FCIF Gala in Gotham - October 5, 2024
Honoree - Roger Marcus - Chairman & CEO - American Biltrite
Roger Marcus’ floor covering industry career spans nearly 60 years, presiding over his family business, American Biltrite, for the past four decades. The Marcus family story begins after World War II when his father, Robert, as president of American Tile Co., took the company that would later be known as Amtico from manufacturing rubber heels and soles to rubber flooring. The major move came in the early 1950s when they started making thermoplastic vinyl floor tile. The company would be the first to chemically emboss, cut, and register VCT tile. The company would soon develop the first no-wax floor tiles in 1969.
All the while, Roger was rising through the ranks, beginning as a sales rep in 1967 upon graduating from Boston University. He became CEO in 1983 and oversaw the merger of Congoleum in 1992. As CEO of Congoleum, he was involved in launching a litany of innovative products, including DuraStone, DuraCeramic, Ultima and ArmorGuard. At one time the company was doing over $250 million.
Roger has also donated his time and efforts to associations that forward the industry. He has served multiple terms as president of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute, and has been chairman of the Floor Covering Industry Foundation’s grant committee for many years. In addition, his company has been a corporate donor to FCIF since the beginning, and Roger personally planned the first three FCIF galas. His combined impact of donations and fundraising equal a lifetime impact of over $1 million to FCIF.