Coverings, the leading international tile and stone exhibition and conference in North America, has announced 22 honorees for two of the show’s prestigious annual awards programs: the 2026 Rock Star Awards and the 2026 Coverings Champions.
Coverings Rock Stars
This emerging-leaders program emphasizes Coverings’ mission to support the success and growth of the tile and stone industry by celebrating the best and brightest young leaders.
This year’s 18 inductees were selected following an extensive candidate review by a panel of tile and stone industry leaders. The winners hail from numerous industry segments and comprise top-notch talent known for fostering networking and educational opportunities.
Builder/Remodeler
- Catherine Atkins: Architectural Sales, Thorntree Fine Porcelain & Natural Stone in Dallas, Texas
- Michael Ray: Owner, Ray’s Renovation in Ramer, Tenn.
Contractor/Installer
- Hector Ruiz: CEO, HR Tile in Glenwood Springs, Colo.
- Joppe Aguirre: Owner/Installer, Cascadia Tile Company, LLC in Bend, Ore.
- JP Baggett: Business Development, Elite Tile Setters in South Jordan, Utah
- Mauricio Rapalo: Owner, Prominent Tile, LLC in Houston, Texas
- Neil Levens: Installer/Owner, Levens Renovations, LLC in Corpus Christi, Texas
- Nicko Dimaandal: Owner & Creative Director, Tsunami Homes in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Designer
- Angie Gonzalez: Principal Designer/Owner, Nico Tati Designs in Rockwall, Texas
- Jennifer Hutton: Principal Designer/Creative Director, Grau Design Studio in Durham, N.C.
- Liany Arvelo: Designer II, C4 Architecture in Orlando, Fla.
Retailer
- Anna McCortney: Operations Manager, Ultimate Flooring in Akron, Ohio
- Jessica Jackson: Builder Sales & Design, L & L Flooring and Design in Nashville, Tenn.
Marketing
- Sara White: Associate Account Director, Novità Communications in New York, N.Y.
- Vanessa Leite: Marketing Manager, PBA Stones in Vitoria, Espirito Santo, Brazil
Manufacturer
- Leonardo Guardia: Technical Director and Partner, Cortag Tools USA Corporation in Hiram, Ga.
Distributor
- Vidya Walia: CEO, Arista International, Inc. in Tempe, Ariz.
Stone Fabricator
- Noah Marques: Manager, Marques Countertops in Slidell, La.
Coverings Champions
First introduced at Coverings 2025, this awards program recognizes industry leaders for their outstanding contributions and advocacy for the Coverings show and tile and stone community. These influential visionaries are dedicated supporters who passionately promote the event and invest significant time, energy and resources to its advancement. Through their involvement in educational sessions, expert panels, special projects and outreach efforts, Coverings Champions drive industry innovation while elevating the Coverings experience and the future of the tile and stone community at large.
Coverings selected four nominees for the 2026 Coverings Champion, People’s Choice Award and invited the tile and stone industry to vote, giving the community a powerful voice in recognizing an industry leader who truly makes a difference. The four 2026 Coverings Champions, People’s Choice nominees were:
- Betty Sullivan: Chair of the Board of Directors, Architectural Ceramics, Inc. (DBA Architessa) in Rockville, Md.
- Jennifer Richinelli: Editorial Director, Stone World in Verona, N.J.
- Dan Welch: President, Welch Tile in Kent City, Mich.
- Scott Conwell, FAIA, FCSI, CDT, LEED AP: Director of Market Development, International Masonry Institute in Chicago, Ill.
Having received nearly 1,500 votes, Jennifer Richinelli is the 2026 Coverings Champion, People’s Choice recipient. She is recognized for her unwavering dedication and outstanding contributions to the industry and the Coverings show, including serving on the Coverings Installation & Design (CID) Awards judging panel for more than 15 years.
The 2026 Rock Star Awards & Coverings Champions Ceremony will take place in The Coverings Lounge, Booth 6014, Monday, March 30 from 4-5 PM PDT. Showgoers are invited to participate in the festivities.
To learn more about the Rock Stars & Coverings Champions Awards Ceremony, visit coverings.com/coverings-rock-stars. For more information and to register to attend Coverings 2026, visit Coverings.com.
About Coverings
Coverings is the largest and preeminent ceramic tile and natural stone trade fair and exposition in all of North America. It features exhibitors from 40 countries and is the stage for introducing some of the most innovative tile and stone products in the world with 1,000 exhibitors. The exposition and conference, with more than 35 years of successful history, serve as a valuable and complimentary learning resource for all segments of the industry, with dozens of educational opportunities throughout the show. Coverings attracts thousands of distributors, retailers, fabricators, contractors, specifiers, architectural and design professionals, builders, real estate developers, as well as journalists, reporters, broadcasters, podcasters and bloggers who cover the vital tile and stone industry.
Key sponsors of the show are Ceramics of Italy/Confindustria Ceramica, Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association of Spain (ASCER)/Tile of Spain, Tile Council of North America (TCNA), National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA) and International Product Assurance (IPA) Laboratories.
