Robert Varden, the founder and CEO of the newly formed, nonprofit Unite Floor Training Alliance, welcomed its first slate of board members, as well as others in attendance via teleconference, originating from Unite offices in Rockwall, Texas on January 3, 2023.

The collaboration with Varden launches just as his long-awaited personal passion project Unite, a non-profit dedicated to addressing the installation crisis, debuts.

"What we will do at Unite is stimulate the collaboration, build bridges of cooperation, and outreach to high school seniors with one voice about the potential and rewards of pursuing a career as a trained, qualified professional flooring installer," said Robert Varden, CEO, IFCTA.