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The stone industry lost a devoted fabricator recently with the passing of James Donaire of Perfection Connection in Carson City, NV, on July 15, 2024. A longtime member of the Stone Fabricator’s Alliance (SFA), James was a friend, leader and mentor to many who knew him. Moreover, his role as an educator and pioneer also gained the respect of industry members, as he was voted Stone World’s 2019 Fabricator of the Year.
“The main thing in this industry is that we have to always keep our minds open and stay ahead with the technology and everything that’s going on, because if you don’t embrace it, the next thing you know, it’s rolling you over,” James once said in an interview with Stone World.
James launched his career in the trades at the age of 20, apprenticing for a high-end custom home builder. There he learned all aspects of building a home; skills that would serve him well as he progressed into the stone and ceramic tile trades. In 1997, James obtained a California contractor’s license and officially started Perfection Connection, a natural stone fabrication and installation company based in Oakland, CA, then later moving to Carson City, NV, in 2004, where he invested in a 16,000-square-foot facility.
“James was a unique individual, with a personality that was a bit rough around the edges,” said Joey Marcella of the SFA Board of Directors, and James’ nominator for Fabricator of the Year. “His well-known industry nickname (James MF'D) is a testament to this. But it was this very uniqueness that led me to nominate him. In a professional world that often values business savvy and refinement, James stood out. It's rare to find someone with as much soul as James. His selfless nature and his ability to help fabricators with any problem, from the simple to the most complex, set him apart in our industry. James' passing leaves a void that will be felt for years to come. He was not just an educator, mentor and friend, but also a true industry hero, albeit a reluctant one. His influence will continue to shape our industry.”
James, who was a SFA member since its inception, hosted their first workshop of 2019, which at the time set a breaking record of over 200 attendees. During the event, he told Stone World that the knowledge he gained from the association and its members was priceless. “The SFA will always be at the forefront,” said James. “I’m very proud of what we do and what we bring.”
“James was highly respected throughout the stone industry and was an extremely generous member of the SFA,” said Mike Dean of the SFA Board of Directors. “He attended tons of SFA events and even hosted a few where his expertise, coupled with his willingness to assist others (and challenge the norm), made him an invaluable member of the community. James was a remarkable individual who was always ready to lend a hand, whether you were family, friend or a fresh face to the industry. Known for his ever-present smile, he always brought a laugh to the room. I’m so thankful to have met James and I am proud to have called him a friend.”
“I joined the SFA back in 2017,” said Jason Cancro, also on the SFA Board of Directors. “One of my first memorable experiences about the SFA was when I had posted a question about mitering Blue Calcite. Anyone who knows this material knows this is a nightmare if you do not know what you are doing. We had trouble with mitering this material for years, but as a new member of the SFA, I decided to post a question on how others were dealing with this. Almost immediately, I got a message from James saying to call him, with his number attached. I called him as soon as I could and his simple tip saved that job for me. He was an amazing fabricator and always so willing to share his ideas and knowledge with others. As we got to know each other over the years, I always loved seeing his name come up on my phone because I knew he was probably calling with a question that he might have for me and would be a chance to repay him for that original nugget of information he gave me. We will all miss him posting check-in videos and sharing tips all of the time.”
Marcella also shared a personal story. “James made some phony $100 bills a few years ago with his face on them,” he said. “Quite realistic otherwise, and quite hilarious. He passed them out during the TISE show in Las Vegas to promote some tooling thing he had going on at the time. It was a classic James D. move. For several years, we have a large glass bottle in our lunchroom, essentially serving as a piggy bank for people to deposit their spare pennies. Within this jar, there is an authentic "James D" $100 bill, which is unattainable unless the bottle is broken. To new hires, the bill often raises the question, "Why is there a $100 bill in that jar?" This allows me the opportunity to share the story of my friend James D. Now that $100 is extra special. I may have a hard time telling the story to my next new hire. Godspeed James. You may want to check the nickname at the pearly gates. But I know you won't.”
Related Articles:
https://www.stoneworld.com/articles/90897-first-sfa-workshop-of-2019-attracts-largest-crowd-to-date
https://www.stoneworld.com/articles/85842-nevada-fabricator-merges-technology-and-craftsmanship
