Marble Institute of America: Press Room

MARBLE INSTITUTE HITS RECORD 2000th MEMBER MARK

Minnesota Firm Pleased To Attain Distinction

CLEVELAND, OH, JANUARY 11, 2008 - The Marble Institute of America ended 2007 with a record 2000 members, up 221 since the close of the previous year. The 2000th member of the MIA is Merlino Marble & Granite of Clermont, New Jersey, whose application was received and processed at the MIA headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio on December 31, 2007.

The record number of members is nearly triple that of the total when Gary Distelhorst, executive vice president of the MIA, assumed staff leadership of the natural stone industry organization at the start of 2002, when membership stood at 692.

During the period, membership growth has averaged nearly 20 percent per year. Revenue growth has more than kept pace with the increase in dues-paying members, growing from $690,000 in 2001 to $2.240 million in 2007.

"Today's world-wide membership is a far cry from 25 years ago when MIA had only 90 members," Distelhorst said. He continued, "In those days, nearly all MIA members operated in the commercial and institutional construction markets. Today, the majority of our members serve the residential market, which has grown dramatically in the last ten to twelve years."

"Reaching the 2000-mark is a very significant milestone for MIA," Distelhorst said. "This growth is testimony to the strong surge in membership services and products offered to our members. There are still at least another two to three thousand potential member companies that could benefit from what MIA has to offer, and provide the fuel to take the membership roster to significantly higher levels."

Among the highlights of the association's activities that have helped drive membership upward are industry educational seminars and workshops, a significant and growing library of video and print training materials, aggressive marketing of natural stone products, an industry-wide safety initiative, a new accreditation program, and various other services.

"On behalf of the officers, directors and staff of the MIA, we say 'Thank You' for the strong show of support from the natural stone industry for the association's activities and for making MIA the largest natural stone association in the world," Distelhorst said. "We look forward to continuing our growth in the coming years."

About the Marble Institute of America
For over 60 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.

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Grazzini Brothers & Company
1175 Eagan Industrial Rd.
Eagan, MN 55121