Marble Institute of America: Press Room

Contact: Nicole Buraglio
Hanley Wood Exhibitions
nburaglio@hanleywood.com
972.536.6411

For Immediate Release

Industry Anticipates StonExpo East 2007!

(Dallas, Texas) In a year when there's a strong need for a stone event in the eastern U.S., StonExpo East fills the void. The show, which takes place March 22-24, 2007 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, debuts as THE East Coast event for the stone industry. With more than 90% of the floor sold and attendee registration off to a solid start, StonExpo East 2007 is gearing up for the same unprecedented success as its western counterpart.

As the only East Coast event dedicated exclusively to stone, StonExpo East 2007 will fill the needs of both manufacturers and stone professionals with new products, prime networking opportunities and face-to-face interaction. Thousands of fabricators, installers, architects, designers, distributors, builders, retailers and kitchen & bath specialists will be at StonExpo East 2007 to see the latest stone products and services from 200 exhibiting companies.

StonExpo East will also deliver the top-notch education the stone industry expects. The unparalleled Conference Program will feature 41 sessions (3-hour workshops, 75-minute seminars) in five targeted tracks, including Business Management, Design/Market Trends, Fabrication/Installation, Sales/Marketing, and Care/Maintenance/Restoration. Committed to quality education and improving industry standards, many of the courses qualify for certification. Hanley Wood is a registered provider with AIA/CES, AIBD, ASID, NKBA and NAHB.

Conference sessions will provide attendees an opportunity to learn in a stimulating environment from fellow associates and industry experts. Pre-show Workshops will take place Wednesday, March 21, from 9am - 12pm and 1:00pm - 4:00pm. These 3-hour courses are loaded with information, ideas and solutions to improve business and cover topics such as "Stealth Marketing Strategies," "Recruiting & Maintaining a Valuable Workforce," "Protecting Natural Stone" and more. Seminars are 75 minutes and will take place Thursday, March 22, from 8:30am - 9:45 am, 10:00 am - 11:15 am & 11:30 am - 12:45 pm. Courses continue Friday & Saturday, March 23 - 24, from 8:30 am - 9:45 am & 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm. Any StonExpo East attendee who registers for three or more conference courses or any conference package will receive a FREE lunch on the show floor Thursday, March 22. For details, visit www.StonExpoEast.com.

A variety of custom conference packages are available and provide significant savings. MIA members also receive special rates. Discounted conference pricing and FREE exhibits admission is also available to attendees who register by March 2, 2007. Visit www.StonExpoEast.com for complete course descriptions and times, speaker bios and pricing details.

Stone LIVE! has been a huge success at StonExpo and will be another vital program at the East Coast event. These live, how-to demonstrations on the show floor take place at scheduled times throughout the show, providing up-close, expert instruction on some of the most challenging stone installation techniques for fabricators and installers. These sessions, designed to give stone professionals the tools they need to provide quality installation for their customers, are FREE to all StonExpo East attendees. Visit www.StonExpoEast.com for the exciting and informative Stone LIVE! line-up.

The Marble Institute of America will host two events including its MIA Gala Reception and MIA Member Briefing. The Gala will take place Thursday, March 22, from 5:00pm - 6:30pm and the MIA Member Briefing will be held Friday, March 23, from 7:15am – 8:15am. These events are open to MIA members only.

StonExpo East will take place March 22-24, 2007 at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia. Exhibit hours are Thursday, March 22: 1:00pm - 5:00pm; Friday, March 23: 10:00am - 5:00pm; Saturday, March 24: 10:00am - 5:00pm.

For an up-to-date exhibitor list and floor plan, details on any of the events held at the show and to register, visit www.StonExpoEast.com. For questions, call 866-550-6808 or 972-536-6440.

StonExpo East is committed to quality and because of that, it has the support of the industry's most important organizations. Backed by the most prominent and reputable professionals, StonExpo is the proven stone event with a history of providing quality and credibility. Official sponsors of StonExpo East include the Marble Institute of America and Natural Stone Council.

The mission of the Marble Institute of America is to promote the use of natural stone and to be the world's most authoritative natural stone information resource. Membership in the association is worldwide and includes nearly 1,800 natural stone producers, exporters/importers, distributors/wholesalers, fabricators, finishers, installers and industry suppliers - all committed to the highest standards of workmanship and ethics.

The Natural Stone Council includes the American Monument Association, Canadian Stone Association, Elberton Granite Association, National Building Granite Quarries Association and Northwest Granite Manufacturers Association. Members of the Natural Stone Council are the leaders in the stone industry and represent the major associations who are committed to promotion and education of the industry and general public of the value and benefits of natural stone.

About Hanley Wood

Hanley Wood, LLC, is the premier media company serving housing and construction. Through five operating divisions, the company produces award-winning magazines and Web sites, marquee trade shows and events, rich data and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America's leading publisher of home plans. Hanley Wood Exhibitions (Dallas) conducts 16 trade shows, including World of Concrete, one of the top 20 trade show events in the country.

Founded in 1976, Hanley Wood is a $240 million company owned by affiliates of JPMorgan Partners, LLC. CCMP Capital Advisors manages the Hanley Wood investment for JPMorgan Partners.

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