The mission of the Marble Institute of America is to promote the use of natural stone and be the world's most authoritative natural stone information resource.

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.

Membership in the association is worldwide and includes nearly 1,600 natural stone producers, exporters/importers, distributors/wholesalers, fabricators, finishers, installers, and industry suppliers — all committed to the highest standards of workmanship and ethics.

The Marble Institute of America has issued a call for entries for the 2008 Pinnacle Awards competition, which are being expanded to include a best-of-show “Grande Pinnacle Award,” and a trip to Verona, Italy for its winner.

“With the addition of the Grande Pinnacle Award to our traditional categories of interior commercial, exterior commercial, residential interior/exterior and restoration/renovation, there are even more compelling reasons to enter this year’s Pinnacle Awards competition,” said Gary Distelhorst, executive vice president of MIA.

The Grande Pinnacle Award will be bestowed on the best entry among all of the category winners. The new award is sponsored by Marmomacc, the world’s largest stone show, held each year in Verona, Italy. The award is being designed and crafted in Verona by Tobia Scarpa, an award-winning architect, designer, and restoration specialist.

Winner of the Grande Pinnacle Award will receive one round-trip economy airfare to Verona, four night hotel room, meals and registration to Marmomacc 2009, as well as, other perks such as an invitation to the gala dinner that closes the show.

The Pinnacle Awards competition is open to all MIA member companies. Project teams must include at least one MIA member company. Entries submitted must comply with standards as defined in the MIA Dimension Stone Design Manual. To be eligible, projects must have been completed within the past three years: January 2005-July 2008. Multiple entries are encouraged and accepted.

Entry deadline for the stone industry’s most prestigious competition is July 10, 2008. Winners will be announced at StonExpo in Las Vegas, NV on October 17, 2008.

Winners also receive global publicity in international trade press, recognition in a special MIA awards brochure and coverage on the Stone News Channel, MIA’s quarterly video magazine. All winning entries are also displayed on the MIA website which receives more than one million hits a month.

For more information go online to www.marble-institute.com or call MIA at 440-250-9222.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Marble Institute of America (MIA) in Cleveland today renewed their alliance to provide MIA members and others with information and training resources that will help them continue to protect employees' safety and health.

"The alliance will continue to demonstrate our commitment to finding cooperative ways to prevent workplace accidents," said Rob Medlock, area director of OSHA's Cleveland office. "It already has proven very successful, and we want to continue the excellent relationship that has helped so many companies in the natural stone industry."

During the initial two-year alliance, OSHA and MIA worked successfully together to develop and communicate information to help the institute's member employers and employees recognize and prevent job-related hazards, including exposure to silica and hazards related to handling slabs of stone. The alliance also has developed training and education programs for employers and employees.

"MIA's alliance with OSHA has had a very positive impact on the safety awareness of the natural stone industry and on the tools made available to help train employees and improve job safety," affirmed Gary Distelhorst, MIA's executive vice president. "We are committed to continuing our efforts with OSHA to achieve greater employee safety."

MIA represents professionals working with all types of natural stone, including marble, granite, limestone, quartz-based stone, slate travertine and other materials.

OSHA safety and health alliances are part of U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao's ongoing efforts to improve the safety and health of employees through cooperative partnerships with trade associations, labor organizations, employers and government agencies. OSHA currently has more than 470 alliances throughout the nation with organizations committed to fostering safety and health in the workplace.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to promote the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

The Marble Institute of America has issued a call for entries for “Rocky ’08,” the fourth annual MIA Advertising Awards Competition.

Designed to showcase the best advertising produced by MIA members, the competition has consistently shown an increase in the quality of entries, said Gary Distelhorst, executive vice president of the MIA.

Once again, the competition will be sponsored by Salem Stone of Winston-Salem, NC. Award winners in four major categories will receive a coveted Rocky, while those earning special merit will receive a Rocky Certificate. Judging in 2008 will be on the following categories:

Deadline for entries is July 1, 2008. Awards will be presented at the annual Awards Luncheon at StonExpo in Las Vegas, October 17, 2008. Winners will be publicized in print, on the Web and on the MIA Stone News Channel via the Internet and DVD.

MIA Education on Location Educational Workshops

When it comes to Stone Education, no one offers you more choices than MIA for regional education. Educational opportunities twelve months a year! Cost effective practical business-building programs near you! Take advantage of the MIA's 2-day, 1-day, webinars, and onsite customized workshops to Help You Succeed.

2008 Regional Education & Webinar Schedule