The following list is a look at some of the stone-related sessions that will be offered.
Sunday, October 19
12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
in Meeting Room C224 (Level 2)
“Exterior Wall Cladding: Making the Transition from Interiors to Exteriors”
Speaker: Michael Picco, PE, Picco Engineering
Currently, the declining interior market is luring many interior contractors to diversify into the exterior cladding sector of the stone industry. Be prepared; understand the basic varieties of exterior cladding systems and the required resume of minimum skills and experience that should be secured before venturing into each type of work. Join this discussion to help prevent yourself from harm and avoid delving into an unknown world without the resources needed for survival.
Sunday, October 19
1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“MIA Women in Stone Connection Conference”
The most important part of any business, no matter what sector of the industry you’re in, is connecting with people. This conference will discuss the process of building relationships with customers, colleagues and co-workers — and focus on the opportunities and challenges that exist for women in the industry. The workshop will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., with an hour-long reception following. Registration is required.
Sunday, October 19
2:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
in Meeting Room D233 (Level 2)
“Fabricating Large Format Materials”
Speaker: Paul Menninger, Capitol Granite
Other than natural stone and quartz, what other large-format materials are being introduced? How are fabricators adapting their tooling and material handling practices? Are these materials a threat or opportunity? What products are next? Explore these and other questions with a panel of industry leaders.
Sunday, October 19
2:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
in Meeting Room C224 (Level 2)
“Natural Stone 101: Everything You Need to Know About Designing with the Oldest Building Material”
Speaker: Vincent Moiso, Marble Institute of America and QuarryCollection
Designed for construction industry professionals who want a fuller understanding of natural stone as a building material, this session will provide an overview of the various natural stones — limestone, travertine, onyx, marble, serpentine, sandstone, slate, quartzite and granite — and information on common quarrying techniques, fabrication and finishing methods. Enhance your ability to select the right stone, fabrication technique and finish for your project.
Sunday, October 19
4:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
in Meeting Room D233 (Level 2)
“Natural Stone/Tile & Grout Restoration and Maintenance”
Speaker Dane Gregory, Bridgewater Companies
From seasoned restoration specialists to BSC floor techs, everyone who is required to maintain or clean natural stone and tile and grout needs to be aware of and understand “what to look for” concerning pre-existing conditions. Also, when cleaning hard surfaces, what types of flooring require special attention? Learn more about how to identify pre-existing conditions, identify natural stone vs. faux stone, basic cleaning procedures and how to overcome cleaning issues.
Sunday, October 19
4:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
in Meeting Room C224 (Level 2)
“Natural Stone in Green Design”
Speaker: Robert Bacon, Daltile
This presentation is an advanced course that will explain how natural stone fits into the “Green” movement. It will highlight the key characteristics of stone, such as its long life cycle and low carbon footprint, to show you how to satisfy elements of green building standards. You will also learn what the stone industry is doing to reduce environmental impacts through technology advancements and responsible manufacturing and shipping processes.
Monday, October 20
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Meeting Rooms
D229 and D230 (Level 2)
“Stone Fabricator’s Alliance (SFA) Mega Workshop: Maximizing Margins”
This four-hour workshop targeted towards fabricators focuses on maximizing your margins and increasing your profits, straight from experienced business owners. Topics include branding, production efficiency, business planning, the buying experience, diversifying and profit. This workshop is free to all fabricators, but registration is required and space is limited.
Monday, October 20
9:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.
in Meeting Room D235 (Level 2)
“MIA - Stone Industry Town Hall Meeting: Let Your Voice Be Heard”
Speakers: James A. Hieb, Marble Institute of America (MIA); Tony Malisani, Malisani, Inc.; Dan Rea, Coldspring; Tobias Morrison, BPM Channel at Metrostudy
Let your voice be heard at this town hall meeting as industry leaders discuss pressing issues. This town hall format is the perfect environment to get engaged in the conversation. Learn first-hand how industry leaders and peers are addressing matters ranging from government regulation, competing product challenges and forecasting market growth. This session is free with an Exhibits Only registration.
Monday, October 20
9:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.
in Meeting Room D238 (Level 2)
“Survivor’s Guide to Eco-Technical for Ceramic and Stone”
Speakers: Joshua Levinson, Artistic Tile; Dan Marvin, Mapei Corp.; Holley Henderson, H2 Ecodesign; Paula Hesch, Paula Hesch Designs
Confused by where ceramic and stone fit into your green project? This survivor’s guide will provide an introduction to tile and stone and their application within LEED v4 as well as new green initiatives, including NSC 373 and the Green Squared certification. Leave the session with a toolkit for tackling tile and stone on your next green project.
Monday, October 20
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
in Meeting Room D235 (Level 2)
“Residential Countertop
Fabricator Forum”
Speakers: Eric Tyron, Premier Surfaces; Brandon Maldonado, Maldonado Tile and Marble Inc. and Fortuno Group; Brie Pfannenbecker, Connecticut Stone; Nicholas Powers, Metro Stone Works LLC
This open forum for residential countertop fabricators is an excellent opportunity to discuss many of the challenges involved in the residential countertop market with other fabricators. It will cover everything from fabrication methods, equipment needs and materials to customer expectations, personnel and sales strategies. All attendees are encouraged to participate by presenting a problem or sharing a solution.
Monday, October 20
1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in The Cage
“Fabricator Olympics: Open Trials”
Presented by the SFA, these live-action demonstrations are free with Exhibits Only and Exhibits with Education packages.
Monday, October 20
4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in The Cage
“Fabricator Olympics: Finals”
Presented by the SFA, these live-action demonstrations are free with Exhibits Only and Exhibits with Education packages.
Tuesday, October 21
8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
in Meeting Room D233 (Level 2)
“The Seven Deadly Sins of Waterproofing”
Speaker: Dean Moilanen, Noble Co.
Over the years, the tile and stone industry has seen numerous new products and installation methods for waterproofing released to the market. Take a hard look at some of the legacy waterproofing shortcomings, which occur over and over again in spite of “best practices” and “new and improved” products. Whether you are an architect, contractor or industry professional, this briskly-paced presentation will bring to the forefront the key sticking points of waterproofing, which can result in expensive failures.
Tuesday, October 21
8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
in Meeting Room C224 (Level 2)
“Beyond the Walls: Designing Outdoor Spaces”
Speakers: Amy Denny, Alpentile - The Glass Specialists; Kirk Bianchi, Bianchi Design; Morgan Holt, EartArt Landscape & Design, Inc.
Outdoor spaces offer a unique opportunity to extend the living space beyond the walls of your client’s home. Explore how texture, color and lighting all play crucial roles in the selection of both natural and manmade materials for outdoor spaces. Understand how tile and stone can be utilized in both traditional and non-traditional ways.
Tuesday, October 21
9:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.
in Meeting Room D235 (Level 2)
“MIA - Sustainable Natural Stone: An Introduction to NSC 373”
Speaker: Joshua Levinson, Artistic Tile
Be among the first to learn about NSC 373, the Natural Stone Council’s Standard for the Sustainable Production of Natural Dimension Stone. This presentation will provide attendees with general knowledge on the objectives and principles of the NSC 373 Standard, which has recently been finalized and introduced to the marketplace. Suitable for all members of the design trade and users of natural stone, attendees will gain an understanding of the sustainable production practices and benefits of natural stone, and understand how to differentiate these practices among different companies and products when choosing natural stone products for their projects.
Tuesday, October 21
12:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
in Meeting Room C224 (Level 2)
“Luxury Trendspotting Floor Covering”
Speakers: Chris Ramey, Affluent Insights/The Home Trust; Michael Peterson, Florida at Luxe Interiors + Design; Barbie Kennedy, Barbie Kennedy Designs
Join lead designers from locally and around the world to learn what “luxury” is and how it applies to flooring, tile and stone. Investigate colors, materials and trending patterns, and evaluate how products can work together to create a design. After a brief overview, join our experts as they lead you through the show floor for an up close and personal look at the latest trends in luxury.
Tuesday, October 21
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in The Cage
“Top Polishing a Seam, Face Polishing”
This live-action demonstration, presented by the SFA, will explore techniques for top polishing a seam and face polishing. The demonstration is free with Exhibits Only and Exhibits with Education packages.
Tuesday, October 21
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in The Cage
“Mitered Tips, Tricks and Techniques”
This live-action demonstration, presented by the SFA, will focus on mitered tips, tricks and techniques. The demonstration is free with Exhibits Only and Exhibits with Education packages.
Wednesday, October 22
8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
in Meeting Room D233 (Level 2)
“Care & Maintenance of Tile and Stone: Cause, Cure & Prevention”
Speaker: Rod Sigman, Custom Building Products
This session offers a unique experience to understanding some of the most common tile- and stone sealer-related care and maintenance problems, how to fix them and most importantly, how to prevent them. Attendees will be given the opportunity to discuss and interact with each other in assessing the cause, cure and prevention of the most common sealer-related care and maintenance issues. Working in small groups and then in a larger, facilitated discussion, attendees will share their thoughts and conclusions on proper care and maintenance. Additional hands-on demos will also be shown by the presenter to further demonstrate proper care and maintenance.
Wednesday, October 22
8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
in Meeting Room C224 (Level 2)
“Designing Interiors with Dimensional Stone: Exploring Colors, Textures, Finishes and Translucency”
Speaker: Vincent Marazita, Stone Trends International
Stone is one of the oldest and most versatile building materials, which architects and designers have used for centuries, and new fabrication technologies have changed the way we design with it. Discuss the new trends in designing with various characteristics of natural stone, including colors, textures, finishes and translucency. Understand important maintenance specifications to keep your projects looking beautiful and to maintain their value in time.
Wednesday, October 22
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
in Meeting Room C219 (Level 2)
“MIA Accreditation Immersion Course”
Sign up for an MIA Accreditation Immersion Course and jumpstart the Accreditation process. In this one-day class, you will review sample test questions and review multiple choice theory in the morning and take the actual accreditation exam in the afternoon. Those that pass the exam are one-third of the way to achieving MIA Accreditation, the only certification in the stone industry. Limit of 20 participants per Immersion Class. Fee: $99 for people who already have the application and $199 for people who don’t have the application (application included with registration). To register, visit the MIA’s website.
Wednesday, October 22
10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in The Cage
“Dressing & Setting Seams”
In these live-action demonstrations presented by the SFA, learn more about dressing and setting seams for a chip-free seam. The demonstrations are free with Exhibits Only and Exhibits with Education packages.
Wednesday, October 22
12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in The Cage
“Top Polishing and Repairing Quartz”
In this live-action demonstration presented by the SFA, professionals can learn more about top polishing and repairing quartz. The demonstration is free with Exhibits Only and Exhibits with Education packages.
Wednesday, October 22
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in The Cage
“Antique Finishing Face and Edge Detail”
This live-action demonstration, presented by the SFA, will focus on antique finishing face and edge detail. This demonstration is free with Exhibits Only and Exhibits with Education packages.
