MIA Honors 2014 Accreditation Class

 

nuMIALAS VEGAS — The Marble Institute of America (MIA) honored 19 companies last month for earning accreditation credentials during 2014.

The companies, noted at the MIA annual meeting / awards ceremony in Las Vegas, were recognized for meeting the industry’s highest standards for business activities, product knowledge, fabrication and installation.

Receiving the MIA Accredited Natural Stone Fabricator credential:

  • AHI Stoneworks of Hot Springs, Ark.
  • Artistic Counters Inc. of Garden Ridge, Texas
  • Dee Brown Inc., of Garland, Texas
  • INcounters of Abilene, Texas
  • KG Stevens Inc. of New Berlin, Wis.
  • Lakeside Surfaces Inc. of Norton Shores, Mich.
  • Morningstar Marble & Granite Inc. of Topsham, Maine
  • Paramount Stone Co. of Stamford, Conn.
  • Picasso Tile & Design of Tempe, Ariz.
  • Pure Granite Rocks! of Vernon, B.C.
  • Quality Surfaces Inc. of Spencer, Ind.
  • Sims-Lohman of Cincinnati
  • Smokey Mountain Tops of Knoxville, Tenn.
  • Stoneshop of Cherry Hill, N.J.
  • Surfaces – Viking Kitchen Cabinets of New Britain, Conn.
  • Tennessee Marble Co. of Friendsville, Tenn.
  • U.S. Granite of Tyler, Texas

Receiving the MIA Accredited Commercial A Installer credential:

  • Camarata Masonry Systems of Houston
  • Dee Brown Inc.

Receiving the MIA Accredited Commercial B Installer credential:

  • Stockett Tile and Granite Co. of Phoenix

“This was the largest single year for newly accredited companies since the program launched,” said Rodney Harvey, MIA Accreditation Commission Chair. “It is great to see companies embrace the stone industries highest credential.”

Jim Hieb, MIA’s Executive Vice President/CEO, added that “the growth of the program is largely attributed to an improving economy and launch of the popular accreditation program immersion classes.”  

Several program enhancements are planned for 2015 including more immersion classes, work with the design community to reference MIA accreditation in design specifications, and continued work on creating an accreditation program for the care and maintenance segment of the industry.

The program didn’t rest as year’s end, as Mountain Marble and Granite Inc. in Asheville, N.C., successfully completed all phases of the Natural Stone Fabricator program and will be officially recognized at StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2016. Additionally, Carnevale & Lohr Inc. is the first accredited company (Commercial A Installer program) in 2015.

Accreditation program sponsors include the Artisan Group, Coldspring, Kohler, LATICRETE, Marmo Meccanica North America, MS International, Park Industries, Schechner-Lifson Corporation and Rock of Ages.

For more information about becoming accredited, or to attend the next immersion class on April 15 during Coverings 2015 in Orlando, Fla., go online to www.marble-institute.com/gettheseal.

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