Spring 2007 Graniteer Getting to Great It is interesting To hear what people perceive to be "great," and there has been a lot of study on just what it takes to be great. Fortune magazine had an article re­porting on research which concluded that natural talent is irrelevant to great success. The secret, they posed, is discipline and hard work over many years, concluding that you can make yourself into any number of things-even make yourself great. Jim Collin's bestseller, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't, supports this belief and explains how the great leader inspires others to greatness. Collins writes that "Good is the enemy of great." Many have the desire to be good, but few lack the discipline to push on to greatness. While most of us can see the need for change in the performance of others, it's our own personal growth that we tend to ignore. We should always evaluate our work, asking how we could have done that better. It is our behavior over which we have the biggest influence and produce the fastest results. le should be where we scare. But that level of personal a11d professio11al satisfaction must be analyzed. Are you satisfied with good or do you want great? I heard a father cell his young son, who was a very good runner within his age group, "Son, don't give 100% if you can win with 50%." Is this what we want to teach our children-how to get by with as little effort as possible? Is this what we want our employees or customers to think they are getting-something less than our best? The Memorial Industry deals with an emotional product, honoring a life that was lived. Your customers deserve your best, not because you "have to" but because you want your company to move from good to great. Correction: In the Winter 2006 issue, the Graniteer published information about chis majestic memorial manufactured by KEYSTONE ME­MORIALS. We failed to mention that the 11-foot long, 8-foot tall monument was manufactured for David Hill of Southside Monuments, Augusta, Georgia. Growth in Elberton Granite Industry Speaks to Efficiency. The annual payroll audits of EGA Member-Firms for the 2005-2006 fiscal year reflect continued growth in "the Granite Capital of the World." Each year, the Elberton Granite Association audits the payroll records of its Voting and Sustaining members to determine Association dues and calculate workers' compensation premiums. This audit also serves as an excellent opportunity to collect information by job classification and to look at the overall health of the industry by examining production and employment trends. EGA has published the rest1lts of these payroll audits since 1989, documenting the progress of the El­berton Granite Industry. For the 2005-2006 year, a record payroll total of $47.8 million was tabulated from the data collected. What is most significant about this amount, an overall increase of nearly 1 % over the previous year, is that it was generated by only 125 firms ( down 1.3% from the previous year's 129). This represents the smallest membership recorded in the audits to date, a result of mergers and acquisitions within the Industry. This decline in total membership is also reflected in unaudited, estimated payroll for the period, down by about 1 % due to a smaller membership included in this classification over previous years. Gross employment numbers declined slightly as well, with the total number of plant employees down approximately 1.4% and quarry employment down by about 3%. Yet given the decrease in companies and workers in the industry, the payroll continues to grow. "It's obvious that today's technology is allowing EGA members to improve their production, despite some losses;' said EGA Executive Vice President Tom Robinson. Indeed, while overall employment numbers are declining slightly, the upward trend in total pay­roll shows a move toward retention of skilled labor, as the veteran, experienced workers seem to be fetching a higher wage over previous years. Technology can them make up for small losses in an unskilled workforce, keeping overhead down. EGA payroll audit figures can be extrapolated and applied to the Elberton area's 119 non­member firms identified by EGA trustees. Using the combined total, all estimated total payroll is determined. For 2005-2006, the total estimated Granite Industry payroll in the five-county membership area is $62,238,488. Of this total, 77% is verified by EGA audits. Cost studies conducted by EGA over the years indicate that for every dollar paid in wages, a company needs approximately three in sales to break even. Applying chis conservative estimate to the $62.2 million payroll estimate, total sales for the Elberton Granite Industry would be at least $186 million for the 2005-2006 year. It is further estimated that 200 tractor-trailer loads of granite are shipped out of Elberton each week. Two Monument Retailers Basic Course. EGA training Institutes Offered in 2007. In response to continually increasing demand, EGA has decided to offer its renowned Monument Retailers' Basic Course twice in the fall of 2007. Past graduates in the 25-year history of the Basic Course have gone on to become the industry's leaders, to sing the praises of the program, and perhaps more importantly and more tellingly to come back as instructors. Spanning three and a half days of intense, enjoyable study, the Basic Course covers a great deal of knowledge that might take years of trial and error to learn out in the real world. Topics cover everything from the quarry to the financial ledger, with many stops in between. Previous attendees have learned the iconography of classical monument symbols, how to determine fair and profitable pricing, how to work with clients, CAD basics, advertising and promotional strategies, the quarrying and manufacturing processes, and how to communicate effectively with manufacturers to eliminate costly and frustrating "surprises." Every Training Institute includes tours of Elberton-area quarries, manufacturing plants, and supply firms as well. In short, every effort is made to completely immerse an attendee in the business of running a retail monument company and the process of making quality granite memorials. This gives the retailers who do business with EGA member-firms the tools they need to be successful and to work well with their manufacturers­fostering an environment where more work comes in to Elberton and more granite moves smoothly back out. The first class will be from September 24 through 27. In addition to instruction by Elberton-area craftsmen, the Institutes will feature guest speakers Richard D. Schultz, CM, AI CA, of Hunt Memorials in Nashville, TN, and Danny Creech, owner of Central Monument of Keithville, LA. The second session will run from October 15 through 18, and will have guest speakers Mike Brannon, of Brannon Monument Co., Dubuque, IA, and Eugene Petersen of Askew-Petersen Stone Works, Inc., Burlington, NC Top: EGA members share their knowledge and experience in monument setting and cleaning. Bottom: Quarry tours are always a big hit with Institute attendees. Most groups find the quarries bigger than they ever imagined. Monument Retailers’ Basic Course Facts at a glance. A low registration fee of $225 per person covers all lunches, a receptions and evening meal, and transportation to and from all activities. All registrants must be sponsored and in good standing with an EGA voting member, ie., those firms listed in the directory on pp. 28-31) as member-firms. Hotel arrangements will be made for you with your completed application and payment. Room rates should be less than $70 per night. Sessions are limited to approximately 20 persons and are strictly first come, first serve. Danny Creech, Mike Brannon, Richard Schultz. EGA Supports Natural Stone Council's ''Green'' Building Programs. When politicians and scientists start talking about environmental or "green" efforts, it's easy for people in industry to turn away, perhaps associating the term with radical tree-huggers waving signs and staging protests-or at a more practical level, with restrictive regulation chat disrupts their business and cuts into profits. Whatever the bugaboo, green initiatives are not always at­tractive if they require change or sacrifice. "Green building" need not be a bugaboo for the Elberton Granite Industry, however. We happen to be in a position to simply benefit from what is already happening, and in so doing, we might make the world a better place for future generations. At the national level, the Natural Stone Council, an umbrella organization with members from most of the major stone groups in the US, has launched initiatives to promote natural stone to the design and building industries and to spread the word about stone's environmental benefits. EGA is one of several organizations chat have pledged $10,000 or n1ore per year over three years co assist in this effort. "Green" building focuses on reducing the environmental impact of the building process, of the building itself on its surroundings and inhabitants, of the building's energy and water consumption, and of what happens co a building at the end of its lifecycle. A sobering statistic from the Natural Stone Council: In construction and energy use costs, commercial and residential buildings account for 30%­that's nearly one third-of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions. It's not just that big SUV that's warming the planet, it's also that big office building. A green building is defined as one that is designed and built in environmentally responsible and sustainable ways and will reduce or elimi­nate its continued environmental impact throughout its lifecycle. A benchmark program from the US Green Building Council (USBGC) has been established to help architects and contractors’ market themselves in this new arena. Called LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environme11tal De­sign, the program offers certification for new construction or major renovation projects and is already a very popular vehicle to help secure funding and support for public buildings, commercial construction, homes, neighborhood developments, and educational campuses. Well, okay. That's all very nice, but why does it matter in Elberton? First of all, a good number of points toward this coveted LEED certification can come from using "regional" materials. Reduced shipping distances mean less energy is used to get the stone to the site, and "regional" is defined as anywhere within a 500-mile radius of the project. That opens Elberton granite up to LEED-certified projects all through the South, from Orlando to Richmond, anywhere on the coast between Norfolk and Daytona, and as far west as Memphis. Also attractive to the green movement, stone is extremely durable, naturally insulating, low maintenance, and does not "outgas" harmful chemicals which can affect indoor air quality. All these qualities also contribute to LEED certification. And at the end of a building's life, the stone can be recycled, either deconstructed for use in another project or ground up as aggregate for roads. Currently 40% of landfill solid waste in this country is construction and demolition waste, according to the NSC. While not all new buildings will need LEED certification in the future, many-particularly schools, public buildings, large developments, offices, etc.-will want to market themselves to the community as being "green," certified or not. With this popular movement already underway and the support provided by the Natural Stone Council and EGA, the natural stone supplier in Elberton is in a position to capitalize on a growing trend toward sustainability and environmental responsibility. EGA Gives Additional Support to Boost Technology Grant. The Development Authority of Elbert County was recently granted $16,000 from a OneGeorgia state grant to implement a new technology program. Called TechSmart, the initiative is designed to stimulate the local economy and job market with innovative information technology solutions. EGA representative Bob Paul, of EAGLE GRANITE COMPANY, was on hand to present EGA's matching contribution of $500 to the development authority. Eagle Granite Company's Bob Paul (top right), serving as EGA representative, is on hand as Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue (center) presents a check to the Development Authority of El­bert County. Also present are {front) Elberton Mayor Pro Tem Pobby Hunt (far left), Chamber of Commerce President Phyllis Brooks (left), and Development Authority Executive Director Anna Grant Jones (right), with (top left) Elbert County Community Foundation Chairman Scott Wilson. New Hires in the EGA Family at Rome Granite ROME GRANITE, INC. owner David Giannoni announced the addition of four essential members of the Rome Granite family. At the reception desk and on the phone, customers will find Hollie Snow (left), who was hired in January of this year. Miss Snow performs sales and clerical duties for Rome. She has about five years' experience, and lives in Elberton. Jo Hopp (right), also of Elberton, is in Customer Relations. Additionally, her duties include Accounting, Human Resources, and Payroll. She has been at Rome since April of 2006. She is married to Patrick Hopp, and has two children, Danielle, 16, and Eric, 21. Eric is back in Elberton after a year in Baghdad with the Army. Jeremy Owens (left) joined the staff as Sales Manager in the fall of 2006. He will be traveling all over the country and attending conventions on Rome's behalf. He has several years' experience in sales, with more than a year in the Granite Industry. At Rome's South Ridge quarry, Kenneth House (below) has been hired as Foreman. He has been in the trade since he graduated high school. Mr. House lives in Elberton with his wife, Ashley, and is active in the Rock Branch Baptist Church. Autum Dickerson has joined the staff at STAR GRANITE COMPANY, INC, as a Customer Service Specialist, handling customer inquiries at the company's office on Bowman Highway in Elberton. The Hartwell, GA, native has been working at Scar since July of 2006. She has an associate degree in Business from Emmanuel College. Autum is engaged to Darrell Henry of Elberton, and has a 5-year-old daughter, Chelsey. She is an active member of the Bethesda United Methodist Church in Hartwell. Landmark Granite Honors Dawgs. Elberton granite and University of Georgia athletics have a long history together. Rabid Dawgs fans Vince Fernandez (left) of LANDMARK GRANITE COMPANY and Quinn Floyd (right), an Elberton specialty sign manufacturer, recently honored Georgia football's Strength and Conditioning Coach Joe Tereshinski ( center) with a custom "Jet Black" penset-and dropped off a couple of other goodies as well. The traditional "Block of Granite" trophy manufactured by Landmark was awarded this year to senior guard Chris Abbott, for being "a block of granite the Georgia football team depended on" during his four years with the Dawgs. Mr. Floyd also donated a large "Jet Black" address marker to a silent auction. Mr. Floyd has the unique distinction of being officially licensed to use the University of Georgia logo, along with official ACC logos for Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and has applied for the right to use Georgia Southern University's logo as well. Margaret Ruff, 68, passed away on Jan. 30. She was long-time bookkeeper for Triple "R" Granite Sales, wife of Allen "Bo" Ruff, and mother of Mitch and Greg, both of Triple "R," and daughter Kathy Coggins. Mrs. Ruff is interred at Falling Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. Clay Hulme, 90, died on Oct. 24, 2006. He was the founder of Hulme's Tool Shop, and was a respected blacksmith and toolmaker for the Elberton Granite Industry. Hulme's Tool Shop is now in the hands of grandson Derek Dye. Mr. Hulme is interred at Elberton's Elmhurst Cemetery. Century Granite and Harmony Blue Merge CENTURY GRANITE CO., Inc. and HARMONY BLUE GRANITE CO., Inc. have agreed to a joint venture, whereby Harmony will focus its efforts on increasing its quarrying production. Century will assume responsibility for manufacturing, wholesale, and delivery of memorials. This redirection of efforts should maximize use of the greatest strengths of both companies. The growing demand for Elberton Blue granite is causing a shortage of quarried blocks for local manufacturers. Harmony owns vast deposits of high-grade monumental granite and has the resources to develop new sites while expanding existing quarries for this granite, which will assure customers of an uninterrupted supply of memorials and mausoleums of the highest quality. Century assumed production in the Harmony Blue Plant on Feb. 19, 2007. This 73,000 square foot plant greatly increased Century's production capacity, and Century is changing its manufacturing and wholesale name to Century Harmony. Century expects to close its original plant that has operated since 1949. It will continue to operate its plants on highway 368 and Williams Street. Welcome New Member: Sterling Stone Works. EGA welcomes STERLING STONE WORKS, LLC. to the Association family. Owner and EGA President John D. McLanahan Jr. opened Sterling Stone Works to supply landscape and specialty granite produces. The company is located near the Blue Dawn Gray Quarry Site in Elbert County. Blue Ribbon Quarries' New Ownership. Vince Fernandez recently sold his interest in BLUE RIBBON QUARRIES to Larry Cook of Statham, GA. Mr. Cook has a background in commercial forestry, and a family background in quarrying. He will be marketing the stone as "Millbank Gray:' Contact: 1741 Hebron Church Rd. Statham, GA 30666 706.283.1475 blueribbonquarries@yahoo.com SOUTHERN MAUSOLEUMS, INC. built this "Impala Black" mausoleum for Julian Campbell of Statesville Mausoleum Works, Statesville, NC. It is a six-crypt walk-in, all polished. The base and steps have polished tops with rock-pitched sides. GEORGIA-CAROLINA QUARRIES, INC. supplied the stone for this mausoleum manufactured by Georgia-Carolina sister company, Acme Stone of Mount Airy, NC. The family farm's logo was repro­duced by CREATIVE-PREMIER DESIGNS for sandblasting onto the front. Randy Bright of Bright Memorials in Zebulon, NC, worked with the family, manufacturer, and designer to supply this fine two-crypt mausoleum quickly in an at-need situation. The Monument Builders of North America annual convention in Cincinnati, entitled "New Beginnings: Coming Together for the Next Century," was a strong and encouraging success for 2007. More than 600 attendees would descend upon the Duke Energy Center's modern facilities over the four days of the conference, filling the exhibit hall where sixty-four ex­hibitors displayed the latest technology, finest craftsmanship, and most innovative products they had to offer the death-care industry. Of course, the EGA was there, meeting with the retailers who are out in the field, selling and setting the memorials our Member-Firms produce. Friends old and new stopped by the EGA booth to talk about everything from changes in the Graniteer to our Training Institutes (see pp. 4 & 5 of this issue for information on 2007's Institutes), or just to laugh and tell tales. We gave away three door prizes as well: Anthony Rowland, CM, of Bethel Springs, TN, and Gerald and Dixie Atchison, of Clinton, MO, were presented with handy satellite desktop weather stations, and Marty and Tanya Hall of Indianola, IA, won a portable DVD player/viewer to help in sales presentations. Conventions always provide excellent opportunities for networking and socializing, and the vi­brant downtown of Cincinnati was always busy after convention hours as MBNA members took ad­vantage of all the city had to offer. The EGA Happy Hour tradition lived on, with a well-attended cocktail party that was immediately followed by the MBNA Gala Banquet. There were speeches and ceremony as outgoing President Ruth Bell of Beloit, KS, passed the torch to Paul DiMatteo of S. Portland, ME. This year, MBNA introduced the "MB University" seminar series to a great reception. Three seminars offered monument builders insights into design and communication. Michael Feinberg, CM, of Hillside, IL, led ·'The Double WOW of Design" panel in a discussion aimed at talking with clients and helping them design unique and meaningful memorials. The panel also featured Jeff Anderson, CM, Austin, MN; and Brenda Hickerson, CM, Granite, OK. Bob Berg, AICA, Lisbon. OH; Charlie Hunt, AICA, Nashville, TN; and Dave Quiring, CM, AICA, Seatlle, WA. also focused on design in their seminar. "The Legends of Hard Rock," paying tribute to masters of the craft like Gene Faehnle, Bert Gast, and Harold Schaller. Communication is key to any successful endeavor, and that was the focus of "From Concept, to Paper, to Product: Ordering the Monument Design," in which Debbie Dalton, CM, Greeley, CO; Marty and Rose Walker, Elberton, GA; Kurt Zniewski, St. Cloud, MN; and Kerry Zorzi, Barre, VT, discussed the vital importance of clear communication all the way from the customer to the manufacturer and back again. EGA Member-Firms were well represented on the convention floor, and the following pages show a sampling of the fine monuments that were brought to display. Voting Members CENTRAL GRANITE COMPANY, KEYSTONE MEMORIALS and SOUTHERN MAUSOLEUMS, KING'S MONUMENT COMPANY, ROME GRANITE, SOUTHERN GRANITE COMPANY, and WALKER GRANITE COMPANY had impressive displays and brisk traffic. Sustaining Member MILES SUPPLY COMPANY and Associate Members BICKNELL SUPPLY COMPANY and STONE GRAPHICS were also represented, and were happy to report excellent sales. Central Granite Company Sam Wearly (left) of Central Granite Company, with Missy and Randy Allen, Crawfordsville, IN, and Jake and Chrissy Smith of Central. Keystone Memorials/Southern Mausoleums Left to right Brent Holt, Ross Oglesby, Tom Oglesby, Keystone Memori­als; Amy Anderson, Elber­ton, GA; Dave Pace Brookhaven, MS; Ruth Bell, Beto,t, KS; Bruce Fuersten­berg, Vancouver, WA· Elaine Oglesby, Keystone Memorials; Vicki Fuerstenberg, Vancouver, WA; Kevin Pace and LilAnn Pace, Brookhaven, MS. King’s Monument company Left to Right Mary Ehlen, Burlington WI; Thomas Ma; Pekin IL Jerry King of King’s monument co; Jackie calkins, Burlington, Wi; kurt luckemeyer, king’s monument company; st. Augustine, FL; Trudy king; Becky Luckemeyer; Darlene tishy, chagrin falls, oh; Darlene cook and Harley cook Greenville, pa; Richard tishy chagrin falls, oh. Rome granite David giannoni of rome granite, mike birkmeier, delphos, oh. Southern Granite Company Don Curtis, Lexington, ky; David and vicki Edwards, Melissa dias, southern granite; jim & tanya Wilhoite, Muncie, IN; Jason Edwards, Southern Granite. Walker Granite Company. Rose and Marty Walker; Bob Bratton, Kevin Mayberry and Joe Bratton, Dickson, TN. Bicknell Supply company; Charlie Ruemelin, Michael Hughes, Travis Rice, Leslie Turpin, James Turner and Bruce Bicknell. Miles Supply Company. Ronnie brown, Lorne Raber, CM, Winnipeg, Manitoba; and Scot Luken, Yankton, SD. Walter Tegeler, Baltimore, MD and Michael Rutherford of Stone Graphics. AGM MEMORIALS, INC. crafted this grand tribute to a falle11 soldier in "Verde Fontaine" granite. The design was a collaboration between the family, Tom Craft of AGM, and Angelo Ruehmkorff of Ziemer Funeral Home in Evansville, Indiana. The seal, eagle, flag, and lettering were all sandblasted by AGM. The memorial is a tribute to Jonathan "Bub" Pfender of the 187th "Rakkasan" Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. A color cameo of Jonathan Pfender in uniform, manufactured by PSM of Quebec, is set in the 2'6" x 0'8" x 4'6" tablet. The base measures 9'0" x 1'2" x 0'6" with wing-seats. BOYD GRANITE COMPANY, INC. crafted this all-polished "Robin Blue" obelisk for Rooks Monument Company in Fort Valley, Georgia as a tribute to military service. The spire is 1' 1 O" x 1' 10 x 14'0" on an all-polished, tapered pentagonal pedestal with military emblems on each face, 3'6" x 3'6" x 3'6". The base is 4'0" x 4'0" x 1 '0", all polish. Victorian elegance has never gone out of style, and this "Georgia Marble" memorial by CENTRAL GRANITE COMPANY, INC. shows just how relevant designs of the past can be today. With a 4'6" x l '4" x l '2" cap, a 4'0" x O' 1 O" x 4'2" tablet featuring oak-leaf relief carving and Victorian-style lettering, and a sub­base with an ornate check, ogee, and scotia pattern, this design could 11ot be produced without the craftsmanship and attention to detail of a bygone age. Sub-base measures 5'0" x 1'4" x 0'6", base is 7'0 x 1'10" x 0'8", all surfaces are smooth finish.This grand gothic-top memorial in "Jet Black" granite was crafted by L&M GRANITE COMPANY for Ron Brimer of Brimer Monument Company in Knoxville, TN. It stands in the Flat Creek Cemetery in Knoxville. All-polished, with a center tablet standing 2'0" x O' 1 O" x 5 'O" and wings 2' 4" x 0'8" x 2'0", such a memorial serves as a unique tribute to the Stipes family. The design came about through a close collaboration between Ron Brimer and the customer, and the etching was done in-house at Brimer Monuments. The 8' 6" x l '6" x 0' 10" base has a polished flat top with 2" polished margin and rock-pitched sides, and the whole piece is accented with all-polished vases featuring complex molding at the top and bottom. This elegantly simple apex-top monument in "Deer Brown" granite was manufactured for an Elberton family by TRINITY GRANITE COMPANY, INC. The 4'0" x 0'8" x 2-6" tablet is all-polished with an acanthus accent and a scotia beneath the apex top. The 6' 4" x l '2" x 0'8" base has rock-pitched sides, polished top, and a polished margin. It stands in Forest Hills Cemetery in Elberton. Elberton-area sculptor A. C. Button III created this fine sculpture depicting the "ecce homo" for REPUBLIC GRANITE COMPANY. The "Sterling" granite was finished at DIXIE GRANITE COMPANY, who facilitated Button's involvement. The 4'6" x 0'8" x 3'0" tablet was created for Don Curtiss of Resource Monument and stands in Nicholasville, KY. MAJESTIC GRANITE COMPANY worked closely with Marge Barrows of Henry County Monument Works and Mrs. Lisa Herndon, the widow of tugboat captain Thomas "Captain Tom" Herndon, to create this fitting memorial now in place in Wofford Cemetery of Dover, TN. Manufactured from "Absolute Black" and "Majestic Blue" granites, the all-sawn center tablet stands 2'6" x 0'8" x 4'0" with polish-4 wings 2'0" x 0'6" x 2'3". A diamond-etched image of Captain Herndon's tug, named after her captain, accents one wing, and a sandblasted American flag with the Captain's chosen motto, "Proud to be an American," adorns the back. SOUTHERN GRANITE COMPANY, INC. helped the city of Jacksonville, FL, restore this beautiful fountain to its former glory. Originally unveiled in 1910, the fountain in Jacksonville's Klutho Park was broken in the 1940s. With the war overseas, folks had more important things to worry about than restoring it; in fact, the bronze cherub was almost melted down for raw materials to help the war effort. The base of the fountain and the bronze cherub survived and were they remained, nearly forgotten, until 2004. At the time, a revitalization of Jacksonville's Springfield neighborhood was underway, and restoration of the fountain fit perfectly into the city's plan. Florida sculptor Enzo Torcoletti was hired to recreate the fountain and sculpted the lions' heads at the top of the stonework (left). The original base and cherub were taken out of storage, and Mr. Torcoletti hired Southern Granite Co. to manufacture the remaining pieces of the fountain from Tennessee limestone, creating a perfect match and a beautiful restoration of this local public treasure. The top pedestal, consisting of complex, multiple urn shapes, and lower pedestal were turned on Southern’s lathe, and the large, 4' diameter bowl was cut using a wire saw. "Caprice Blue" granite, 10' 2" tall and 34' 0" long, covered with more than 600 names-this veterans' memorial manufactured by CHILDS & CHILDS GRANITE COMPANY, INC. is truly an impressive tribute. Eight wing tablets with steeled finishes all taper to a center tablet 4'0" x 0' 1 0" x 7' 0" with a combination of polished accents: the Seal of the United States and of the five armed forces inside of a "V" on the front, along with a soldier and Flag in polished and "blued" finish on the reverse. All sandblasting was done by Childs & Childs. A sculptured eagle (2'0") caps the center tablet. Sub bases bear the "Duty, Honor, Country" motto on sanded faces, and the base members have steeled cops and rock-pitched sides. This inspiring memorial was designed by Chatham Monument Company of Siler City, NC, where it stands. It salutes the county's veterans, and notes those who fell in the line of duty with stars beside their names. It is built to accommodate more than 800 names and has had names added on four occasions since it was installed. In addition to the "wall," there are five benches and two podiums, honoring donors, the American Legion, and the 4018th Military Division as well. West Chatham Veterans Memorial. Miles Supply Announces New Sand Handler Model. MILES SUPPLY OF ELBERTON, INC. is now carrying a new larger Sand Handler blasting booth with improved features. In addition to a 10'2" horizontal travel-an Improvement of more than 6 feet over the previous model-the internal conveyor has also been updated to move the stone as much as 12 inches away from the nozzle, allowing for a high degree of control over sand­blast effects. The longer horizontal travel allows manufacturers co work on larger monuments or handle multiple stones at once. This new booth utilizes the same low-volume air abrasive recovery system for which the Sand Handler has become known. For more information, contact Miles Supply at 706.283.5863 or info@milessupply.com. Sand Handler inventor & manufacturer, Jim Moody. The 10' 2" conveyor can back away from the nozzle by as much as a foot.''Stations of the Cross'' Stencils from Creative-Premier. CREATIVE-PREMIER DESIGNS announced the design firm has developed a new software collection that consists of the "Stations of the Cross." These designs may be viewed on their web page, www.creacive-premier.com, along with their other software packages of interest in monument design. The designs in the package are available on diskette or CD or they may be purchased as computer-cut stencil. The software is available in .pit, .ai, .cdr, .dwg, .eps and .gdc formats. For more information, contact Creative- Premier Designs at P.O. Box 1118, Elberton, GA 30635. 800.542.4295 designs@creative-premier.com Two EGA Firms Create Innovative Edge-Polishing System. Two EGA Member-firms worked together to design and build a revolutionary grinding and polishing macl1ine for finishing edges on countertops. The "Edgematic" machine is the culmination of work by Ward Chastain and Chris Berry of ELBERTON TOOL COMPANY and Clay Rice owner of RICE INDUSTRIAL ELECTRIC. The first machine was installed for new EGA member SOUTHERN STYLE STONE, a countertop specialty business. "We saw a 60% increase in production immediately;' said owner Tommy Darracott. Features of the machine include a large, waist-high work table ( 14' long, by 8' wide). The table has clamps to hold each piece in place as the grinding or polishing is taking place. The most radical innovation is the automatic grinding and polishing system for finishing the edges: Below the table level are three specially designed angle-iron frames that can each hold about 12' of backsplash material perfectly aligned with the polishing head. Clay Rice explained that, "This machine was designed not only for efficient production but also for accessibility to key mechanical components for easy service. The entire grinding and polishing process is operated by limit and proximity switches, requiring a minimum amount of attention." This machine is another example of the innovative and progressive attitude of the Elberton Granite Industry. For complete details about this unique edge-polishing system, contact Elberton Tool Company 706.283.1504, www.granitecountertopmachines.com, sales@granitecountertopmachines.com or Rice lndustrial Electric 706.213.0500. The Edgematic Team: Elberton Tool's Chris Berry, left, and Ward -· Chastain, worked with Clay Rice, kneeling. Rice Industrial Electric and Elberton Tool Co. designed and built the machine. A countertop is positioned on the work table for finishing one of its edges. The back­splash pieces have already been placed in the angled rack and are lined up perfectly for grinding and polishing. Design Mart Releases New Monument Series. DESIGN MART announces the release of the all new monument series, We Remember. The series consists of 65 new monument designs available in book or pamphlet form, along with vector art, Microsoft Power Point, and Adobe Acrobat formats. The "We Remember" book is a 48-page, 11 x 8 ½" glossy presentation complete with a carving index to assist in personalizing and creating truly meaningful memorials. Multiple monument . sizes with carving identification numbers are shown 0n each page to make sizing and customization easier. For stencil-cutting and sales presentations, We Remember is available in .ai, .cdr, .dxf, .eps a11d .plt formats, making them compatible with most CAD and illustration programs. For presentation purposes, the series is available on a PowerPoint CD featuring both manual and kiosk-style presentations. Adobe Acrobat presentatio11s allow the user to zoom in on carvings and lettering as well as locate and print desired pages. Free demo CAD files are available. For more information or demo files please call Design Mart at 800.736.7455, email d-mart@designmart.com, or visit www.designmart.com for preview images. 2500-lb Hand Trucks Available Direct from Comet After fifteen years of manufacturing sturdy hand trucks for the memorial business, COMET MA­ CHINE AND HYDRAULICS will now be selling these industry favorites directly. Owner Roger Guest points out that Comet makes these four-wheeled workhorses (right) with and without brakes in standard configurations but chat they can also do custom work to a customer's specifications. Each truck weighs about 40 lbs and has thick padding on all contact points. 706.283.6697 Rome Granite Adds New Bicknell ''ABC'' Blast Rooms. As part of ROME GRANITE's continuing growth, owner David Giannoni needed to increase the company's sandblast capabilities, so Rome contracted with BICKNELL SUPPLY COMPANY to build and install two new blast rooms. Bicknell contracted to install an Automatic Blast Curtain, or "ABC," and a manual version as well. Both rooms were built at Bicknell's Elberton plant and installed on site, along with a Micro­Air cartridge-unit dust collector. The ABC blast system package, first announced in the Graniteer, is remarkable for its dust collection and abrasive recycling, ease of use, and for a design that focuses on keeping dust out of moving parts. More information on the system is available in the Fall 2006 issue of the Graniteer or by calling Bicknell Supply Co. at 800.241.7105. Bicknell Supply Company's Michael Hughes (left) would call the machine in the background an Automatic Blast Curtain, or ABC unit. Operators David "Big Daddy" Mc­Cullough (center) and Tim Prince alternatively refer to it as "Big Daddy's Room" or "The Dawg House." Bicknell Supply's proprietary Micro-Air dust collection system uses a self­cleaning cartridge system to extend filter life and reduce overhead costs. EGA Collects Useful Documents on CD. Monument retailers consistently ask for certain EGA materials again and again. To assist the customers of our Member-Firms, we have combined some of the most popular (and useful) on one handy CD, featuring: The classic handbook, "Weight and Cubic Footage Estimation Guide for Granite Dies, Bases, Markers, and Slant Markers." EGA's useful brochure, "Tips on Photographing Monuments," to help retailers record their best work in professional-looking photos. A fully editable and customizable copy of our "Newspaper Ads for Monument Retailers," in Rich Text Format (.rtf), which can be opened by any word-processing software. Now you can copy and paste, reformat, and truly take our suggestions and make them your own. And, of course, our new Graniteer "Photo Submission Check sheet," to help us publicize your best work and the work of our Member-Firms. Best of all, the CD is absolutely free. To order your copy, just call EGA. High Tech Stone Announces New Hensel 598 CSA Automatic Saw Line. HIGH TECH STONE is proud to introduce the latest Burkhardt GmbH design; the fully automated Hensel 598 CSA automatic saw line. The 598 CSA has a production capacity of 3-4 slabs per hour, handling every step in countertop production. The process begins when a slab is scanned with a high-resolution industrial camera. The operator determines the usable area and superimposes a .dxf cutting file on the slab image, avoiding flaws or cracks in the slab. Operators can set a number of useful variables, including slab thickness, cut depth, travel speed, plunge cut, step cut, rodding, drill holes, how to handle leftover pieces, and automatic transport needs for the finished piece. The slab receives a barcode, and the process then continues automatically. The saw automatically makes all programmed cuts, and either places the cut piece on a conveyor for further processing or scores the finished slab in an intermediate storage rack for later (see below). Because the operator already defined which leftover pieces are waste and which are usable, the machine handles remnants accordingly. Burkhardt Gn1bH has more than 100 years’ experience in stone working machines, and is represented by High Tech Stone, Inc in Elberton GA. Please call I-800-342-5540 for more information. The intermediate storage rack (photo courtesy of High Tech Stone & Naturstein magazine) AICA Group Visits Elberton. The American Institute of Commemorative Art meeting and conference in nearby Athens, GA, made a day trip to visit "the Granite Capital of the World" on Feb. 28, 2007. Tour highlights included a quarry and manufacturing plant tour, a visit to the EGA and Granite Museum, and a tour of Elberton's famous Elmhurst Cemetery (left) to see some of Elberton's finest memorials in place. ltaldiamant Offers New Saw Blade ITALDIAMANT USA, Inc., has introduced the new "Tower" blade for the granite industry, available in 14" and 16" silent-core. Its l 8 mm diamond depth assures a longer cutting life, and it can cut to a depth of 3-4 cm in a single pass, or 12-18 ft per minute. The blade can cut any material and cut smoothly at any RPM. The Tower blade is now in stock at ltaldian1ant's Elberton location: italdiamantusa@hellsouth.net, 706.283.4104. We Need Your Monuments! If you are an EGA Member-Firm or do business with one, the Graniteer wants to see your best work! Call or write Associate Editor John Pence for more information on how to submit: 706.283.2501, pence@elberton.net. 'Tips on Photographing Monuments" Baston Monuments Honors Marine Who Received America's Ultimate Honor. Raymond "Mike" Clausen was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon in 1971 for an act of unimaginable heroism. On Jan. 31, 1970, Private First Class Clausen was serving as crew chief on a helicopter rescue mission. Twenty of his fellow marines were trapped in a minefield and pinned down by enemy fire. Eleven were wounded, one dead, and eight were unharmed, but stuck, unable to move for fear of setting off mines. Clausen directed the pilot to a landing area that had been cleared by mine blasts, then, disobeying a direct order to remain on board, jumped from the helicopter, ignoring the buried mines that lay about him, and picked up a wounded marine. Carrying his comrade back to the chopper safely, he defined a safe path for those marines who could walk to safety to fol­low, but he returned to the minefield a total of six separate occasions, all while under enemy fire, recovering all twenty marines. For this "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity," as his Medal of Honor citation reads, Clausen was given this country's highest honor. Shortly after his death in 2004, the Mike Clausen Memorial fund was established to raise money for a fitting memorial. Greg Davis and Trish Dupepe of American Tool & Carbide in Ponchatoula, LA, worked with BASTON MONUMENTS, INC. to create this unique memorial. One "Absolute Black" tablet (3'8" x 0'8 x 4'0) marks the grave. All-polished, on a base 4'6" x 1’ 2" x 0'8", polished flat top, rock-pitched sides, the tablet features a porcelain photo­portrait by PermaProducts. The "Absolute Black" tablet that complements the site is 3'6" x O' 6" x 7' 6", polish-2, rock-pitched sides and top. One side is sandblasted with the Marine Corps seal and the emblem of the Medal of Honor, along with the full text of Private Clausen's official citation. The other side features an etching of Clausen at the time he was awarded the medal and an artistic rendering of the event, both skillfully executed by Jenson Etching of Elberton. This memorial to a true American hero stands in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. Old South Honors Texas Veterans. OLD SOUTH GRANITE COMPANY manufactured this stately monument to the veterans of Quanah, Texas, for Charlie Jones of Vernon, Texas. Jones designed the "Chapel Rose" granite monument and did the engraving and installation as well. The star is 7'6" x 0'8" x 7'6", in three pieces, polisl1-2, balance sawn. The bottom base is 1 O'O x l '4 x O' 10, sub-base is 8'0" x l '2" x O' 10. Old South also supplied two 4'0" benches also in "Chapel Rose" and six 4'0" x 2'0" x 0'2" tablets on which veteran's names are engraved. The star sits outside the Hardenan County Courthouse. Above: Various images of Baston Monuments' tribute to Medal of Honor recipient, Raymond "Mike" Clausen. The “Quanah Star” Veterans memorial manufactured by Old South Granite Company.