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Our Experts

Who we are at Floor Covering Brokers Carpet One

GET TO KNOW YOUR TRAVERSE CITY, MI AREA FLOORING EXPERTS

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Sales & Design Experts

Kim Buckallew
 

Kim Buckallew

Sales & Design Manager

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Kim’s over 25 years of flooring experience shows in her flair with Tile design and “Green” flooring products. “It’s about working with the customer and understanding the concept they’re imagining. Every project is a blank canvas we get to paint."
Michael Bodus
 

Michael Bodus

Sales & Design Expert

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Michael joined the FCB team as a Sales & Design Expert in 2025. After earning a Master's degree from Indiana University, he returned to northern Michigan to be near family, who originally homesteaded in the Cedar area. Michael has since gained a wealth of customer service, merchandising and sales skills through his 20-plus year career in General Management and Merchandising Management in Northern Michigan's wine industry. Michael enjoys working outdoors, cooking, hiking, travel, being creative in his ceramics studio, and relaxing at home.
Ellen Pellar
 

Ellen Pellar

Sales & Design Expert

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Ellen grew up in the restaurant industry, working alongside her father, a restaurant owner. Her extensive background in customer service and front-of-house management gives Ellen the essential skills necessary to manage the needs of her flooring customers. Ellen has two kids and a big mutt named Charlie, is passionate about the environment and recycling, loves the outdoors, and considers herself a “foodie”. Ellen graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Western Michigan University with a degree in Sustainability, and now applies that expertise to anyone looking for sustainable flooring options.
Dan Purkiss
 

Dan Purkiss

Sales & Design Expert

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Dan was born and raised in Traverse City and now is raising his own family in this beautiful northern Michigan area. He has a strong background which includes several years of floor-covering experience at a major retailer. His focus on customer service, product specifications, and design elements makes him the perfect consultant for your next flooring project.
Charlie Weighman
 

Charlie Weighman

Sales & Design Expert

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After university, years in retail, and teaching thru nonprofits, Charlie joined Floor Covering Brokers in 2017 to begin her professional career. This move allowed her to utilize not only her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, but also her lifelong passion for design. As a local of Traverse City, MI Charlie enjoys helping clients bring their visions to life. She has a true passion to reconnect her clients with the scenic Michigan nature, citing that “we live in one of the most remarkable places, and I truly believe nature is what grounds us all. In this fast-paced world, nothing can be more essential than integrated stress relief”. Charlie has been involved in many facets of design – from spaces, to product, to landscaping, and will forever enjoy learning new things. She is enthusiastic about the building industry as a whole, and through her time networking with in the local Home Builders Association, has greatly impacted the connection between youth and the trades. Charlie serves her community by sitting on committees and boards or assisting in coaching her home town cheer team. In her spare time, you will find her with loved ones enjoying the true outdoors or loving on her cat, Mr. Finn.
Jenya Zdybel
 

Jenya Zdybel

Sales & Design Expert

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Jenya has two decades of experience in retail and industrial sales, project management, and customer service. She holds a degree in Marketing and Advertising from Moscow State Social University and has also studied Interior Design at the New York Institute of Art + Design. With her expertise and eye for color and detail, Jenya successfully helps clients bring their vision to life, creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind projects. Outside of work, Jenya is a fitness enthusiast, fashion lover, and foodie who enjoys traveling the world and sharing her hobbies with her husband, Nick.

Corporate Team

Mike Watkins
 

Mike Watkins

President/Owner

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Mike, a valuable asset at Floor Covering Brokers since 2002, became Vice President and General Manager effective 2017. And now, as of January 1, 2026 Mike and his wife Kristi, became proud Owners of both Floor Covering Brokers and Carpet Galleria as owner Denny Lauterbach retired. Mike has a deep understanding of the floor covering business, having produced excellent results in Sales, Operations and Material Management throughout his 23-year career here. He has a mind for detail and customer service, and a terrific eye for design based on technical training. These strong traits have resulted in Mike being newly elected by Carpet One as a Michigan RNG Coordinator! Mike’s generous and kind spirit has prompted his involvement in several charitable and local activities, including:

  • 3 ½ years as a big brother through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Michigan
  • Rotarian since 2017
  • Key member of the Precision Lawn Chair Drill Team
  • Bell Ringing for Salvation Army for 5 years
  • Grand Traverse Pavilions Foundation Board for 7 years, where he is co-chair of the Activities Committee and volunteers weekly during their Concert on the Lawn series.
Kristi Watkins
 

Kristi Watkins

Owner/Accounting Supervisor

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In 2025, Kristi celebrated 34 years of employment at FCB and has had many different roles over the years. She started as the part-time receptionist, held many positions in the business department and is now the Co-Owner with husband Mike, and Accounting Supervisor. She is the key to the many behind-the-scenes components that make our business run efficiently and has a vast knowledge of our company. Born and raised in Traverse City, Kristi continues to call it home. In her free time, she loves to travel, see new places and make memories with her husband, Mike. Her favorite place to spend time is by the ocean in South Carolina. She enjoys sharing that time with her three grown children, their significant others and granddaughter, Scarlett.
Jean Luedtke
 

Jean Luedtke

Controller

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After attending Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), Jean has accumulated over 40 years of accounting and human resources experience. Her employment background comprises of many notable companies including NMC, Pillsbury World Headquarters (MN), Sara Lee Corp., Century Specialties, and Interlochen Center for the Arts, after which time she established a self-employed Bookkeeping Business for ten years. When Denny Lauterbach purchased FCB in 2004, Jean signed on as the Controller and has been with the company ever since! Some of her past roles include President and board member for 10+ years of the Benzie County Community Chest, Treasurer of the Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital Auxiliary; member of the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers; Christmas “Adopt-A-Family”; Band Boosters for Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools; youth group leader at Trinity Lutheran Church; and treasurer of the Benzie County Ski Boosters for Benzie Central/Frankfort-Elberta co-op ski team. When she’s not crunching numbers, Jean enjoys spending time with her family (husband, three grown children, three grandchildren with one more on the way!), plus boating, hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing and traveling.
Jennifer Bladek
 

Jennifer Bladek

Director of Marketing

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Jennifer earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. She advanced her marketing career through Little Caesar Enterprises’ corporate marketing department where for 10 years she was responsible for local store marketing and managing their southeast US advertising cooperatives. She relocated to Traverse City in 1993, joining The Century Group Advertising Agency, where she managed creative production for clients in outdoor sporting goods, who subsequently launched internet shopping site, Alloutdoors.com. She brought this extensive experience of traditional advertising and internet marketing to Floor Covering Brokers in 2009 and has been with the company ever since. She is currently responsible for media planning and buying, creative development, social media, special events and public relations for both Floor Covering Brokers Carpet One and Carpet Galleria, which was acquired in 2022. Jennifer loves spending time with her husband and friends traveling, attending live events, going to movies, or simply reading a book. She also enjoys hanging out with her two adult daughters, son-in-law, cockapoo Bella, and grand-dogger Sutton.
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Miriam Pico

Spokesperson

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Miriam is a Traverse City native since moving here at the age of four from Puerto Rico and has been singing professionally since the age of eleven. She has released four CDs and performs locally, frequently alongside David Chown, on the keyboard, or with ‘Girls with Guitars’. Miriam is blessed with three amazing children and plans to raise them in beautiful northern Michigan. She is thrilled to be the celebrity spokesperson for Floor Covering Brokers Carpet One. Watch for Miriam in our advertising and marketing!
Bill Lihou
 

Bill Lihou

Operations Manager

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Bill joined FCB in 2023 and has proven to be an integral part of the FCB team. His role as an Operations Manager focuses on daily operations including project coordination, estimating jobs, ensuring quality, maintaining our standards, and improving processes.
Martha McMann
 

Martha McMann

Accounting Assistant

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With a degree in Business Administration from Northwestern Michigan College, Martha serves as a valuable member of our Accounting Team. She loves spending time with her family and friends, especially her granddaughters and fur babies. In her spare time, Martha enjoys crafting, kayaking, paddle boarding and reading books.
Michael Sedgewick
 

Michael Sedgewick

Measurement Specialist

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A native of Rapid City, MI, Michael graduated from Ferris State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. At Floor Covering Brokers, he gained a strong background in flooring installation, warehouse support, carpet cleaning, and was a successful member of the Sales team from 2016-2024, and has received certification in Flooring Design and Consultation. Michael lives in Kalkaska with his wife Autumn and two young sons. He enjoys being outdoors, especially hunting or fishing.
Andrea Slater
 

Andrea Slater

Receptionist

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Andrea has proven to be an efficient and helpful point person as consumers visit our showroom. She grew up in Traverse City, and proudly served in the US Navy from 1990 to 1994, stationed in NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, VA. In 2016, Andrea founded the Munchkins Mission, a non-profit organization that practices trap, neuter, return and cat/kitten adoption, a mission dear to her heart that is still in practice today!

Commercial & Outside Sales

Jim Leitow
 

Jim Leitow

Shop at Home Expert

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Jim comes to us with 50 plus years of installation and sales experience in the flooring industry, including carpet, vinyl, ceramic tile, hardwood, LVP and laminate. For over 20 years, he has been highly effective in-home sales representative. Jim is married with 3 children and 2 grandchildren. Having grown up near Flint, he and his family moved to northern Michigan in 1972.
Mike Makowski
 

Mike Makowski

Commercial Flooring Manager

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Mike joined Floor Covering Brokers Carpet One in 1996. After installing for several years, he was our Measuring Specialist, and for the past several years, has managed our warehouse. Mike will now focus on our commercial business, where he will oversee material and labor quoting and installation crews for projects with area businesses, office buildings, schools, churches, hospitals, and more.
Larry Stoltz
 

Larry Stoltz

Commercial Flooring Manager

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Larry has worked in tile for more than 40 years, learning the trade in Chicago before moving to Traverse City in 1976, and has been involved in projects of all sizes and types. He has established strong partnerships with flooring manufacturers to best manage the needs of our commercial accounts and is versed in commercial resilient, laminate, carpet, hardwood, and porcelain tile floors. For 4 years, Larry has served our community as a member of the Traverse City Area Public Schools Board.

Warehouse Team

Rich Budek
 

Rich Budek

Warehouse Manager

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Originally from Petoskey MI, and later moving to Traverse City, Rich calls northern Michigan home. Rich joined Floor Covering Brokers Carpet One in 2014 and has filled multiple roles including sales, scheduling, and most currently as a vital part of our warehouse staff. His skills and dedication have earned him the promotion to Warehouse Manager. Rich has attended Mohawk University where he acquired a deep knowledge of product selection, measuring, installation, and customer service. Rich has three grown children and four grandchildren.
Kevin Harvey
 

Kevin Harvey

Installation Manager

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Originally from southeast MI, Kevin moved to Traverse City in 2021 and joined the Floor Covering Brokers Carpet One team. After serving as a warehouse worker/delivery driver, Kevin quickly advanced to Installation Manager in January 2022. Prior to working in the Flooring Industry, Kevin was a Police Officer for ten years in the Lansing, MI area. During that time, he was a Detective for three years, and a SWAT operator for six years. Kevin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University. He and his wife have a son and one dog named Frank. In his free time, Kevin keeps busy with home renovation projects, exploring northern Michigan, mountain biking, running, snowboarding, playing Euchre and taking road trips with his family. Kevin is a huge Detroit sports fan as well as a massive MSU Spartan fan.
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Jim Kirsch

Warehouse Assistant

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Jim has been part of our team since 1986, bringing decades of flooring expertise to every role he’s held. After serving four years in the U.S. Navy as a submariner, he began his career as an installer, working that trade for over 35 years, later became our Measuring Specialist, and now supports our warehouse with the same knowledge and dedication that have defined his career. A Traverse City native, Jim enjoys fly fishing, kayaking, and spending time with his wife, five children, and 19 grandchildren.
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Carson Montgomery-Watts

Warehouse Assistant

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Carson joined our warehouse team in 2026 and helps keep every project moving by managing incoming and outgoing materials and preparing deliveries for our installation crews. A Traverse City native, he developed hands-on mechanical skills through the Career Tech Center’s auto repair program. Outside of work, Carson enjoys spending time with his family and two dogs, and can often be found fishing, climbing, or working out at the gym.
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Steve Robinson

Warehouse Assistant

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'Robbie' is a valuable asset in our warehouse, where he assists with jobsite deliveries, flooring tear-outs, and shipping and receiving of installation materials. With a passion for cooking, Robbie loves to share his chef skills while testing new recipes and opens his home to an ongoing stream of foreign exchange students.
 
Michael Simpkin
 

Michael Simpkin

Warehouse Assistant

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A native of Traverse City, MI Michael now lives in Kingsley with his girlfriend, two young children, four dogs and 12 chickens! His background includes a long-run, 14-year kitchen management gig, that taught him a wide range of skills, including leadership, business management, people management, problem solving and customer service. We welcome Michael to the team this fall of 2025 and know he will be a motivational force within our team. In his free time, Michael enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, target shooting and drums… anything outdoors!
Doug Smith
 

Doug Smith

Warehouse Assistant

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Doug has amassed an amazing 40+ year career in flooring installation, which he started in his hometown of Lansing, MI. After heading north to Traverse City, he worked over 30 of those years with Carpet Galleria, earning certification from Karastan Floors, and later joining Floor Covering Brokers Carpet One after their acquisition of the local store. His skills are seriously precise and quality-focused, leaving clients with complete satisfaction in their flooring job. He is now responsible for the ins and outs of our warehouse, helping keep workflow and materials in line. In his spare time, Doug likes anything to do with motorcycles—riding, tinkering and traveling!

Installation Team

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Christian Campbell

Installation Expert

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A Kalkaska native, Christian has been part of our installation team since 2021, bringing a strong background in the flooring industry, specializing in hard surface flooring, carpet tile, and cork tile installations. Now living in the Traverse City area, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his two dogs, whether kayaking, hiking, fishing, or camping.
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Austin Groves

Installation Expert

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With a strong background in landscaping, roofing, and tilework, Austin joined our installation team in 2017 and has proven to be a top-quality employee with excellent results on his installation projects. He lives in Kalkaska with his wife, Kathleen, and their two young children, plus a newborn baby July 2026! Outside of work, Austin enjoys exploring Northern Michigan with his family, fishing, rock hunting along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and visiting scenic overlooks.
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Ben Kohn

Installation Expert

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Ben has worked for us alongside his father, Brian since 2021, developing expertise in hard surface flooring installation and craftsmanship. A Northern Michigan native living in Honor, he brings precision and attention to detail from his background as a machinist. Outside of work, Ben enjoys fishing, playing guitar, and spending time with Ford trucks.
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Brian Kohn

Installation Expert

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With nearly 30 years of flooring installation experience, Brian has been crafting beautiful floors for our customers since 2015. Known for his exceptional workmanship, he also enjoys mentoring the next generation of installers—including working alongside his son, Ben. Outside of work, Brian can often be found on the golf course or restoring his classic car.
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Doug Miller

Installation Expert

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Doug joined our installation team in 2025, bringing with him decades of flooring experience… he learned the trade at a mere 20 years old! Doug has a reputation for hard work, teamwork and precision. He and his wife have two grown sons and four dogs. When he’s not installing floors, Doug enjoys fishing, golfing, disc golf, and riding ATVs.
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Justin Rider

Installation Expert

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Justin has been part of our team since 2014, building more than a decade of flooring experience after starting in our carpet cleaning and warehouse departments. Today, as a flooring Installer, he is known for meticulous workmanship, attention to detail, and commitment to quality installations. Justin and his wife are raising their young daughter in Northern Michigan, where they enjoy spending time outdoors together.
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Preston Smith

Installation Expert

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Preston joined our installation team in 2022 and specializes in hard surface flooring, carpet tile, and cork tile installations. A Northern Michigan native, he brings a strong hands-on background in landscaping, excavation, and automotive work, along with a commitment to quality craftsmanship. Outside of work, Preston enjoys working on vehicles, tackling home improvement projects, and is looking forward to marrying his fiancée, Kaila, in October 2026.
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Jason Watts

Installation Expert

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With more than 30 years of flooring installation experience, Jason has been a valued member of our team since 2019. Jason has been a Traverse City resident for most of his life, having moved up from Detroit at a young age. He has worked in the flooring industry “since he could walk”. Jason is known for his skill, craftsmanship, and dedication to quality installations. Jason lives with his wife, Michelle, and their dog, and enjoys water sports and a friendly game of cornhole in his free time.
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Sam Watts

Installation Expert

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A second-generation flooring installer, Sam brings more than 30 years of experience and exceptional craftsmanship to every project. Since joining our team in 2022, he has earned a reputation for delivering beautiful, expertly installed floors. Sam lives in Northern Michigan with his wife, has three children and two cats, and enjoys fishing, skiing, and bird watching. Flooring is truly a family tradition—his brother Jason and son Carson are also valued members of our team.
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Marc Wood

Installation Expert

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With more than 35 years of flooring installation experience, Marc is known for his exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail. A Karastan Certified installer, he has spent three decades helping Carpet Galleria customers enjoy beautifully installed floors. A Traverse City native, Marc lives locally with his wife, Janet, and enjoys spending time with their two daughters, playing hockey, and cheering on the University of Michigan.

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