Past president Jack Daly was heard singing the song "Thanks for the memories" (in his best Michael Buble' voice) at the last board of directors meeting, as he is succeeded by Ken McKillip, who has an exciting 2014 to guide us through.
First of all, and in the forseeable future, we will donate all proceeds from the June 5 SDCFCA golf tournament to Ronald McDonald House. They have agreed to let us work hard at golf to help Ronald McDonald house help critically ill children and their families negotiate exhausting medical circumstances. And, since our board of directors wants to do more for them, we will provide and serve a dinner for these families on March 29th, 5 - 7:30 PM at the Ronald McDonald House cafeteria located adjacent Rady's Children's hospital, here in San Diego. Any of you readers who wish to help serve at this SDCFCA sanctioned event need only attend and tie on an apron.
Other SDCFCA event dates to log into your calendars:
- Day at the Races, Del Mar August 1*
- San Diego Flooring Market, with the Executive Editor - SD Business Journal - as keynote speaker September 16
*Approximate date.
Further, the board is now discussing (1) an estimating/inspection training course and (2) a CFI Installation training session ... as additional SDCFCA sponsored events.
Please call your local Board member or go to the association website www.sdcfca.com for all event registration or to voice your opinions on the training events now under discussion. In fact, we invite all you readers to check the website regularly for issue and event updates - or to sign up for company or sponsor membership. Your association company membership is now pushing 30 and the Board of Directors has set a 40 company member goal for 2014...vendor sponsors number over 10, and we welcome all trade manufacturers and distributors.
Last, because membership in the World Floor Covering Association goes with your SDCFCA membership, please visit their website www.wfca.org for overarching national floor covering industry news and the national flooring events schedule.
Jack Daly, SDCFCA Newsletter Editor
History of Our Members: The Victor Kemp Company.
SDCFCA History of our members - The Victor Kemp Company (now The Tom Duffy Company)
The Victory Kemp Company was founded by Victor Kemp, in Los Angeles in 1926. Originally in the business of selling carpet cleaning supplies, The Victor Kemp Company expanded into carpet installation supplies in the late 1940's or early 1950's, about this same time, Victor Kemp passed away. Mr. Vern Waters, who had been working for the company, then became the owner.
The Victor Kemp Co. was truly one of the early pioneers into what is now the wholesale flooring supplies business. Vern expanded his business throughout the Los Angeles area, and started selling into Orange and San Diego counties. Early on, Vern helped a man named Brian Barry start his own business in the Santa Clara area of California. Vern let Brian use the name Victor Kemp, and when Brian later decided to retire, he sold the Santa Clara business to a company out of Texas called L D Brinkman.
Vern Waters was most likely the originator of the "deliver out of a van" concept of wholesale supplies selling. Using this technique, he started selling into the San Diego market in the late 1950's, from Los Angeles. It was so successful that in the early 1960's, Vern opened a location in San Diego. And in the early 1970's Vern sold part of the Los Angeles business to a co-worker named Walter Bugreef. At that same time, Vern decided to move to San Diego, and give full attention to running the Victor Kemp Co. of San Diego.
By 1978, Vern had decided to retire, and sell the San Diego operation to Walter. Walter found that he didn't want to run the San Diego location, and connected with an associate named Charlie Brown. Charlie came on as a partner, and completely ran the San Diego location. He later bought out all of Walter's interests in 1989.
Charlie Brown had previously worked for Lehman Brothers as a stock broker, and for Roberts Consolidated as an outside sales rep. By the end of the 1990's, Walter Bugreef sold his interests in the Los Angeles Victor Kemp Co. to Desoto Sales Co. and soon retired.
So with consolidation, what was once three separate Victor Kemp Companies, was now reduced to just one: "The Victor Kemp Company of San Diego". Charlie's son Damon joined his dad, and has worked in the business from his sophomore year in high school. Growth took the company up to 4 locations at it's peak. Charlie Brown had owned the Victor Kemp Company of San Diego for 24 years, when in September of 2003 he retired and turned over the controls to his son Damon. Charlie was always such a proud father, getting to watch Damon run the business and continue to maintain the companies great reputation, and name in the industry!
Some of Charlie's memories are:
Being one of the pioneers to introduce computers to the supplies business, thanks to his son Damon.
Expanding the company's product offerings to include Roppe cove base and commercial floor accessories.
Making a life-long friend in Frank Denny.....the President of Design for Living.
And in 1980, Charlie gathered a group of local industry associates and formed what is now the
San Diego County Floor Covering Association, combining the retail flooring association with the
wholesale association.
Some notable things about Charlie Brown and the Victor Kemp Company: They sold a large amount of Henry's Adhesives over the years to the local Military. They once sold a line of vinyl called "Vinylasa" back in the late 1990's. Both Charlie and Damon have always been very active in the industry through board membership in the NAFCD, FIANA, and the SDCFCA.
One of Charlie's favorite memories of the SDCFCA was in 1982 at the 1st SDCFCA local market held downtown at the Community Concourse Convention Center. "Getting to set up the Victor Kemp Booth, and socializing with all the customers and fellow exhibitors!" "Always a fun time!"
The Victor Kemp Company name had lived on for over 84 years, when on September 30th, 2010, Charlie, who had owned it for 31 years, sold the company to the B.R.Funsten/Tom Duffy Company. Both locations changed into Tom Duffy Co. branches, bringing the total number of Duffy branches in California to 23.
For more stories on the History of Our Members, visit the San Diego County Floor Covering Association's website at www.sdcfca.com.
In Memorium:
Mr. Bob James, product manager with Diamond W at their City Of Industry, CA location has passed away after a long illness.
The SDCFCA board would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the James family.
Presidents Message:
As I assume the role of President of your San Diego County Floor Covering Association (SDCFCA), I want to thank the retail members and sponsors for their continued support. The Board of Directors has done a tremendous job in rebuilding our association over the past four and one-half years and I look forward to a continuing those efforts over the next two years.
I must thank the past two Presidents for their leadership and dedication to our industry, Jack Daly - The Tom Duffy Company and Mark McDonald - La Mesa Carpet and Linoleum. To those leaving the Board ... Tony Bretz - Mission Carpet Distributors, Judy Wells - Geneva Flooring and our Executive Director Carrie Gustafson - Geneva Flooring ... thanks for your hard work and dedication. And, welcome to incoming Board Members John Lopez - J&C Carpet Company, and Jeff Chrapczynski - Shaw Inc. A list of all current Board Members e-mail addresses can be found on our web site www.sdcfca.com.
Thanks to the efforts of Mark McDonald and his Golf Committee, we cleared significant charity dollars from the June Golf Tournament that - last fall - we used to buy and serve dinner to approximately one hundred and sixty people at The Ronald McDonald House ... Plus, donate $2,500 to them. Going forward, proceeds from that tournament will specifically benefit The Ronald McDonald House. Our first event this year will be a second dinner there on March 28 at 5:00 PM. If you would like to join us, contact Mark.
Committee Chairpersons are as follows: Don Melucci - Membership, Mark McDonald - June Golf Scramble, Marci Lehnherr - Day at the Races, Habitat for Humanity and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Also; Dave McCowan - Scholarship, Ken McKillip - October Golf Championship and Jack Daly - San Diego Flooring Market. All events will be posted on the web site where you can pay on line if more convenient for you.
To those retail members who have yet to join SDCFCA, I ask that you consider becoming a member. A Membership form is posted on the web site where you can pay online. Your membership includes membership in The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA).
Our Association is dedicated to improving the San Diego County flooring trade and ... wherever possible ... making a difference in our community.
Please contact me at any time with questions or suggestions at 619-228-6493.
Thank you all and I wish you a happy and prosperous 2014.
Ken McKillip, SDCFCA President
