Doug
Amundson
Doug Amundson, a tireless advocate of flooring installers who helped establish the Certified Floorcovering Installers organization, died July 3 in Brookings, S.D., following a long illness. He was 60.
Amundson served as the second president of CFI and was among the first in the industry to champion certification for installers. He remained active in the CFI as an executive board member, and was honored with the organization’s Charlie Gress Award for outstanding service in 1996.
“No one cared more for CFI than Doug,” remembers CFI CEO Jim Walker. “He wanted flooring installers to be recognized for their true value, knowledge and skill.”
Amundson was born in Eau Claire, Wis., on April 6, 1947, to Orville and Freda. His early career sent him to Chicago, but he first became involved in the flooring industry in 1974. Moving to Brookings, S.D. with his wife Jeri, he began a business partnership with his father-in-law at a Carpetland store. He learned to install carpet and later in life owned Commercial Flooring in Sioux Falls, S.D. He remained with the company until 2000, when he retired for health reasons.
In 1989, Amundson began his long association with Jim Walker, then chairman of the Floor Covering Installation Contractors Association’s installation committee. Shortly after meeting Walker at an FCICA sponsored seminar, Amundson organized the Sioux Falls Chapter of the FCICA, only the second chapter to form. He served many years as president. In 1993, CFI was established out of the leadership of the four founding installation chapters, including the group led by Amundson. He served as president of the organization from 1997-1999.
He is survived by his wife Jeri; daughters Niki Jane and Kelli Jo; mother Freda; brothers Ronald and Donald; sisters Diane, Donna and Rene; and extended family.
