Marble Institute of America: Press Room

New Technology Nurtured for Natural Stone Business—MIA Announces Webinar Series

CLEVELAND, OH, January 3, 2008 — The Marble Institute of America will embrace newer technology for five of their twenty educational seminars in 2008. New this year will be five webinars addressing needs specific to the stone business hosted by industry experts.

Short for Web-based seminar, a webinar is defined as a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the Web.

"This is a new venue for us," said Jim Hieb, MIA's director of special projects. "We will offer five, 60-minute training sessions that can be viewed live or later via podcast. A key feature of a webinar is its interactive elements: the ability to give, receive and discuss information. This differs from a Webcast where the data transmission is one way and does not allow interaction between the presenter and the audience."

There are three ways to participate:

2. If not attending or a session is missed, recordings of the webinar can be purchased online. Archives of past seminars are available 48-72 hours after the seminar, and can be listened to and viewed on your computer immediately after ordering. This option includes three replays.

3. Purchase a CD Box Set, which includes the audio recording and access to the session handouts. CD Box Sets will be shipped approximately two weeks after the live program date.

Hieb concluded by saying, "The MIA Webinar Series provides busy stone professionals a convenient and affordable way to access valuable professional development and networking opportunities without taking time off from work or paying travel expenses."

Upcoming schedule (All live events will occur at: 3:30pm ET; 2:30pm CT; 1:30pm MT; and 12:30pm PT):

February 20th, Natural vs. Engineered Stone: Tips for a Sales & Showroom Associate's Success—Speaker: Duane Naquin
March 5th, Working with your Slab Distributor: Tips for a Fabricator's Success—Speaker: Keith Graves
April 2nd, Dumping Water? Don't Assume Local Government Compliance Is Enough—Speaker: John Fallon
August 6th, Yellow Pages and Online Search: Being in the Right Place When Customers Look for a Stone Contractors—Speaker: Marty Gould
December 10th-TBA (commercial topic)

Registration for MIA Members is $99 per session (or $445.50 for all five seminars, a $49.50 savings) and for non-members: $129 per session ($580.50 for all five seminars, a $64.50 savings)

Online registration began January 1, 2008.

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About the Marble Institute of America
For nearly 65 years the Marble Institute of America (MIA) has been the world's leading information resource and advocate for the natural dimension 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.