George Bandy and Cheryl Durst to keynote third annual Flooring Sustainability Summit in D.C.

This July, the third-annual Flooring Sustainability Summit returns to Washington, D.C., with industry leaders George Bandy and Cheryl Durst tapped to deliver the keynotes. Bandy is currently chief sustainability officer at Andersen Corporation and Durst is executive vice president and CEO of the International Interior Design Association.

Scheduled for July 15-16 at the Mayflower Hotel, the summit brings together leaders within the flooring industry to discuss evolving sustainability issues. In addition, this year’s summit will offer AIA-approved CEU courses for the first time. It is also expanding its Architecture & Design Awards program, with Project of the Year and, two new ones for 2026, Person of the Year and Firm of the Year awards; the deadline for submissions is May 18.

“This year’s summit reflects the growing urgency for our industry to align around shared sustainability goals,” said Bill Griese, deputy executive director of the Tile Council of North America and the summit’s chair. “We’re especially excited to welcome two dynamic keynote speakers whose perspectives span both global sustainability strategy and the transformative power of design.”

Bandy is a globally recognized sustainability leader with more than 25 years of experience guiding organizations on environmental performance, circular economy strategy and socially responsible solutions. With prior experience at Mohawk Industries, Amazon and Interface, he is also vice chairman of the Board of Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and has received numerous honors, including USGBC Leadership Awards and recognition as a Living Future Hero. He will deliver the opening keynote.

Related: Two free design competitions open now for interior designers, including a trip to Italy

One of the design industry’s most influential voices, Durst is widely known for elevating the role of design as a driver of human experience, business value and societal impact. She serves on the International WELL Building Institute Governance Council and is a Trustee of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.

The summit is co-hosted by the Carpet and Rug Institute, North American Laminate Flooring Association, Natural Stone Institute, National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association, National Wood Flooring Association, Resilient Floor Covering Institute and Tile Council of North America.