StonExpo 2014: A Place to Learn

 

Tuesday, Jan. 28
(All 90-minute seminars unless noted)

8 a.m.

How to Make Money as a Fabricator with Duane Naquin, Stone Interiors, Gaston, S.C.; Matt Lansing, Stone Innovations Inc.; Mark Lauzon, Advanced Fabrication Solutions, Woodinville, Wash.; and Joey Marcella, Mario & Son.

The Essentials of Stone Maintenance and Restoration Forum with  Dave Walton, All-American Stone & Tile Co., Victorville, Calif.; Tim Connelly, San Diego Stone Care, Encinitas, Calif., Brian Kornet, Fabra Cleen Stone & Tile Care, Queens Village, N.Y.; and Gregg Laviolette, Stone Restoration Services, Troy, Mich.

Noon

Measuring Key Performance Indicators for Greater Profit with Paul Menniger, Capitol Granite, Midlothian, Va; and Nick Began, Stoneworks Ltd., Bedford Heights, Ohio. (60 minutes)

Implementing Safety in Your Stone Warehouse and Fabrication Shop with Lisa Dirk, Syverson Tile; and Jim Nikolopoulos, Walker & Zanger Inc., Sylmar, Calif. (60 minutes)

Floor Flatness for Ceramic and Stone Tile Installation with Mike Little, CBP, Seal Beach, Calif. (60 minutes)

3:45 p.m.

Profit Potential: Learn Methods to Capture Retail Customers and Increase Your Profits with Mark Lauzon Advanced Fabrication

CSI (Critical Stone Investigation): How Geology and Installation Affect Stone Restoration with Rawi Tabbah, International Stoneworks Inc., Houston; Chuck Muelbauer, Marble Institute of America (MIA), Cleveland; and David Bonasera, ESP.

Residential Countertop Fabricators Forum with Michael Reis, Stone World, Paramus, N.J.; Tony Malisani, Malisani Inc., Great Falls, Mont.; Marco Duran, Atlas Marble and Granite, Springfield, N.J.; and Joey Marcella, Mario & Son.

The Challenges of Installing Large Format Porcelain Tile and Stone with Mike Granatowski, MAPEI Corp., San Bernardino, Calif.

Wednesday, Jan. 29
(All 90-minute seminars unless noted)

8 a.m.

Understanding Operational Costs of a Stone Fabrication Facility with Paul Menniger, Capitol Granite; and Nick Began, Stoneworks Ltd.

The Geology of Dimension Stone with Mike Anson, DuPont™ StoneTech® Professional, Dillon, Colo.; and Chuck Muehlbauer, MIA.

Using Proven Moisture Management Systems for Successful Stone Tile Installations with Rod Sigman, CBP; and Scott Worthington, CBP.

Building Performance Trends and Best Practices with Natural Stone with Stephanie Vierra, Vierra Design & Educational Services LLC, Gaithersburg, Md.

Noon

Stone Fabrication – The Art of Setting Customer Expectations with John Cogswell, CogswellStone, Palmyra, Va. (60 minutes)

3:45 p.m.

Transform Your Shop into a Fully Digital Operation with Evan Kruger, Solidtops LLC, Eason, Md.; and Jeff Erickson, Cutting Edge Countertops Inc., Perrysburg, Ohio.

Designing Interiors with Natural Stone with Vincent Marazita, Marazita & Associates, Canoga Park, Calif.

Commercial Jobsite Stone Repair Forum with participants TBD.

And, again in 2014, StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas will offer its Masters Certification, automatically given with the completion of at least eight (8) hours through its standard educational program. The certification includes a certificate, a ribbon with the next year’s show badge and a listing on the StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas website.

StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas will also continue with Designing With Natural Stone, part of the Marmomacc Stone Academy, on Jan. 28. Architects and interior designers can earn continuing-education credits through a full-day program conceived to educate participants about stone design; all sessions are approved for credit by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC).    

The course, organized in collaboration with the MIA and MAPEI Corp., will include a morning tour of the Las Vegas Rock quarry and processing facility in nearby Jean, Nev.; three special hour-long sessions on stone-paver installation, high-performance design and dimensional-stone care; and a guided walking tour of the show floor.

The program will also include a dinner with participants. Practicing architects and interior designers can sign up on a first-come, first-served with Hanley Wood Exhibitions’ Pamela Miller.

Continuing education is authorized at StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas by several professional organizations, including:

  • American Institute of Architects (101 credits);
  • American Institute of Building Design (115 credits);
  • Interior Design Continuing Education Council (7.1 CEUs);
  • Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (credit for seminar);
  • National Kitchen & Bath Association (10.5 CEUs).

 

In addition, there’s also the StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas exhibit floor with the best of the industry in stone-fabrication and –maintenance products and services. The exhibit hall will be open on Jan. 28-29 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and on Jan. 30 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

For more information on all programs, visit the StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas website.

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