BAC Reputation and Collaboration Lead to New Terrazzo Signatory

Terrazzo is in the foundation of the Lenarduzzi family, with over 100 years in the industry and family businesses in Italy, Holland, and Iowa. When Des Moines-based Lenarduzzi Terrazzo Co. needed more manpower for a growing base of work, President Dario Lenarduzzi searched online and found BAC. Reaching out via different channels — including messaging international representatives on LinkedIn and calling the ADC 1 of IL training center — he met with representatives from Local 3 Iowa and Local 15 Missouri/Kansas/Nebraska, practically signing on the spot.

“He was very excited to join us,” said Local 3 Iowa President Ray Lemke. “We showed him everything a partnership with the BAC is able to provide, and discussed what we can work on together to create a strong local terrazzo program.”

“It was a really good meeting,” Local 15 Missouri/Kansas/ Nebraska President Dustin Himes agreed. “He was all about manpower and all about the training. He was very excited about being able to get guys from across the country.”

Like refractory bricklayers, many terrazzo workers find travel for work to be a basic element of the craft, but both Lemke and Himes are excited about the ability to provide local work opportunities and terrazzo training to their members. “I am excited because it is an open canvas for us in Iowa, with a local terrazzo contractor,” Lemke explained. “There is a lot of terrazzo work coming here, so it is a great way to grow our membership. It also opens up avenues in our area for our signatory general contractors to know that we have a terrazzo signatory they can get bids out to.”

“This relationship with Dario can also help us grow our access to the local TMT market,” Himes expressed. “He has a lot of connections in the area, and we can show him and others what benefits there are when a company joins with the BAC.”

When asked about the experience organizing the contractor, Himes pointed out the success was in large part due to the collaboration with the international representatives, two local unions, and even IMI/IMTEF. “It takes a village, it is more than one meeting, one touch. The collaboration with the IU and the locals is part of what made signing Lenarduzzi Terrazzo easy,” Himes explained. “It isn’t one person pitching. He found out information online about IMI, then contacted multiple people. IU Tile/Marble/Terrazzo Craft Director Darin Compton reached out to me, and then Local 3 and 15 collaborated.”

“Also, Dario was excited for what IMI/IMTEF had to offer,” Himes continued. “We have always talked about IMI being involved in top-down organizing, and I now see the benefit to it… how much that can really help move the needle forward.” 

This article originally was published in Issue 1, 2024 of the BAC Journal.