Coverings, the premier international tile and stone exhibition and conference in North America, has unveiled the honorees of the annual Rock Star Awards ahead of Coverings 2024, taking place April 22-25, 2024, at the Georgia World Congress Center, in Atlanta, Georgia.

2024 marks the 10th year of the coveted awards program, underscoring Coverings’ unwavering, decade-long commitment to fostering industry growth by honoring exemplary young leaders in the tile and stone industry.

This year's Rock Star recipients epitomize the industry's most resourceful and exceptional young professionals who consistently innovate as forerunners of achievement, setting new standards in performance and excellence to further industry advancement.

“Over the past decade, the Rock Stars program has become a Coverings cornerstone, commemorating the innovative spirit and remarkable achievements of emerging tile and stone leaders,” said Jenn Heinold, president of Taffy Event Strategies, the show management company for Coverings. “The 2024 Rock Stars represent shining examples of professionals who demonstrate leadership, creativity and commitment to excellence, helping to drive the industry forward in countless positive ways. Coverings is proud to honor these exceptional individuals as part of the program’s 10th anniversary celebration.”

A panel of tile and stone industry leaders carefully reviewed nominations to determine this year's 16 Rock Star inductees. The 2024 winners encompass a wide range of industry segments as follows:

Contractor/Installer (7):

  • Sean Gordy, Owner, Gordy Tile, Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Shanan Hehir, Owner, Shanans Absolute Tile LLC, Manchester, Vermont
  • Trevor Hook, Owner, Hooked on Tile LLC, Evansville, Wisconsin
  • Nathan Merrill, Installer/Owner, Vision Stone and Tile, Mogadore, Ohio
  • Megan Renk, Owner, Mosaix Tile Installation Company, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
  • Aryk Snowberger, Owner, Snowbee Custom Tile, Canton, Ohio
  • Gus Tolleson, Project Manager, J&R Tile, Inc., San Antonio, Texas

Designer (2):

  • Marie Page, Sales Design Consultant, Architessa, Rockville, Maryland
  • Amala Raj Swenson, Principal Interior Designer, Amala Raj Interiors, San Diego, California

Distributor (4):

  • Steven Bellew, Operations Manager, Warehouse Coordinator / Co-owner, Bellew Tile & Marble Co / TJB Imports, Hingham, Massachusetts
  • John Donaghy, Director of Operations – Commercial Division, Best Tile, Fairhaven, Massachusetts
  • Jordan Johnson, Procurement Associate, International Tile & Stone, Daytona Beach, Florida
  • Matthew Marchildon, Tool & Accessory Division Manager, Centura Tile, Toronto, Ontario

Manufacturer (2):

  • Markus Dworowy, National Technical Manager, Blanke Corporation, Rolling Meadows, Illinois
  • Kali Pharand, Product Standards and Sustainability Coordinator, Schluter Systems, Plattsburgh, New York

Retailer (1):

  • Dani Williams, CEO and Creative Director, Artesana Tile, Tucson, Arizona

The 2024 Rock Stars will be celebrated at Coverings 2024 alongside winners from the past nine years, uniting both new and previous award recipients in a grand celebration of industry excellence. A panel with previous Rock Stars about unlocking the key to a successful career will top off the celebration.

Showgoers are invited to participate in the festivities by attending the 2024 Rock Star Awards Ceremony & 10th Anniversary Celebration, which will be held April 22, 4-5 p.m. EDT, in the Outdoor Oasis (Hall C, Booth 7006) at Coverings 2024.

Recognition for this year’s winners also includes Coverings press content, a year-long professional feature on the Coverings website as well as postings on Coverings’ social media channels and blog.

Coverings 2024 attendees and other industry professionals can learn more about the Coverings 2024 Rock Stars here.