Artisan Group Welcomes New Members
AUSTIN – The Artisan Group welcomed two new members to its register during the fabricator network’s annual shop tour this fall.
The Artisan Shop Tour event, hosted by Rob Riegler and his team at Lakeside Surfaces, was held Sept 18th and 19th at their Muskegon, Mich., facility. The two-day meeting was attended by 22 members.
The event also introduced new members Harlan and Patty Bost of Florida Custom Marble of Jacksonville, Fla., and Charles McLaughlin of Fox Marble in San Francisco.
The Bosts, owners and operators of Florida Custom Marble since 1997, continue to guide a company founded in 1973 in working with more builder professionals than anyone else in the region on residential new construction, commercial projects, and remodels.
McLaughlin established Fox Marble in 1986 and currently serves as president/CEO. A Vietnam veteran with the U.S. Marine Corps, he graduated from Rutgers University in 1973 and managed a masonry products company for eight years where his love for natural stone was born. Fox Marble offers a wide range of services, from direct importing of t stone from around the world, to in-house fabrication, professional installation and full-service stone care and restoration.
The Artisan Shop Tour event involved the sharing of best practices, metrics, as well as new products and services. However, the real value of this event was the tour of Lakeside’s operation.
Established in 1992, Lakeside Surfaces is one of the largest fabricators of surfacing products in the Midwest. The company was founded Riegler, who began as a certified Corian® fabricator. By listening carefully to customers and business partners, Lakeside has been able to steadily increase service area and fabrication capabilities as the surfacing market has evolved.
Today, the company employs over 125 artisans in five locations whose focus on quality, craftsmanship, commitment to unparalleled customer service and daily pursuit of excellence are a cornerstone of the business.
Riegler explained how culture is the driving force in influencing his employees to perform at their highest levels.
“We have the best interest of the company and our workers in mind in every aspect of the day at Lakeside,” he said. “Our team relies on creating processes, documenting them and then holding team members accountable for following these processes. When something goes wrong, the first step is to see if the process was followed and if so, the process is changed. If the process was not followed, then the employee is “coached” to follow the process in future endeavors.”
“Lakeside’s processes and culture have proven to be very effective tools for running a complex operation,” said Jon Lancto, Artisan Group executive director. “The facility is maintained better than any shop I’ve seen, and safety is a key aspect of the shop environment.”
Artisan Group™ is the first premier network of stone and quartz fabricators in North America, and the first to earn 100% accreditation through the Natural Stone Institute. Utilizing the most technically advanced, automated shops in the industry, highly skilled craftsmen ensure that each installation meets exacting standards. From classic to exotic, Artisan Group offers the most extensive array of stone and quartz choices in the industry and is dedicated to customer service. www.artisan-counters.com or facebook.com/ArtisanGroupCountertops.
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