Artisan Group™ Meeting Includes Trade Show
AUSTIN, Texas – An industry trade show highlighted this year’s annual meeting of the Artisan Group™ here earlier this month.
The network of North American stone fabricators hosted its first “Industry Showcase” om May 17, with 17 exhibitors:
Click photo to enlarge• The Africa Range
• Blick Industries
• Cambria
• Craft Art
• Fabricator’s Choice
• Glue Warehouse
• Granite City Tool
• Kohler
• Laser Products Industries
• Living Stone
• Marble Institute Of America
• Park Industries
• Stone Pro
• Slabsmith
• South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP)
• Total Administration Group
• VT Industries
“The first two hours of the Artisan Group Industry Showcase were better for us than either Coverings or StonExpo,” said Ronnie Benton, Granite City Tool director of sales.
Click photo to enlarge
The meeting also featured a visit from Josh and Nikki Stein, along with their four daughters, as recent recipients of a Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) home. Stein told the story of how the HFOT home has helped his family have a better life after he lost his legs during his Army tour in Afghanistan.
Artisan Group held a national granite yard sale last year and raised $32,000 for the organization. The group raised an additional $1,500 at a group dinner during the meeting, thanks to a raffle by Yeti Coolers and Kohler, and plans on having its second annual “Counters For A Cause” granite yard sale benefitting HFOT in October.
Click photo to enlargeIn typical Texas style, the fabrication shop owners and exhibitors enjoyed some great barbeque and live music from country musician Django Walker, after some very productive planning meetings and a slab yard tour.
Rob Riegler, owner, and Matt Neiger, sales operations manager, of Lakeside Solid Surfaces Inc. in Muskegon, Mich., were welcomed as the newest members to the Artisan Group during the meeting.
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