Marble Institute of America: Press Room

Salem Stone To Sponsor MIA Ad Awards Program

July 1, 2005. Cleveland, Ohio — Though a relative newcomer to the natural stone industry in the United States, Salem Stone of Winston-Salem, North Carolina is rapidly becoming a key player in the industry community by sponsoring the First Annual Marble Institute of America Advertising Awards Competition. Salem Stone is contributing $7,500 to help fund all aspects of the awards program, including a major announcement presentation.

Entries in the competition, which will honor the industry’s best advertising efforts, will be judged in Cleveland on August 23,2005. Winners will be announced at the MIA Annual Meeting held in conjunction with StonExpo in Las Vegas, October 19-22.

Salem Stone sells a wide range of equipment and consumables for natural stone fabrication.

“Though we are new to the stone industry, our company has a 70-year heritage,” said Steve Brown, advertising and marketing director for Salem Stone. Brown said Salem entered the stone business about three years ago after being a premier, long-time supplier of equipment and consumables for the architectural glass industry. Just as in the glass business, Salem Stone represents major Italian producers of equipment and consumables.

“We are pleased to be sponsoring the MIA Advertising Awards,” Brown said. “It’s our way of showing that we want to be a contributor to the overall stone industry community. “We are anxious to see the results of this innovative MIA-wide program.”

“As title sponsor, Salem Stone will have its name attached to all phases of the awards package, including a video presentation which will announce the winners in Las Vegas during StonExpo 2005”, said Gary Distelhorst, executive vice president of MIA.

“On behalf of the industry, we thank Salem Stone for their generous support in helping to make this an effort worthy of the best advertising MIA members have to offer. Their sponsorship allows MIA to ramp up this new awards competition and put it on a fast track to becoming an important part of our overall awards programming”, Distelhorst said.

About the Marble Institute of America

Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2004, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) is the world’s leading information resource and advocate for the natural stone industry. MIA members include marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, and other natural stone producers and quarriers, fabricators, installers, distributors, and contractors around the world.

For more information, contact MIA at (440) 250-9222, e-mail MIAinfo@marble-institute.com, or visit www.marble-institute.com.