “It represents a small community of dedicated and hardworking tile experts who cherish our trade and share a profound work ethic. We get to be a part of a supportive, empathetic, and inspiring knowledgebase made up of the few people in the nation who share the same industry obstacles and goals. We have our own group chat and live online events. We spend time together in person at TSP, Coverings, and our Five-Star Summit. We don’t view each other as competition. We are more like a tile family that shares similar values and aspirations.”
Vallefuoco said a construction colleague in another trade coined a term for the essence of the Five-Star program: “coopetition.” Vallefuoco added, “ It is a community that keeps our industry competitive through our own cooperation.”
Brekhus’ Andrews also described it as a community. “It’s fantastic to have the connections and ability to connect for jobsite troubleshooting and knowledge sharing,” he said. “It’s more of a community and not competition.”
And Occhipinti said, “We are really looking forward to the Five-Star Summit [in July] and connecting with peers.”
Looking to the future, Five-Stars have aspirations for learning and sharing information.
“We would like to see pedestal paver installation training offered by NTCA for Five-Stars,” Andrews said.
Occipinti added, “We would love to see more mentorship opportunities that connect experienced members with those who are newer to the industry. Sharing insights and best practices strengthens the entire community.”
Intrigued? Want to learn more about the NTCA Five-Star Accredited Program? Visit https://www.tile-assn.com/page/ntca-five-star-accredited-program
Lesley Goddin has been writing and journaling since her first diary at age 11. Her journey has taken her through a career in publishing and publicity, landing her the editor position of TileLetter and its special publications in 2006. Her goal is to educate, inspire, recognize and encourage those in the tile industry -- especially the tile and stone contractor.
