NEW YORK, NY -- Cosentino Group, the global leader in natural stone, quartz and architectural surfaces, is proud to annouce that Francisco "Paco" Martinez-Cosentino, President of the Cosentino Group, was announced the 2016 inductee into the Kitchen & Bath Industry Hall of Fame during an event at KBIS in Las Vegas, NV, on January 18. The honor is given toindividuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the industry and was presented in the presence of notable business leaders, A&D influencers, and NKBA members.
Each year, the NKBA looks to recognize those professionals who have made a significant and enduring contribution to the development of the kitchen and bath industry on a national or global scale by inducting them into the Kitchen and Bath Industry Hall of Fame. "We honor leaders who have discovered or created a game-changing product or process that significantly advanced the kitchen and bath industry," said Bill Darcy, CEO of NKBA. "We owe him our gratitude for his leadership, inspiration and for laying the foundation for what is yet to come."
Paco Cosentino has been in the kitchen and bath industry worldwide for over 30 years. He began his career learning every operational detail of his father's stone business in Spain -- from the excavation process to the production techniques and end uses. His perseverance in growing the business and his passion for innovation and entrepreneurialism have become essential components of the success of the company, which is now a global leader and yet, remains family-owned to this day. Paco Cosentino has been recognized for pioneering quartz surfacing with his first production of Silestone Natural Quartz in 1990. Twenty-six years later, Silestone is the world's leading quartz brand with over 120 colors and has changed the way in which the industry utilizes innovative high performance surfaces. Staying true to his family roots in natural stone, he also developed Sensa granite, the only anti-stain granite available in the market with a 15-year warranty. In 2013, he introduced Dekton ultra-compact surface, bringing an entirely new category of surface to the market for indoor/outdoor use, with incredible performance and endless design capabilities.
Paco Cosentino has not only revolutionized the surfacing market through product innovation but also through service and diversification. Over the last five years, Cosentino Group has spent over $60 million developing its infrastructure to open over 40 Cosentino Centers in the U.S. with the goal of increasing proximity and availability of materials to the market, and minimizing the delivery time of products and the investment required of designers, dealers and fabricators to access material.
"Paco Cosentino has been a true inventor and supporter of the K&B industry worldwide. Throughout his success, he has always remained loyal to his virtue of giving to and elevating others, evidenced through his support of trade organizations like the NKBA and others, and his relentless pursuit of new product innovation," said Lorenzo Marquez, VP of Marketing for Cosentino North America. "He is a person that believes in reinvestment into the industry for the future well being of its members and the market as a whole. We are extremely proud that the NKBA and its members have recognized his long-standing contributions."
Inductees into the Kitchen & Bath Industry Hall of Fame are selected by a standing program committee from nominations made since the Hall of Fame's establishment in 1989. Including the 2016 inductee, 87 individuals have received this national recognition. Paco Cosentino will join other honored and esteemed industry members, including inventors, business leaders, designers and educators.
Photo caption (from left):Bill Darcy, NKBA CEO; Francisco Martinez Cosentino, Jr., Business Unit Director of Cosentino North America; Paco Cosentino, President of Cosentino Group; Pilar Martinez Cosentino, Deputy General Manager of Cosentino Group; and Eduardo Cosentino, President and CEO Cosentino of North America, all atended the ceremony.
