MIA ANNOUNCES CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR NATURAL STONE CONSULTANTS CLEVELAND, OH., AUGUST 9, 2005 – The Marble Institute of America (MIA) announced today that in 2006 it will establish a certification program for natural stone consultants and inspectors serving the residential component of the industry, giving them an industry designation of “Certified Stone Consultant (CSC).” According to Gary Distelhorst, MIA Executive Vice President, a date to launch the MIA-CSC program, aimed at residential installations, will be announced as soon as the task force consisting of industry leaders completes fine-tuning the MIA-sanctioned training, certification and annual continuing education program. The task force, led by a professional certification specialist, has been working on this program since last winter. “With the boom in the natural stone industry, there has been an increase in demand for consultants with the credentials to inspect previously-installed jobs to determine if, in fact, the workmanship and materials utilized were in concert with industry standards,” said Distelhorst. “Unfortunately there are many people marketing themselves as stone inspectors and stone consultants who have limited knowledge of the natural stone industry and the appropriate standards of stone selection, fabrication, and installation.” “It’s our hope that this program will create a globally-recognized means of validating craftsmanship,” he continued. A distinguished group of MIA members is serving on the task force to develop parameters of the course and curriculum, Distelhorst said. They include Lindell Lummer, Malibu Art Tile & Stone, Malibu, CA; Ralph Williamson, Ceramic Tile Consultants, Phoenix, AZ; Greg Mowat, Forensic Tile Consultants, San Diego, CA; Tom McNall, Great Northern Stone, Exeter, Ontario (Canada); Don Halverson, Forensic Tile Consultants, Thousand Oaks, CA; and, Kevin Padden, MIA Training Specialist. MIA is the largest organization of its kind in the world, with nearly 1300 members in all industry disciplines, from the quarry to fabrication and installation. Distelhorst said, the CSC course being developed by the MIA will not be limited solely to MIA members. MIA is also completing its work on an accreditation program for fabricators and installers, which will allow them to market their organizations as “MIA Accredited.” The Fabricator and Installer Accreditation program is also expected to be rolled out in 2006. 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 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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