Soon the Mandalay Bay Convention in Las Vegas, NV, will be lined once again with seemingly endless displays of stone, tile and flooring materials, as well as machinery, tooling and other products related to these industries at the 2020 edition of The International Surface Event (TISE): Surfaces | StonExpo/Marmomac | TileExpo. Always driven by innovation, the exhibition continually strategizes to develop new features each year to offer its attendees – whether it be on the show floor or in the educational conference sessions. The 2020 exhibition will be held from Tuesday, January 28th to Thursday, January 30th. 

The Natural Stone Pavilion

Among the new introductions to this year’s show will be the new Natural Stone Pavilion, which will be stationed prominently in the middle of the show floor. The pavilion is strategically positioned near the Natural Stone Institute and Natural Stone Council booths and adjacent to the Marmomac International Pavilion, which will also include several natural stone suppliers.

Companies who will be exhibiting in the Natural Stone Pavilion for 2020 include Coldspring, Elberton Granite Association, Grassi Pietre, Green Mountain Soapstone, Indiana Limestone Institute, Northern Stone Supply, Polycor, Vermont Verde and VM Kaldorf. Attendees will experience natural stone in varying setups by exhibiting companies ranging from large booth displays to turnkey informational kiosks.

“StonExpo is already known as a great venue for tooling and equipment,” said Natural Stone Institute CEO Jim Hieb. “We encourage our members to be among the first to exhibit in this new Natural Stone Pavilion. I look forward to watching the visibility of genuine natural stone products increase during the next two years — and beyond.”

The Style Hub at The DISH

TISE 2020 will also be debuting a dramatic new design show feature, The Style Hub at The DISH, and sought out a design visionary to develop this wildly imaginative space. Celebrity designer and television host Jennifer Farrell will be the face of this exciting new event feature.  The industry will have the chance to now experience surface materials through the wonder and dreamy stylings of Farrell’s designs.

Attendees at TISE 2020 will be able to dive into four visionary design worlds, or style pods, at The Style Hub at The DISH. The four fully produced spaces are being artfully developed by Farrell; each style pod exemplifying one of her jaw-dropping design themes. Working in conjunction with the designers at Anderson Tuftex, the exclusive surface material sponsor, the brand manager of Lamps Plus, the exclusive lighting sponsor, as well as a full line-up of other incredible furniture and accessories brands, the Style Hub at The DISH will inspire the industry to reimagine the future of surfaces and design.

“Not only does Jennifer have an amazing eye for design and an impressive biography of work both on air and in her design firm portfolio, she also harnesses her craft to forecast design themes in a way that captivates the mind,” said Dana Hicks, Show director. “She impressed the Informa team and the advisory council that serves the TISE event and her initial presentations to the group were inspiring. We are looking forward to seeing her heightened and dramatic displays that will dive attendees into her design world visions. It was an easy decision for the TISE team to make Jennifer the face of this new feature.”

Converge

Last year, TISE launched Converge — a new and unique educational program, which allowed attendees to flow freely between sessions for “Suits,” “Hammer & Nails” and “Creatives.” There were presentations focused on business-related topics, creative and design-oriented discussions, and those targeting technical issues. The Converge lounge allowed attendees to relax between sessions.

Being well received, the format for the educational program will once again be in place. Converge, which will begin on Monday, January 27th and held during all three days of TISE 2020, will be located in the North Convention Center downstairs from the main exhibit hall. Attendees can enter the main Converge education entrance into the Convergence lounge. From there, all three interest group room entrances can be accessed.

This year, Jason Kamery, managing and group digital editor of Stone World and Contemporary Stone & Tile Design and Jennifer Richinelli, editorial director of the BNP Media-owned publications, will each be moderating a session.

Kamery’s panel will include Laura Grandlienard of ROCKin’teriors in Raleigh, NC; Dave Scott of Slabworks of Montana in Bozeman, MT; and industry expert Eric Tryon, founder and retired CEO of Clio Holdings. In the session, “Hiring and Retaining Employees,” the stone industry professionals will discuss the labor challenges they face in the workplace. They will cover the best practices on how to hire the best candidate for your shop, as well as how to keep your employees engaged in your company. The session will be held on Monday, January 27th at 2:30 p.m. in room MHN5.

Richinelli’s session, “Social Media Strategies for Fabricators: A Panel Discussion,” will include Karen Roe, owner of NSMotif in Sanford, FL; and Irene Williams, founder of digital marketing and social media management firm Msg2Mkt, LLC. The discussion is designed to unlock helpful insights and practical tips that you can immediately apply. On this panel, you’ll hear from a leader in the fabrication business who’s using social media to create a professional advantage and a longtime marketing pro who’s been creating social media campaigns in the industry for more than a decade. The session will take place on Tuesday, January 28th at 11 a.m. in room TC3.

To learn more about the Converge program and what sessions will be offered, as well as other highlights to expect at TISE 2020, visit: www.internationalsurfaceevent.com.