East Hartford, Conn.-based Dur-A-Flex Inc. recently welcomed its first group of attendees to its new Contractor Academy for Owners, a program designed for independent, commercial floor business owners looking for a competitive edge in their industry.

The business owners — known as partners and part of Dur-A-Flex’s reseller channel — came to the East Hartford, Conn., headquarters from as far as Mexico and spent three days learning ways to strengthen their business practices to combat the challenges they face in today’s construction environment.

“I had been looking at ways to improve the morale and increase participation from my crew and office staff,” said Jerry Johnson, an academy attendee and president of Quality Service & Supply, Amarillo, Texas. “The academy opened my eyes to just how great a company can be when we empower the people within it and to see what is happening right here and now. I learned that there is a better way to run a company other than our fathers’ way.”

The academy’s curriculum includes understanding management styles, improving profitability in a tight market and financial strategies for the successful jobsite. “We designed the curriculum to help owners achieve a well-rounded business by addressing areas that sometimes get overlooked such as right-sizing your business for maximum effectiveness, job cost accounting and presenting clear value to the customer,” said Bob Parker, a seasoned contractor and one of the driving forces behind the Academy’s creation. The program also includes exercises in pre-planning and post-job analysis to help uncover hidden profits and problems.

In addition to his role in helping with the course offerings, Parker was instrumental in selecting session speakers who are experts in the industry. Among these experts are bestselling author Paul Resetarits, Ph.D., who is also professor of Manufacturing Management at Central Connecticut State University and Brian Stater, estimating manager of Bowen Engineering Group, Fishers, Ind.

“We wanted to reach out to our contractors and decided the best way to do this was to create a learning center that takes them beyond their existing product knowledge and installation techniques,” Parker said.

A nominal fee is required to register for the academy. In return, attendees receive continuous support throughout the year. The academy’s next session will commence on May 17, with additional sessions running throughout the year.

For more information, or to register, visit www.duraflexuniversity.com.

Dur-A-Flex produces epoxy, urethane, methyl methacrylate (MMA) and colored aggregates, and offers a complete line of flooring and wall systems.