Spring 2016 “Play ball! “ The umpire yelled, and with those words the 2016 baseball season was under way. I have always enjoyed the start of baseball season, there is just something truly heartwarming and American about baseball. When I was a kid, it was the only sport I was really good at and that’s not saying much, except that I loved playing and being on a team. In the 70’s when I was growing up and playing baseball, there was no year round season, no personal coaches, no specialty camps and no expensive personalized equipment. If you were good you played a lot and if you were not so good you played a little and once the season was over, it was over for the year. I guess maybe that’s why it was so fun, because you didn’t have to do it year round. The one thing from that whole baseball/sports experience that has really stayed with me and been an influence in my life is the aspect of being on a team and being part of something bigger than myself. It has been a part of my life since then and remains a part of my life to this very day. When I think about it, just about every job or career I have ever had in my life has had some aspect of team attached to it. Whether it was working as part of the wait staff in a restaurant, being part of an Army unit or working on a fire engine as part of a rescue crew, a team and team work are how things get done. In looking at the granite industry here in Elberton, you can find a team concept as well. All of the different companies, all working on their own individual projects and agendas, yet all with the same intent of delivering quality granite products. It is really amazing when you stop and think about all the different parts of our industry and how they all work together in the manufacturing and shipping of Elberton memorials throughout the country or around the world. From the quarry workers who cut the blocks from the earth, to the stone cutters, the sand blasters, the hand etchers, the setting crews and the truck drivers; although Elberton is made up of many different companies, we are ultimately all part of the same team. For the last 120 years, that team spirit has been alive here in Elberton and it is that team spirit that is taking us into the future. When people ask me why Elberton is considered the “Granite Capital of the World”, I tell them it is because of our teams of people who specialize in the craft of stone working and who are dedicated to producing the finest monuments and memorials anywhere. Generations of our customers know it and our new customers learn it with their first order. The Elberton Granite industry means quality and quality comes from team work; it’s just how things get done. King’s Monument Company proudly announces that Zach Peacock has successfully completed his apprenticeship as a Stone Cutter. Zach completed 1,530 hours of apprenticeship training under the expert guidance of Marty King and Ronnie Grimes. We look forward to the projects that Zach will create and wish him the best of luck in his chosen profession. Coach Smart Receives an Elberton Gift Rachel Floyd (right) of Elbert County and a journalism student at the University of Georgia, recently presented new Bulldog Coach Kirby Smart with an Elberton granite nameplate for his desk at the Butts-Mehre Building in Athens. Floyd and her father, Quinn Floyd, owner of A.Q. Stone Design Company, saw a couple of photos of Smart at his desk during recruiting season and saw that he had a plastic nameplate, so they decided they needed to “fix the problem”. Shown with Rachel and Coach Smart is Elbert County’s own Steve Bryant, who has worked for years with the University of Georgia Athletic Association as an athletic trainer. (L-R): Steve Bryant, Coach Kirby Smart, Rachel Floyd When Wenta Monument Co. in Milwaukee, WI was in need of a crane upgrade, Chuck Schroedl remembered Elberton Granite Association’s “EGA Member Spotlight” from last summer’s edition of The Graniteer magazine featuring PalFleet Truck Equipment. Wenta Monument’s original truck frame on their truck was severely deteriorated by rust buildup between the factory frame and reinforcement rails which was causing them to split apart. In order for a new crane to be mounted, some major structural work needed to be done. At the PalFleet branch in Tiffin, OH, before the installation of the crane could begin, it was key to inspect the truck chassis and create a good foundation for the crane. The belly reinforcements were cut out, sand blasted, primed, and repainted. Then the outer reinforcements were replaced with new sections and extra bolts added to keep them tight and seams sealed to keep water out. The frame was stretched, a proper sub frame added, the body refurbished and wood replaced with Rumber; then the new crane could be mounted. The finished product was not only structurally sound again but safe, stable and operator friendly. Creating a safe truck package by determining axle ratings, frame strength and usable frame dimensions all play a big part when selecting the proper crane size for any given new or used truck chassis. At PalFleet, we won’t put just any crane on any truck. It must be the right crane on a structurally sound body and chassis ensuring safety for the user and a product that suited for the job. ”Everyone at Palfleet from working with Jason on the details of our purchase, to the guys out on the shop floor fixing our truck and installing the new crane, were great and went above and beyond to help us out” - Chuck Schroedl Wenta Monument Company If you’re considering a new crane package, whether on a new or used chassis, let the experts at PalFleet Truck Equipment help you make the right decision for your business. Contact Jason Jankowski, Regional Sales Manager, at 567-230-3000 or j.jankowski@palfleet.com. Mandy Kamerad joined the Star Granite & Bronze customer service team as a Customer Service Assistant. She was promoted to Customer Service Specialist and is now dedicated to assisting customers in the Canada and California territory. Mandy brought granite industry experience to the team, having worked as a production assistant. She has lived in Elberton for 2 years with her sons, Preston and Chandler. Page Alix brings several years of valued granite industry experience to Star’s customer service team. As a Customer Service Specialist she serves customers in the MD, OH, PA, NY, NJ, MA & UT territory. She is currently studying Business Administration at Athens Tech and is on track to graduate this summer. Page is a life-long resident of Elberton and has one son, Landyn. When asked what they like most about working at Star, both of these ladies expressed how much they feel like part of a team, and like they belong to a ‘family’ as well. “Star always makes their employees feel like family.” Granite Sales & Supply Corp provides stone working equipment and industry supplies to local granite companies. Stacey Drake, Sales Manager, brings over 22 years of granite industry experience to his position. Stacey says that he is proud of the competitive pricing and customer service that Granite Sales & Supply provides, and that he has a hard working team of people who are dedicated to helping customers with their granite supply needs. Lindsay Outzs is new to Granite Sales & Supply, and works as Assistant Office Manager. Lindsay resides in Bowman, GA, and brings experience from her training as a teacher. She says she is quickly learning about the various supplies and services that GSS provides to customers. She adds that she very much enjoys working with the team at GSS, and has learned a lot from her co-workers, especially “Ms. Wanda”. Lindsay says she looks forward to coming to work every day, and that everyone there has been really helpful while she learns the ropes. Wanda Lankford is Granite Sales & Supply’s Office Manager and Bookkeeper, and has been employed there for over 17 years. Wanda understands every aspect of Granite Sales and Supply’s mission to deliver superior customer service, and she has a vast amount of product knowledge. As Stacey Drake said, “Wanda is the one we rely on. We don’t know what we’d do without her.” Courtney Palinkas was recently hired at Porcelains Unlimited as an Administrative Assistant. Courtney manages the North Port, Florida office, and brings her experience as a Customer Service Manager at Publix Supermarkets to her new position. Courtney’s background includes providing superior customer service and financial management. As a new mother, Courtney is very pleased to work for a family owned and operated business. In her free time, Courtney volunteers to Olympic weight lift with children. She is excited to be working in a new industry and applying her skills learned, adhering to Porcelains Unlimited’s strict customer demands. Majestic Granite Company recently added Leigh Floyd to its staff. A native of Elbert County, Leigh has many years experience in the granite industry, and brings her multiple talents to Majestic in the areas of Customer Service and Administrative Assistant. Leigh is very happy to be part of Majestic’s team, and looks forward to contributing her skills and talent to her new position. Introduces New SEALERS AND COLOR ENHANCERS Granite Sales & Supply Corp has added new products to its inventory! DRYTREAT develops impregnating sealers & enhancers for natural stone, bricks, pavers, tiles, engineering concrete & grout and Hanafinn™ safe, environmentally responsible specialty cleaners. STAIN-PROOF Original™ is an impregnating, invisible and breathable sealer that provides premium permanent protection for natural stone, tiles, pavers, concrete, brick and grout from water and oil based stains and damage caused by water and dissolved salts. Its unique super-penetrating, permanent bonding technology provides for long lasting protection with a 15 year written performance warranty. INTENSIFIA™ offers deep color enhancement and is suitable for a wide variety of applications, including floors, walls, cladding, facades, countertops, patios, driveways, paths, garages, and kitchens. It works on a wide variety of porous surfaces, including all types of natural stone, and is suitable for indoor and outdoor applications and for residential and commercial buildings and has superior oil and water repellency. It will not flake, yellow, crack, blister or break down in high alkalis and reduces concrete dusting. Backed by a 5-year warranty. HANAFINN Rejuvenata ACTIVE™ is a powerful, natural active enzyme cleaner concentrate for both heavy duty and regular cleaning of all natural stones, tile, grout, brick and other hard surfaces. It contains 3 different enzymes for removing general grime and stains caused by grease / oils, mold, food and beverages. Oxy-Klenza™ is recommended for cleaning outdoor surfaces including patios, building facades, decks, cladding, garages, driveways, eating and entertaining areas. Its odorless, triple action, oxygen, alkaline and detergent boosted heavy duty cleaner removes general grime and stains and is safe for all natural stone, tile, masonry, concrete, brick, grout, vinyl and raw /unfinished wood. Eff-Erayza™ is a new acid cleaner for removing efflorescence, rust stains, limescale, grout haze, mortar mess and fireplace soot. Eff-Erayza™ is very powerful and generally more effective than traditional industrial acids but is non fuming and non-corrosive to metals (except for uncoated aluminium). Call or stop by Granite Sales and Supply today to learn more about these awesome sealers and enhancers! Design Mart announces the addition of two more of their popular series to their new Online Monument Designer. Tributes of Love featuring designs D997 – D1047. This series matches the classic book and brochure, and includes companion monuments, family monuments, contemporary and traditional shapes, wing/vase style monuments, individuals, markers (slants, bevels, flats), and ledgers. There are 85 monument designs including alternate designs and components. We Remember featuring designs D1406 – D1464. Selection matches the popular book and brochure, and includes companion monuments, family monuments, contemporary and traditional shapes, wing/vase style monuments, individuals, markers (slants, bevels, flats) including bronze on granite bases, photo/laser etchings, children’s monuments and cremation options. There are 92 monument designs including alternate designs and components. All monuments and markers match the ones shown in the Design Marts books and brochures, which may be personalized with retailers’ company names and logos. In the Online Monument Designer the monuments already have carvings and panels in place, and are ready for lettering and other customization. Carvings and panels may be removed, and new ones may be added if desired. There are more than 3,500 components that may be searched by keyword. All designs may be viewed in various granite colors, and a CAD-ready file is produced, which eliminates long turnaround times for approval drawings. Several formats are available for export, making them compatible with Gerber Omega, MonuCad, Flexi, Illustrator, Corel, AutoCad and many other applications. In addition to a ready-to-cut CAD file a color rendering is automatically generated - giving customers an idea of how the final monument will appear. Retailers are finding it helpful to offer color images for approval while families wait, and they may email them to distant family members who can’t be in the office but want to be part of the creation and selection process. Design Mart’s Online Catalog & Monument Designer is completely web-based, and anyone with an internet connection can use it. Brief tutorial videos and additional information may be found at http://designmart.com/online-catalog-and-monument-designer/monument-designer/about-online-monument-designer/. The video demonstrates just how easy it is to personalize monuments and create color pictures and CAD files at the same time. For more information or a free 30-day visit www.designmart.com , click Online Catalog & Monument Designer, then Monument Designer, and About Monument Designer. You may also type this address into your web browser: http://designmart.com/online-catalog-and-monument-designer/monument-designer/about-online-monument-designer/. You may also call Design Mart at 800-736-7455 or email d-mart@designmart.com if you have questions. We Remember comprises companion monuments, family monuments, contemporary and traditional shapes, wing/vase style monuments, individuals, markers (slants, bevels, flats) including bronze on granite bases, photo/laser etchings, children’s monuments and cremation options. There are 92 monument designs including alternate designs and components. A comprehensive tutorial video is available at DesignMart.com > Online Catalog & Monument Designer > Monument Designer > About Monument Designer. The video is about 20 minutes long and shows all aspects and features of the Monument Designer. Elberton Industry Tour On February 26, 2016, two tour buses rolled into Elberton with over 120 participants who were part of Monument Builders of North America’s MBUniversity Conference which was being held in Atlanta, GA. The entire day was spent touring Elberton and visiting various sites including a quarry, production plants, supply stores, the Georgia Guidestones, and the Elbert Granite Museum. Participants visited with member firms, and everyone enjoyed breakfast on the buses, lunch at the Elberton Country Club, and Happy Hour festivities on the return trip to Atlanta. The EGA is very appreciative of the support received by our member-firms for their participation in this fun and informative event. On the following pages are some photos that capture just a portion of the fun and the learning that took place all day long. The tour was inarguably a huge success, and the EGA hopes to offer it again soon. at star granite & Bronze production facility at keystone memorials production facility lunch at the elberton country club at eagle granite PRODUCTIOn FACILITY A Stop At Miles Supply Company Visiting the Elberton Granite Museum A STOP AT bicknell supply Launching Happy Hour at Granite Sales & Supply Corp The Elberton Granite Association would like to thank the following member firms for their meal sponsorships during the bus tour. We appreciate all their help in making the event such a success! Granite Sales and Supply, Bicknell, Porcelains, Miles Supply When Deborah Harsha of Harsha Monument Company, located in Hillsboro, OH, needed a family estate memorial, she knew who to call. “This is a plot where my whole family will eventually be, and I wanted something really nice. So I called George at Keystone Memorials.” Deborah states that, “George was so helpful. He was kind enough to send pictures at every stage of the design, starting with its creation in the [Shapemill] machine that he has, and he kept me informed of its progress and sent me photos, right up until it was complete. We are very pleased with it. I know it’s what [my late husband] Sandy would have wanted.” This dignified family memorial is located in Hillsboro Cemetery Association in Hillsboro, OH. This interesting and unique mausoleum is located in Atlanta, Georgia’s historic Oakland Cemetery, established in 1850. Fabricated by Southern Mausoleums, Inc. for Georgia Mausoleums and the Harris family, this six-crypt walk-in was selected by two brothers in tribute to their parents. More than 70,000 people are buried in Oakland Cemetery, and although plots are no longer available for sale, the Harris family was able to secure a space in the cemetery by purchasing the plot from another owner, whom they had located in Europe. It is the first mausoleum to be allowed into Oakland since the 1970’s, and is the first large memorial to be set in over 100 years. This six-crypt mausoleum is situated so that it sits directly off a major thoroughfare in downtown Atlanta, and can be seen from the road. Oakland Cemetery is one of Atlanta’s major tourist draws, and offers daily tours of its grounds. This mausoleum will be incorporated into the tour, as well as into a book about the cemetery that is currently in the works. Deciding on an adjective to describe the Harris mausoleum is challenging. While it resembles a church, it also evokes a feeling of something from a story book or fantasy. The family selected the design based on the gothic “Austell Mausoleum” found in Oakwood, as well as other nostalgic designs seen in early 20th century Sears Roebuck catalogs. The exterior is steel finished, and polished on the inside. The black and white floor and black granite interiors are based on those found in the Austell design. It features gothic bronze doors on the front with a carved cross design above them. The buttresses on the sides are unique to this design, and the stained glass window seen from the inside is inset into the stone, and is not visible from the exterior. This design feature was a deliberate effort to eliminate the possibility of breakage from the outside, especially given the large number of visitors to the cemetery each day. Bronze sculptures of the parents, who are avid card players, will soon be completed and installed inside the mausoleum, featuring likenesses of the parents sitting at a table playing a hand of cards. The external appearance of the mausoleum is a bit deceiving. According to Jesse Hernandez of Georgia Mausoleums, “The family wanted it constructed from individual blocks, but the cost was so high, I was able to talk them into letting us cut lines into the granite to make it look like it was made from blocks. When you first see it, you’ll think it is made that way.” Jesse adds, “The family had been working on designing the mausoleum for over eight years, and they wanted it to be grey granite. I convinced them that granite from Elberton was superior to any other granite found anywhere else...the Keystone Blue is what they decided on.” After many negotiations with City officials and obtaining all the permits necessary, the mausoleum was set in the cemetery with a crane that required two lanes of traffic be shut down. “It was a challenge, but over one weekend we were able to set it exactly the way it needed to be,” said Jesse, “We spent a lot of time making sure the design and construction was right, and everything really turned out great. I’m very proud to have been able to work on it. And the family is very happy with it.” This beautiful monument was created by Welch’s Granite Company, Inc., for Bluegrass Monuments in Franklin, KY. Betty Bailey of Bluegrass had a long time friend come to her to request a monument be made to honor her deceased husband and to pay tribute to their loving marriage. “Since she liked the idea of hearts, we incorporated them into the shape of the stone, and I suggested that she put their name along with a rose on the reverse side. She also wanted a picture of them to somehow be on the stone, so we included an etching of their wedding photo into the center. ” said Betty. “Once we had an idea of what it needed to look like, I called Welch’s because I’ve done business with them for a very long time, and I knew they could help me. They always have.” According to Betty, her friend is “very happy with it,” and has “directed many of her other friends and family to go see it. It is exactly what she wanted.” This loving memorial is located in Greenlawn Cemetery in Franklin, KY. L&M Granite Company fabricated this monument and created a very special replica of a Tennessee Titans ball cap for a young man who tragically lost his life in a workplace accident. Lebanon Monument Company worked with L&M to create this tribute, which features a full scale, detailed and life-like granite ball cap, hand etched by Shelley Evans, set atop the monument. According to Marilyn from Lebanon, “His Dad said he never went anywhere without his hat”, and that “he [Dad] is wearing the hat all the time now.” The monument itself features a laser etching of the young man with his beloved truck. This touching memorial is located in Triune Cemetery in Arrington, TN. North Georgia Monument Company designed, manufactured, and erected this magnificent landmark located in Madison County, GA. Situated on Highway 72 East, this distinctive sign can be seen in the small community of Tiny Town, near Carlton, GA. According to Tim Huguley, owner of North Georgia Monument Company, “I designed the sign after the old drive-in movie arrows of the 1950’s, so it would catch people’s eye when they pass by. On the front of the sign, I pinned the North Georgia Monument logo to look like it was floating in the air, and I put a small star onto the State of Georgia to show our location.” Impressive in its size, it is both eye-catching and patriotic, and makes a great first impression for those arriving to Madison County. The addition of the United States flag is just the right touch to make North Georgia Monument’s signage a real statement of American manufacturing and workmanship. When the University of Georgia expanded their Veterinary Teaching Hospital facilities in Athens, GA, the school decided to name a room in honor of the veterinary facility’s founding Dean, Thomas J. Jones. They set out to raise money for this purpose, and in time, a conference room was indeed named for him. Many students who had attended UGA’s veterinary school prior to Dean Jones’ retirement wanted to do more. They used the excess monies raised and put the funds toward placing a tribute to him in a location in the new facility where everyone, including new students, visitors, and pet owners visiting the hospital could see it. According to Kathy Bangle, Senior Director of Development for Constituent Programs at UGA, “Dean Jones was very influential here at the vet school. The students felt it was the right thing to do, to honor him and dedicate a marker to him, to know his history. When the students discovered there was excess money available, it put the idea in their heads to pay him a tribute. It says a lot about how influential and respected he was, and what a great legacy he left behind.” University officials contacted Keystone Memorials, Inc., to design and fabricate this marker. It is located in the lobby of the University of Georgia’s Veterinary Education Center in the brand new Veterinary Medical Center Complex in Athens, GA. The text on the marker reads: Tom Jones’ life epitomizes the American Dream. He immigrated to America at age 23 from Carmarthenshire, South Wales. He settled in Florida where he received a BS degree from the University of Florida, followed by his MS and DVM degrees from the University of Georgia and a PhD degree from the University of Illinois. Dr. Jones worked as a veterinarian in Covington, Ga. before serving as a field veterinarian for the US Bureau of Animal Industry. In 1939 Dr. Jones became associate professor of Animal Husbandry in the College of Agriculture at UGA. The Board of Regents authorized the School of Veterinary Medicine in 1946, and Dr. Thomas J. Jones was chosen to be our first Dean and create this new institution. During this critical time he and Dr. Clifford Westerfield were the only faculty responsible for teaching the incoming freshmen and the second year students. In 1950 the School was accredited and 45 quality veterinarians graduated, all but 3 being veterans of WWII. Dr. Jones continued in his capacity as Dean for 17 years. After Dr. Jones stepped down as Dean he continued to serve the College as Professor of Veterinary Medicine and Research until he retired in 1971. Dean Jones endeared himself to many students. His enlightened leadership started the path of excellence that led to the world class college it is today. Dean Jones was a wonderful man, and his students proudly place this memorial in his honor. The DAISY Foundation recognizes nurses for examples of extraordinary care. DAISY Award recipients are presented a sculpture, The Healer’s Touch, that symbolizes the relationship among nurses, patients, and families. In addition to rewarding nurses with such a sculpture, DAISY offers larger Healing Touch sculptures so that various healthcare organizations can recognize the extraordinary efforts of their medical professionals and the significance of the relationships between healers and patients. Such sculptures are created from stone by the Shona tribe in Africa’s Republic of Zimbabwe. The sculptures seen in these photographs represent a healer embracing a patient, and reflects the importance of traditional healers and the interpersonal relationships the Shona tribe members hold dear. Each sculpture symbolizes the unity of the two characters and the healing process that takes place. When the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospital group wanted to place a Healer’s Touch sculpture in the lobbies of their three Atlanta area hospitals, they contacted Madeleine Fay of Art Initiative, Inc., located in Atlanta, GA. Maddie was challenged to find appropriate bases on which to place these sculptures, and upon learning that Elberton is “The Granite Capital of the World”, she contacted the Elberton Granite Museum. It was this point of contact that resulted in Central Granite Company being selected to fabricate the large polished granite bases for the sculpture display. Maddie said, “We wanted something that was beautiful and functional, and the people at Central were so helpful. They understood what we needed, they created them exactly the way we wanted, and now we have these lovely solid granite bases that compliment the sculptures perfectly.” L.J. and Annette Melancon of Melancon Marble & Granite Works of Carencro, LA, approached their town’s mayor, Glenn Brasseaux, and offered to donate a granite bench to honor our veterans. That idea led to the development of the Carencro Veterans Memorial. The unique design was voluntarily planned by native architect, Lynn Guidry, and with the help of a dedicated committee and volunteers, the first phase of the project was brought to a very successful completion with a dedication ceremony held on November 11, 2014. After final completion, the memorial was rededicated on November 11, 2015. Eagle Granite Company fabricated and Melancon Marble & Granite erected the sixteen granite pylons. These pylons are each engraved with the names of KIA and MIA soldiers from Carencro. They stand around a plaza of bricks, also inscribed with the names of veterans, along with six granite benches sandblasted with the logos of the military branches. Three bronze plaques are centered under the flag poles, inscribed with the names of local government officials, all donors, and the Carencro War veterans’ dedication of the flag pole that bears the American flag. The President of the Ascension Veteran’s Memorial Park in Gonzales, LA, Brent Gautreau, contacted Hope Haven Marble & Granite in Gonzales, LA, about adding a monument to the park dedicated to Purple Heart recipients. It was coming to the end of Ascension Parish President Tommy Martinez’s last term as President and this was the last thing Martinez wanted to do for the Park and Veterans of Ascension Parish. A dedication ceremony was scheduled to be held on Veteran’s Day and the memorial was to be unveiled that day. Martinez brought Melissa Rodrigue of Hope Haven Marble & Granite an idea for the memorial, and together they designed the front and added a poem on the back. After approval from the Parish President, Melissa sent all the specifications to Keystone Memorials, Inc. Melissa stated, “Keystone did everything from there, and shipped it to us just in time to get it installed a few days before the ceremony. Keystone did an awesome job as always!” The monument honoring Purple Heart recipients was unveiled during the Veterans Day program Nov. 11 in Gonzales, LA, and was seen for the first time at the end of the program, which was hosted by the Ascension Veterans Park Committee. During the ceremony, Ascension Veterans Memorial Park chairman Tanya Whitney said there are 6,900 veterans in Ascension Parish and gave those in attendance a chance to stand and be recognized during a tribute to them. “All veterans agree to make sacrifices,” Whitney said. “They are willing to protect and serve and they answered the call of duty. They are committed to a cause greater than their own to defend our nation.” Vietnam War veteran Daniel Grenfell and World War II veteran Arnold Guidry talk after the unveiling of the new monument dedicated to Purple Heart recipients located at Ascension Veterans Memorial Park in Gonzalez, LA. Guidry, 95, was wounded while serving with the 36th Infantry in Germany and Grenfell was injured serving as a Marine. Both received Purple Heart medals. Mid Atlantic Monument Builders Conference Baltimore, MD (L-R): Ben Porobenski, Jr., Northampton, PA; Kurt Luckemeyer, King’s Monument Company; Ben Porobenski, Sr., Northampton, PA; Katie, Jerry, & Trudy King, King’s Monument Company; Harley & Darlene Cook, Greenville, PA. (L-R): Stanley Mills, L&M Granite Company; Buddy Damiano, Long Branch, NJ; Tony Mills, L&M Grante Company; Todd Wolfe, Arlington, VA; Mary Wood, Fredrickburg, VA; Rick Burroughs, Manassas, VA. (L-R): Jerry, Marty, & Jean King, King’s Monument Company; Larry Heller, Feasterville, PA; Katie King, King’s Monunment Company; Becky & Kurt Luckemeyer, King’s Monunment Company; Matthew King, King’s Monument Company; Sharon Whitner, Dover, PA; A.J. Hoffman, Ashland, OH; Jay Crunkilton, Ashland, OH; Trudy King, King’s Monument Company; Tony Martin, Ashland, OH; Ronnie Porobenski, Northampton, PA; Jay Parson, Baltimore, MD (kneeling). (L-R): Elaine Oglesby, Keystone Memorials, Inc.; Adam Sprung, N. Lindehurst, NY; Andrew Bolt, Comstock Park, MI; Rob Gears, Comstock Park, MI; Tom Oglesby, Keystone Memorials, Inc. (L-R): Linda King, Erie, PA; Justin O’Neill, Lindehurst, NY; Hillary Vaughn, Star Granite & Bronze; Steve Skeba, Star Granite & Bronze, Anthony & Michael Spadolini, N. Lindehurst, NY; Greg Spandolini, N. Lindehurst, NY; Brian O’Neill, Lindehurst, NY. (L-R): Kent Tompkins, Dallastown, PA; Jeff Poirier & Adam Martin, Miles Supply Company; Anthony Sgobba, Paterson NJ; John Pesavento, Scranton, NJ, Evan Storrs & Larry Bessinger, Miles Supply Company. (L-R): Shauna & Tanner Lewis, Porcelains Unlimited; Rich Brooks, Norwich, CT; Charlie & Colleen Prokop, Shrewsbury, MA (L-R): Michael Hughes, Bicknell Supply Company; Kim & Tim Rolf, Newport, KY; Leslie Turpin, Bicknell Supply Company; Susan Neely, Clarksburg, WV; Jim Conant, Clarksburg, WV. (L-R): George Arnold, Glass Art Imaging; Louis Monti, Jr., Marlborough, MA; Karl Hicks, Glass Art Imaging. EGA’s Chris Kubas (L) and Matthew Pruitt (R) with Congressman Doug Collins, Georgia’s 9th District U.S. Representative.