Hindsight Series

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight With Tom Niemerow

Tom Niemerow, owner of Concrete-FX in Ventura County, Calif., discovered his love for concrete at a very young age. But, like most people, it took him decades to find his true calling and build a business on his passion. Niemerow, who started his company in 2002, offers both commercial and residential stamped concrete and stamped overlays, stenciled and textured overlays, concrete coloring through the use of acid stains and penetrating dye stains to create patina and mottled looks, and re-coloring concrete.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight with Concrete Art's Tom Graf

Tom Graf is the owner of Concrete Arts by Graf Architectural Concrete, located in Hudson, Wisconsin. The company offers all types of concrete services—decorative, polished, traditional—you name it. Their piece de resistance is a huge showroom that includes the company parking lot, which features 30,000 square feet of decorative concrete and a topography of the St. Croix river, complete with a water feature.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight With Steve Rosenblatt

Steve Rosenblatt, owner of Sonoma Cast Stone, located in Sonoma, Calif., is the exclusive manufacturer of NuCrete and helms a rapidly-growing company of artisans and technical staff, who combine their talents to design and build beautiful and functional cast concrete products. They recently expanded their factory to accommodate the growing market for their innovative cast concrete products.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight with TCA's Alan Sparkman

Alan Sparkman, Executive Director of the Tennessee Concrete Association (TCA), grew up in the ready-mix business in southeast Kentucky. Along the way, Sparkman also worked with insulating concrete forms in manufacturing and construction for about four years, gaining experience while overseeing a crew that installed and specialized in concrete contracting.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight With Rocky Geans of L.L. Geans Construction Co.

The ability to learn from our mistakes is one of the most important characteristics that set us apart from other animals. Yet, we often find ourselves repeating history. That's why this first in a series of Hindsight articles is so important; were talking to leaders in the decorative concrete industry who are willing to admit to, as well as, share their past mistakes so that others might learn and benefit. As John Powell, the man who discovered the Grand Canyon, once said, The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight with Richard Smith of Richard Smith Custom Concrete

Fourth up in our Hindsight series is Richard Smith of Richard Smith Custom Concrete, located in Southern California. His company's impressive client list includes the likes of restaurant giants Red Lobster and El Torito; amusement parks Disneyland, California Adventure and Universal Studios; popular retail stores M.A.C. Cosmetics, Illuminations and Discovery Channel Stores; MTV corporate offices; and major hotel chain Embassy Suites, as well as the Beverly Hills Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, and the Red Lion Hotel in Santa Barbara.

For over 25 years, Smith and his company have been providing overlays, rockwork, micro toppings, stained and stamped concrete, saw cuts and etchings, and concrete countertops to clients, most of whom either keep coming back for more or refer people to the company.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight with Holliday Rock's John Holliday

Holliday Rock, located in Southern California, sells construction materials and mines sand and gravel to make concrete and asphalt. The company was founded by Otha Holliday in 1937, and when he passed away in 1985, his son, Fredrick, took over. Fred and his son, John, worked side by side for 20 years, until Fred passed away in 2005.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight with Super-Krete's John Holwitz|

Super-Krete founder John Holwitz started out as a successful general contractor based in the San Francisco, Calif., area, specializing in tennis court construction. In collaboration with chemists, he developed Super-Krete Liquid Concentrate, a coating product designed to withstand the test of time and last through extreme weather conditions. Today, Super-Krete products are sold in the U.S., Pacific Islands, China, Hong Kong, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia and Canada.

Super-Krete International Inc., located in El Cajon, Calif., provides product for various applications, including bridge decks, roadways, industrial flooring and dozens of other concrete surface areas. With a product line of non-toxic, environmentally-friendly products for concrete restoration and repair, including sealers, degreasers, water-based color stains, overlayments and acrylic/urethane paints, Holwitz and his daughter, Tracey, who has been working for her father's business during the summer months since she was a fifth grader, have built a reputation as one of the best.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight with Fu-Tung Cheng of Cheng Design and Cheng Concrete Exchange

In this second installment of our Hindsight series, we're talking to yet another leader in the decorative concrete industry, Clark Branum, Northwest Territory manager for Brickform Rafco. While most salesmen focus on their company's products, Branum focuses on processes, or more specifically, what the underlying issues are leading to a particular product's use.

In this second installment of our Hindsight series, we're talking to yet another leader in the decorative concrete industry, Clark Branum, Northwest Territory manager for Brickform Rafco. While most salesmen focus on their company's products, Branum focuses on processes, or more specifically, what the underlying issues are leading to a particular product's use..Branum's more than 24 years experience, starting with entry-level curb and sidewalk finishing in Seattle and Alaska, coupled with an artistic background (he's a musician), has enabled him to grow the decorative concrete industry through education, one contractor at a time. Branum takes care of clients in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and parts of Canada, as well as one client he's close with in Oklahoma City, The Stamp Store. Also on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Concrete Contractors Decorative Concrete Council, Branum helps with the World of Concrete's mega-demos.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight with The Stamp Store's Doug Bannister

Doug Bannister started The Stamp Store in 1995, growing it to become widely recognized as a reliable source of product information and training. Bannister has been involved in decorative concrete treatments work since 1980. First he was a decorative concrete contractor; he still contracted while starting and growing The Stamp Store; in 2001, he put the contracting aside and concentrated his full energies on growing and improving The Stamp Store.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight with Clark Branum of Brickform Rafco

In this second installment of our Hindsight series, we're talking to yet another leader in the decorative concrete industry, Clark Branum, Northwest Territory manager for Brickform Rafco. While most salesmen focus on their company's products, Branum focuses on processes, or more specifically, what the underlying issues are leading to a particular product's use.

In this second installment of our Hindsight series, we're talking to yet another leader in the decorative concrete industry, Clark Branum, Northwest Territory manager for Brickform Rafco. While most salesmen focus on their company's products, Branum focuses on processes, or more specifically, what the underlying issues are leading to a particular product's use..Branum's more than 24 years experience, starting with entry-level curb and sidewalk finishing in Seattle and Alaska, coupled with an artistic background (he's a musician), has enabled him to grow the decorative concrete industry through education, one contractor at a time. Branum takes care of clients in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and parts of Canada, as well as one client he's close with in Oklahoma City, The Stamp Store. Also on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Concrete Contractors Decorative Concrete Council, Branum helps with the World of Concrete's mega-demos.

"If I only knew then..." Hindsight with Barbara Sargent of Kemiko

Next in our Hindsight series is Barbara Sargent, president and owner of Kemiko Concrete Products in Leonard, Texas. Kemiko's acid stains and sealers have been used by architects, builders, designers and specifiers for over 75 years. Since 1930, the company has offered a product line of quality stains, sealers and architectural coatings known for their color reliability and permanence.