Premier Tile Design, Inc., (www.premiertileco.com) in Detroit, Mich., hosted the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) hands on exam on May 9, where the Ilisei brothers Alexandru (Alex), Nicolaie, Emil, and Dimitrie all took and passed the exam. But Project Manager Alex walked away with the 2000th CTI honors.
The brothers are part of a large Romanian community in metro Detroit, and their company is family owned and operated. Premier Tile Design, Inc.’s work profile is 80% commercial and 20% residential, focusing mainly on ceramic tile but also installing rubber flooring, LVT, sheet vinyl, VCT and carpet. It also does stone fabrication and installation – covering about 200,000 sq. ft. of surfaces annually with various finishes.
The family – and the company – value fairness and hard work. “We pride ourselves in quality work and great customer service,” Alex said. “We try to promptly respond to all inquiries and will give our attention to detail no matter the size of the project.”
Alex said his two older brothers learned their craft from their cousins Mirel and Sorin, working at their tile companies on vacation or after school. “They learned the trade from some of the best tile setters at that time, and slowly kept improving their skill as time passed,” he said. In time, the younger brothers went to work with them and others in the community, learning the craft from the “best setters. We were young; we worked making our own money, and that motivated us to perfect our skill and learn more than just tile, but got to learn other construction skills.” All six brothers are in the tile and flooring industry, working together in a tight-knit family who are “proud in helping each other succeed.”
Alex has a lot of gratitude – for parents “who instilled this hard work ethic in us and also to God and the community that we are a part of for shaping the characters we have. We try to be honest and work in such a manner as if we would work for ourselves.”
On test day, five brothers were ready to test, but brother George had a work emergency come up that prevented him from testing. “We will get him [a CTI] in the future,” Alex said. Eugen Ilisei did not test at this time.
The brothers’ lifelong dedication to tile was their preparation for the test. “We thought we were going to breeze through it, but boy were we wrong,” Alex said. “We definitely were challenged doing the hands-on part, but we got through it and did fairly well on it. But it was a challenge to say the least.”
Alex believes the CTI will “help with having more knowledgeable installers that can approach a project with more knowledge and confidence.” The company is an NTCA member as well, and has been since 2017. “We joined to further our education,” he added. “NTCA gives us access to various tile-related material that improves our knowledge of the standards of the industry, and networking with people in the tile world as well as furthering our education and knowledge of the tile industry and standards.”
When it comes to challenges, Alex said his biggest struggle is “sourcing good installers and keeping them. Our goal is to provide them a good working environment, good pay, steady work, and knowledge on how they can improve their skill. We try to treat everyone, especially our workers, how we would love to be treated.”
And his greatest joy as a tile contractor? “Being able to deal with people,” he said. “There are so many different types of personalities and characters that come our way. Many are easy to deal with and talk to, others are more challenging, but at the end of the day they are all people and all need to be treated with respect and love.
“I enjoy helping out people and [having] an impact on their lives,” he added. “Knowing that I can help put food on the table for many families and individuals is a satisfaction that many aren’t privileged to have, and I don’t take it for granted. I can only be thankful toward God for putting me in this position and I want to change peoples’ lives for the better if I can.”
In addition to the pride of obtaining his CTI, Alex received these perks and prizes:
- NTCA is sponsoring airfare, hotel, and registration for Alex to attend Tile Solutions Plus in Phoenix, Ariz., this fall.
- QEP rewarded Alex with one of its newest tile cutters, the QEP® KATANA™ SR-41 41″ Single Rail Tile Cutter with carrying case.
- D.W. Sanders Tile & Stone Contracting awarded Alex with a set of engraved, heirloom-quality mahogany Crick levels.
- Ballin Knows Best reimbursed Alex for the CTI exam fees, which he is using to get another member of the team certified – plus he got a cool Ballin Knows Best shirt.
Ready to take the next step in your tile career?
If you’re ready to validate your expertise and elevate your career in the tile industry, don’t wait! Visit www.tilecareer.com today to learn more about the CTI test and take the first step towards becoming a Certified Tile Installer.
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.
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