Summer 2011 Sam’s rock Also in this issue: Training Institute Preview 60 years of donations downtown display Learning the New Lingo As I have been thinking about the EGA Annual Meeting and us celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Association, I couldn't help but think about my life and how much things have changed since the 1950s. Take communication for example: I think we’ve taken a couple of steps forward and then a step backward. My grandmother had a rotary phone and was on a party line. You could have three or four different households on that line at once if you wanted to. Sometimes I think you might have had three or four on the line when you only wanted one. I guess in today's world that would be considered a conference call. If your news wasn't discussed over the telephone, you'd most likely have to wait until Sunday when everyone went to church. The only place that was better to talk before or after church was while sitting around the kitchen table eating Sunday dinner. For those of you that don't live in the south, that was the noon meal and yes, we were multi-tasking because there was a lot of eating, drinking sweet tea and talking. We’ve made so much progress since the 1950s that we don’t even have to talk to one another, we text. Back in the day, people would use a typewriter for essentially the same purpose. It took a few days to convey the information, but you didn’t have to speak a word. I think when using a typewriter or texting, people tend to be a little less sensitive than they might if they were just talking. The biggest drawback of today’s technology is learning the new language. LOL, OMG, THX, C&G and CMIIW, heck that’s the ones I know. If one of my sons sent me a text message, I’d probably have a better chance of reading Arabic. We’ve definitely made some advances, but in many ways, we remain the same. Gossiping and talking about everyone’s triumphs and failures I guess will always be hot topics. The old party line wasn’t much different than Facebook is today. If you aren’t careful, everyone will know your business. If there was one thing we got right in the ‘50s, it was that most everyone did go to church, and after church, we’d sit around the table for at least a couple of hours talking about wo died and what the weather was going to do. Family time was important. Some things you just can’t improve on. Mike Fernandez of Design Mart The future of our industry: there is cause for optimism. Amid talk of a declining monu­ment industry there is cause for optimism. Hardly a day passes without talking to an individual who is starting a retail monument company. Many new entrepre­neurs are entering the business and building their futures on this industry because they believe they can serve their communities and support their families. Recently a real estate developer from Colora­do and a real estate attorney from North Carolina called our office on the same day. With the real estate market in decline, each one was looking at a promising start in the retail monument business. I am pleased to say that each of them is off to a great start. The refreshing thing about these new retailers is their un - derstanding of marketing and sales. Instead of focusing solely on equipment and a monument display, they begin with corporate identity, a web presence, sales materials, software, and educat -ing themselves on monument symbolism and counseling tech­niques. To a family in need, it doesn't matter which quarry the stone comes from, or how much a company has invested in ma­chines. If a retailer can't help that family create a personal, mean­ingful monument, the retailer, the family, and the granite supplier all suffer. The saddest cases are the families who call our office because a retailer can't help them. Most of these families cling desperately to a hand- ful of copies, faxes, 40 year-old brochures, photos copied from the internet, rubbings, or CAD drawings. I immediately put them in touch with a retailer in our database who is knowledge­able and can listen to them and use their design selection, knowl­edge of memorial symbolism and software and other tools to assist them. Working with resources that we provide to retailers; they are able to listen to - and help - a customer who was hopelessly lost a few hours earlier. We must not concentrate so much on equipment, manu­facturing, imports, regulations, expenses, taxes, environmental is­sues, profit margins and teaching retailers how to write orders that we neglect skills such as listen­ing, counseling, designing and selling. These new retailers are very receptive to assistance and tools - giving them a leg up on the retailer who often places the bur­den of the sale on the customer or granite supplier. The Elberton Granite Association and its members work together to educate and inform retailers, helping them grow and realize their full potential. We encour­age our customers to attend EGA classes and prepare themselves to assist families in their markets. Those who participate in these classes and take advantage of other resources are the ones who excel and call us back with success stories and reports of growth. If you're ever in doubt about the future of our industry I encourage you to talk to a new retailer. They will give you a renewed enthusiasm and brighter outlook on our future. For the next several issues of the Graniteer, we will continue to host Guest Editorials. We hope that you will use the information to educate your customers about the value of the memorials they are creating for their loved ones. Fifty years ago, Eagle Granite's Elliott Paul says everything was 'old school' ack in 1961 ... 50 years ago ... Elliott Paul never figured he would be operating one of the bigger granite operations in the center of the granite universe, Elberton. "Everything was old school back then;' says Elliott, recalling his start in the business. "Jobs were pretty hard to come by. (Wife) Linda's mother, Mary Maxwell, was the bookkeeper at American Granite Finishing Com­pany which was called Allen Logan Granite Company by local folks. It was one of the bigger plants in town and they hired me. They had about 40-50 employees:' It would be the start of a career in the granite business that has taken Elliott through every facet of working with granite. Working his way up to a foreman's position, Elliott saw a lot of granite employees in his day. He worked at one time or another with folks like Stuart Lyle and Law­rence Cecchini who were both there in 1961 when he started. ''A typical plant would have five­to-seven stonecutters, and they were generally coming and going all the time;' said Elliott. "They were always looking to move to another plant for one reason or another. Over my twenty years at Allen-Logan, I counted and we had 105 different stonecutters working in five of the positions over that time frame:' In 1980 Elliott said he "bought in" with Tony Adams on the original Eagle Granite Company plant on the Hartwell Highway. He and Tony formed a part­nership that lasted over twenty years. They started with seven employees. In 1985 Tony and Elliott pur­chased the old Dixie Granite Com­pany on Railroad Street and a quarry in Oglethorpe County, which started their expansion ventures. Continuing their growth through­out the 1990s, the partnership's most profound move - and wisest business decision - was the purchase of Rock of Ages quarries - the original Coggins granite quarries. "They put the quarries up for bid, and we got together and thought, 'if you could get that much property for a good price that would be a great deae' said Elliott. "We listened around to see if anybody might be putting in a bid and nobody was talking. So we put in this bid and it was accepted:' Selling off some of the properties and keeping others, Elliott and Tony ended their partnership amicably with Elliott concentrating on Eagle and Tony on Gold Eagle. Today he finds himself with a whole new set of partners - his family. Along with Bob and Nick, Elliott's daughters Jan Walters and Jill McElroy are part owners in Eagle. Son Bob Paul is Vice President and General Manager. Grandson Nick Fleischer is Operations Manager. Son-in-law James Walters is Plant Superintendent. And grandson Nathan Walters, who will be graduating at Elbert County Comprehensive High School this year, is currently learning the business the way the rest of the family members started - as an after-school part-timer (when he's not play­ing golf, of course). In the past eight years Eagle Granite has expanded its facilities twice and in that time the company has kept pace with the technological advances in the business. "You have to change from the old to the new;' says Elliott, who adds that his experience in all phases of the busi­ness has helped him running a granite company. "I think we've been able to stay just a little bit ahead because of the equipment that we've invested in;' says grandson Nick. ''And because (Elliott) has that experience, he had the fore­sight to re-invest in the right way at the right time:' "You've got to get good people, and you have to get people you can trust;' says Elliott about running a granite business. "We have 90 good employees who work hard each week to produce a good product and to meet our custom­ers' expectations:' The business is changing, says Elliott, but he believes granite will remain a strong, reliable industry for another generation or two. "For Nick and Nathan (and my other grandchildren Luke McElroy and Jilly Walters), it will probably continue to be a profitable business, but there will be changes for them, too;' says Elliott. Bob Paul, Nick Fleischer, James Walters, Nathan Walters and Elliott Paul of Eagle. Small business owners get all the benefits, all the headaches Marty Walker sits in his office at Walker Granite Company, Inc. and weighs he advantages and disadvantages of operating a family-owned business. "I tell you, you crawl a long time before you can walk:' he says, talk­ing about the long hours he and his father, brother, wife and son spend at the facility on the Hartwell Highway. "The thing is, when you are operat­ing a family business you get all of the benefits of ownership but you also get all the headaches. We have great employees here, but when it's your business, things are a little bit different when you know you've got such a big stake in if' Marty, his father Lamar, his wife Rose, his brother Phil and his son Luke all know what it is to have a "big stake" in the granite business. Lamar, of course, got his start in the granite business in a plant and got his opportunity to strike out on his own in the 1970s. Lamar, a Mississippi native, said he proceeded slowly and steadily and tried not to over-extend himself in the business. The advantage to that is working in a facility with equipment that is owned free and clear. In general, Lamar says the com­pany took conservative steps toward the modern age manufacturing. "Back in the early days it was really heavy labor:' Lamar says, not­ing that modern-day machinery has made the business less labor-inten­sive. "Today machines do a lot of stuff that had to be done by hand in the old days:' says Marty. "Today's ma­chinery is also a lot safer and makes the business a lot safer than it was in the old days:' Marty believes the business is going to be good to his family and to Elberton for some time to come. "No matter what day and age, the business theory is always the same:' says Marty. "There's a future in granite, but it is an unusual, unique business. You see some things in granite manufacturing that you don't see anywhere else. But basically this business has been good to us and I think it is going to be good for three or four more generations:' In the meantime, the Walkers will keep working the long hours and continue to reap the benefits and fend off the headaches. The Walkers - Phil, Lamar, Marty and Luke - get the rewards, but they understand pain comes with gain. (Photo by Gary Jones) 'DCT' class led to Design Mart's success It was a DCT (Diversified Career Training) course at Elbert County High School and some tinkering in the business at Allen Granite that got Joe Fernandez interested in monument design. Being a “draftsman” seemed to suit him. He did some drafting for Coggins Granite as a student, then completed a stint in the army (which wasn't uncommon in those days) and returned home and went right back to "drafting" monument designs. "I got a job after that with Ben Smith at Premier Designs in 1959;' Joe explains, who eventually also earned a BA in Business Adminis­tration at the University of Georgia (Class of '68). "That was before I started my own company in 1969:' That company today is a business Fernandez now works in with his son, Mike – Design Mart. Mike meanwhile, took a different track to get to Design Mart. After getting his undergraduate degree at the University of Georgia and a journalism degree at the University of South Carolina, Mike went to work with an advertising agency in Atlanta before deciding to join his dad at Design Mart in 1995. They've come a long way since the old days when working with computers in the design business was just a dream. Today Design Mart sits on Col­lege Avenue in a beautiful facility snuggled against one of Elberton's most recognized landmarks, the Elberton Civic Center. Filled with the finest technological tools in the business along with antique reminders of the business past in Elberton (including an impressive conference table purchased at auction years ago), Design Mart blends a lot of tradition with its ability to work with modern technology. Design Mart's niche in the gran­ite industry today is a self-contained design program that allows monu­ment companies and funeral homes to utilize Design Mart's catalog -online of course. Today, there are catalogs filled with designs created by Design Mart that have cross references to monu­ment sales facilities all over the country. In fact, Design Mart's catalog is the industry standard for showing a customer exactly what can be done with Elberton's famous product -granite. "In the industry, if someone calls about a design with the letter 'D' in front of the number, it is a Design Mart design;' says Joe. The customized brochures utilize CAD (computer assisted design) drawings that are a far reach from the old design prints that were used for decades in the granite business. Not that those old designs didn't work. In fact, Joe proudly points out that several of his designs are still in evidence today all over Elberton, in -eluding Elberton's most recognizable design ... the Elberton City Seal. "There are signs all over town with some of my designs, but that city seal is the one I entered in a con - test and won;' says Joe. "It all started in that DCT class when I was in high school.” Joe (left) and Mike Fernandez have worked together at Design Mart since Mike moved back to Elberton in 1995 after working in Atlanta with an advertising agency. The company opened a facility next door to the Civic Center in 1999. (Photo by Gary Jones) Chamber announces annual award winners Sen. Johnny Isak­son (R-Ga.) was the featured speaker at the 87th annual meeting of the Elbert County Chamber of Commerce and several local citizens received honors at the event. Chris Phelps received the Chamber's Leadership Award. The Elberton native was honored for his years of dedication to the Boy Scouts in Elberton and his longtime efforts to improve a commu­nity he cares deeply about. He and his wife P. Jo have made Elberton their home and this is where they have practiced their professional careers. Tom Dedek, a native of Poland, received the Cham­ber's Community Service Award. Dedek is retired and he and his wife Janie decided to live in Elberton, moving from Chicago. Since that time, Dedek has been extremely active in the community, helping the Elbert Theatre build stage sets and the Elberton Rotary Club build wheelchair ramps. Anri Konfino, a native of Bulgaria, was chosen for the Chamber's Distinguished Service Award. Anri was the longtime manager of Elberton Manufacturing and was recently honored for his SO-year service to the Lions Club of Elberton. Dr. James Bennett received the Chamber's Native Citizen Award. One of the nation's most distin­guished physicians in the field of urology, Bennett has been recognized as the National Medical Association's Practitioner of the Year and was rec­ognized by Black Enterprise as one of America's leading black doctors. Dr. Bennett's wife Yovanna and many members of his family were on hand at the banquet. Eagle Granite Company, Inc., was chosen as the Business of the Year by the Chamber. Fifty years ago, Elliott Paul began working in the granite business and his hard work and dedication to his job led to his and his family's establishment as one of the premier granite operations in the community. Paul and several members of his family are business partners in Eagle Granite. Several of those family members were in attendance when the Chamber's Business of the Year was an­nounced Thursday night at the First Baptist Recreation Outreach Center. Honorees at the 87th Chamber meeting included Elliott and Linda Paul of Eagle Granite for Business of the Year. (Photo by Mark Berryman) Each year the Elberton Granite Association awards two Elbert County Comprehensive High School students and one Oglethorpe County High School student with scholarships to assist in their higher education’s goals. This year, EGA is proud to announce that our scholarships increased, with each award valuing $1,000. Congratulations to the winners and to all the graduates! Ashley Downer graduated from Elbert County Comprehensive High School in May. She will attend Clayton State University in the Fall to pursue a degree in Nursing. She is pictured with her mother, Jennifer Downer of Falling Creek Elementary School and her father, Tony Downer of Hunter Granite Sales, Inc. Brady Turner, a graduate of Elbert County Comprehensive High School, is pictured with his parents, Rene Turner of Falling Creek Elementary School and Mike Turner of Rome Granite, Inc. Brady will attend Athens Technical College in the Fall to pursue a degree in Physical Therapy. Rachel Bowman of Oglethorpe County High School will attend Georgia Southern University. She plans to major in Child and Family Development with a minor in Spanish. She is pictured with her parents, Joe Bowman who works with Progressive Auto Insurance and Maria Bowman, a teacher at the Oglethorpe County Primary School. lmex installs new saw at Eagle Granite lmex International, Inc., has installed a new Grani Roe Wire Saw at Eagle Gran­ite Company's sawing plant. The gantry block saw is the second wire saw for Eagle, but the first of its kind. The saw runs 24/7, allowing the blocks to get sawn in a much faster time period. They are also able to make vertical and horizontal cuts. Nick Fleischer of Eagle says this new saw increases their production. "This saw enables us to create double and triple mausoleums in one solid piece of granite instead of multiple pieces. We are able to saw much larger blocks and make ex­tremely accurate cuts thanks to this new saw.” Alvaro Lugo of Eagle, Nick Fleischer of Eagle, Bijan Amini of Imex, Juan Jose Fernandez Orejas, President of Grani Rock and John Cryder of Eagle. Pyramid Stone expands active quarry site Pyramid Stone Industries, Inc., owners Mike and Bo Rutherford announce the expansion of their eastern ledge with expectations of increasing production of their dark fine grain granite yield by 20 percent. Overburden in the area has been removed with saw blocks presently being quarried and shipped to their customer base. There have been numerous expansions to the Pyramid quarry site since the Rutherford family purchased it in 1995. Mike and his son, Bo, who joined his dad after graduating from Reinhardt College in 2007, are excited about the additional acreage, and look forward to further expanding their business. Kotze family takes over The Wire Saw Man Jacques and Hilana Kotze of The Wire Saw Man are proud to announce that they have purchased the company and are now sole owners. The company began three years ago with two partners, and in April of 2011, Jacques and Hilana took over the company. They specialize in contract cutting and drilling for the quarry industry. "We have been so happy to serve the granite quarries for the last three years, doing contract cutting, drilling and sales;' Hilana says. The couple looks forward to starting this new venture, and even more to working for themselves. "We are excited and hope to do great things in the future:' Ryan Brown, Hilana Kotze, Jacques Kotze and their children Creative Premier publishes second brochure in series Creative-Premier Designs, Inc., announces the publication of the second in a series of brochures from the popular Gallery Marker Design Book. Entitled "Life Is A Voyage;' this black and white brochure depicts 50 markers including a wide variety of designs in singles and doubles. Many of these designs are also suitable for slants. There are floral designs, as well as scenic, Christian, Jewish, and children's designs. All designs in the brochure are available on stencil or as digital files and may be purchased individually or as a package in most popular formats. Call for additional information: 706-283-5064 or 800-542-4295 or visit their website at www.creative-premier.com. Calvin Hill opened Hillcrest Granite Company, Inc., in 1979, leaving his roots in farming to join the thriving granite industry of Elberton. His son, Mark, continued his work at the family farm, but gradually integrated into the new venture. Calvin’s daughter Patsy joined the team in 1990. The company started with three employees and a 100’ runway, specializing in bases for bronze statues. Over time, the business has greatly expanded in size, labor force and product line. Today, Hillcrest Granite operates two large plants and two active quarry sites, where they extract their Elberton Blue-Grey granite, known for its light to medium color that works perfectly for steeled jobs. Their main plant is housed on Old Middleton Road, and they also operate a subsidiary sawing plant. Overall, they employ approximately 130 people at their two plants and two quarries, a huge jump from their original three workers. Hillcrest creates blank monuments to sell to local businesses as well as customers around the country. “We are fortunate to have a lot of local business, and we are greatly appreciative of our local customers,” Mark comments. They do not have sandblasting on site, but they do create the blank monuments from start to finish, quarrying the block and completely each step of the process before the sandblasting. Grass markers and grave covers are popular orders that they process, but they make any type of memorial from markers to mausoleums. Mark says one of their main projects is providing the blank granite flats and uprights to the national and state cemeteries to use as the veterans memorials. Calvin, Mark and Patsy all agree that the main concern of Hillcrest is the satisfaction of their customers. “We have a loyal customer base where word-of-mouth advertising continues to bring us new business,” Patsy says. “We don’t have to rely on a sales team to sell our monuments. Our main source of advertising is recommendations from satisfied customers. We keep our customers coming back with our good service.” Calvin Hill, Patsy Johnson, and Mark Hill of Hillcrest Star Welcomes Customer Sercice Specialist Star Granite and Bronze announces their newest addition to their Customer Service team... Customer Service Specialist, Melanie Turner. Melanie comes to Star with a background in customer service after working with Georgia Power for 18 years. Her duties include helping customers with quotes and orders, promoting new business and assisting the Regional Manager with customer requests within their assigned territory. Melanie is originally from Alpharetta, Ga., but she and her husband recently bought a small farm in the Rock Branch area. This is her first job in the granite industry, and she is amazed at the variety of products Star offers. “It is mind-boggling,” she says. “It is unbelievable how many types of memorials are available. We have 15 styles of just benches!” Myra Woodall has been extremely pleased with the job Melanie has been doing. “She does an awesome job. Melanie is so client-driven and she is a quick learner. She has grasped our product knowledge exceptionally well. We are excited to have to have her on our team.” Special Projects Manager at Central Central Granite Company, Inc., welcomes Tim Mercer as their newest Production Manager. Tim is in charge of the production of mausoleums and columbariums in the Central plant. He comes from a background in the granite industry, with over 30 years in the business. Tim works on his projects from start to finish, working on the design and fabricating each mausoleum and columbarium. He and his wife Donna, also a Central employee, live here in Elberton and are members of the Northside Baptist Church. Jake Smith says Tim is a big asset to Central. “Having Tim here gives us the opportunity to open up new product lines with mausoleums and columbariums,” he says. “I’m excited to have him.” Lexington Blue adds Customer Relations Representative Lexington Blue Granite Company, Inc., has added to their customer service team with the hire of Rebecca Lovinggood of Elberton. Rebecca brings a background in finance after working for 35 years at the local Honeywell Plant. Her title as Customer Service Representative brings responsibilities such as processing orders, handling billing and organizing the shipping schedules with the trucks in the plant. Although she was raised in the Granite Capital, this is Rebecca’s first job in the industry. “I’ve been around granite all my life, but never worked in it. It takes getting used to, but I’m enjoying it,” she says. She lives here in Elberton with her husband, Ronnie, of EGA Associate Member Granite Sales and Supply. Carolyn Miller of Lexington Blue says that Rebecca is already a pro at the industry. “She can talk granite extremely well,” she says. “She’s doing a great job.” Located 20 miles outside of Atlanta in Lithonia, Ga., Broad River Quarries, LLC, provides the beautiful Silver Cloud granite for the Elberton Granite Industry. David Dye, who also manages Echols Mill Quarry, started Broad River Quarries in 2004. He now has four employees, including his newest, David Baston. Dye grew up in the quarrying business with his dad working in the industry for 50 or so years. He worked summers and school holidays in the quarry with his dad, then immediately joined the industry after college. Baston joined with Dye earlier this year. Broad River Quarries produces approximately 60,000 cubic feet per year. The employees operate all of the latest technology, such as a double hydrostatic drill from Italy, an airbag system to push the blocks out, a 988F block lifter and a wire saw. Broad River is the only active quarry producing the Silver Cloud granite at this time. Most of the Silver Cloud is shipped to Italy to use as building materials, but they are trying to integrate it into the monument industry, starting with bases under bronze and mausoleums. It is also featured on this season’s Downtown Display on the memorial produced by Eagle Granite Company, Inc. Silver Cloud is also taking off as a countertop material. “Around 90% of our stone is used as structural stone,” Dye says. “The stone has always been around, but has never been promoted as a material for the monument industry. We are trying to push our product into the domestic monument and structural industries.” Dye says their promotion skills are paying off – they have recently provided Silver Cloud granite for a large project at the University of Georgia and are working to provide the University with a material for a new Law School Library. “We are where we want to be with the international market, but we are trying to get our materials recognized in the local market,” he says. Through a devastating tragedy, the family of Samantha “Sami” McDonald has created a legacy to honor their young daughter. At just three years old, Sami passed away after drowning in May 2006. The family approached Terry Joy of Joy monument company in Louisville, KY to create a monument to honor their daughter. “The family had no idea what they wanted,” Terry says. But they knew they wanted Sami on a swing, just as they had seen her that morning, singing “Jesus Loves Me.” Terry created numerous sketches for the family to accommodate the statue of a swing. The first idea was to carve a tree out of granite, but the costly nature of such an elaborate piece steered the family in a different direction. “They gave me free reigns to design something that I felt would look good for them,” Terry says. Keystone Memorials, Inc., fabricated the Autumn Rose granite elements of the memorial. The center structure of the memorial is a 7’ tall Autumn Rose granite arch that holds a bronze statue of Jesus, who is holding the ropes to the swing. Two boulders flank the arch, both with meaningful messages. The first is a bible verse, Isaiah 26:4, reading, “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the Rock eternal.” In the top of this boulder, Terry created a bird bath and attached two small bronze birds, a detail requested by Sami’s father, Geoff. The second boulder lists the lyrics to ‘Jesus Loves Me’, Sami’s favorite song. Terry used an interesting technique for the wording. The Bible verse was actually handwritten in a card from a family friend of the McDonald family. Terry traced the handwriting and created a beautiful font to use throughout the memorial. There is a stone underneath the feet of the statue with the handprints of Sami, her sister Becca and her brother Jacob. A marker rests on the ground in front of the memorial with her name, birth and death dates. The touching memorial rests in the Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Ky. It lies underneath the winding branches of a wingnut tree, providing a beautiful area for visitors. The McDonald family has used such a tragedy to spread the word of their faith. Sami’s memorial has become the centerpiece for prayer groups around the country. “Sam’s Rock” has grown into a ministry performing service projects in women’s shelters and schools. T-shirts appear everywhere, in 28 states and eight countries. The family uses the monument as a testimony of their faith, as well as the faith of their little girl. “It is our hope and prayer that this monument will speak into the hearts of those who see it, the story of a little girl, full of joy, who lived her life in Christ’s strong, loving hands, and who now lives with him in Heaven,” Geoff says. A replica of the monument has been created as a Christmas ornament to remind everyone of Sami’s story of faith during the holiday season. Created by Childs and Childs Granite Company, Inc., this beautiful memorial rests in the Stanleyville Baptist Church Cemetery in Rural Hall, N.C. Mrs. Ingram wanted a design with the rounded sides, but wanted to use her skills as a publication designer to create the rest. She worked with Steve Caroll of Caroll Memorials in King, N.C., to perfect the intricate carving designs. The tablet, 4-0 x 0-8 x 2-2, features raised carvings set in a recessed panel, giving the beautiful acanthus leaves more depth. It sits on a base measuring 6-0 x 1-4 x 0-6, which now holds two vases on either side of the monument. The all-steeled Georgia Grey granite was the material chosen. Mrs. Ingram and her family are thrilled with the final product and are excited to have a monument exactly like they had pictured. Through the last 60 years, our members have become nationally known for producing monuments, signs, memorials and other projects from granite. Anywhere from the largest cities to the smallest towns may have a piece of Elberton rock. Our members have given their time and effort to produce memorials for families around the country, but they have also helped beautify our town and honor those who deserve it most by donating signs and memorials. Across Elberton, you can find the mark of EGA members in every corner and crevice. The signs at the entrance to McWilliams Park, Elberton’s Recreational Complex. A sign at the lake Russell rowing dock where rowing teams trained during the 1996 Olympics. The centerpiece of the Elberton square, the bicentennial fountain, was manufactured and donated by numerous ega members. A marker celebrating the 200th anniversary of Elberton. EGA members donated city limit signs to welcome visitors to Elberton. Honoring the 1995 state championship football team, a granite football at the entrance to the granite bowl. Mass and stability are strongly emphasized in this dignified sarcophagus recently installed in the Greenwood Memorial Park in Fort Worth, Texas. The heavy base treatment as well as the body of the memorial stresses this while the top cap provides a dignified elegance. The Woodworth monument serves as the central focus of the family plot and as Mr. Woodworth commented, “will be here from this time forward for all to cherish and reflect upon.” Hunter Granite Sales, Inc., fabricated the all-steeled monument from Georgia Gray granite. It features a 4-10 x 1-4 x 1-10 tablet with square raised lettering set off within a tooled picture frame. The top cap measures 5-6 x 1-0 x 2-0 and is distinctive with different contours and moldings. The mid-base is 5-6 x 0-8 x 2-0 and bottom base measures 6-0 x 2-6 x 0-10. Using the “McNeel Book” as a guide, the monument was designed by Sammie and Dennis Peters of Fred Cheek Monuments in Fort Worth. Fred Cheek Monuments also completed the installation. A unique memorial resting in the Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Morris, Ill., was created by Central Granite Company, Inc., for the Siwiec family. The Jet Black granite is the ideal canvas to highlight the starburst design. The tablet measures 3-2 x 0-8 x 3-6, polish two, with the sun and sun rays left polished. It has a shell rock background with a scalloped shape. It sits on a polished flat top base, measuring 4-2 x 1-2 x 0-8 with the balance rock pitched. Bill Siwiec created the intricate design to honor his son. He approached Donna Frank of Morris Granite Company with a drawing. The crew at Central then created layouts and made a few modifications to perfect the design. The end result is stunning. The family was very grateful to have such a beautiful memorial in honor of their son during such an emotional time. After a car accident damaged memorials in the Christ Church Episcopal Cemetery in Greenville, S.C., King’s Monument Company, Inc., fabricated this beautiful memorial to replace two single monuments that were destroyed. Julie Lee of The Monument Shop in Summerville, S.C., worked closely with the staff of King’s to create a monument that would incorporate well in to the traditional cemetery. The idea of the design came from the “McNeel Book”. The Barre Gray tablet measures 4-0 x 0-10 x 4-0 with an all-steeled finish. It has a double recessed face with a 1” scotia and cheek fading to the bottom of the stone. The center features a Flueree cross. It rests on a base measuring 5-0 x 1-8 x 0-8 with a steeled top and a 2” steeled margin. King’s Monument Company did all of the carving and lettering on the memorial. Modeled after a memorial the family fell in love with, but with a few minor changes, this statuesque double mausoleum was fabricated by Southern Mausoleums, Inc., for Hope Haven Marble and Granite in Gonzales, La. The mixture of Keystone Blue and Galaxy Jet Black granite makes for a stunning memorial for the Sontheimer family. The four-crypt mausoleum measures 5-0 x 6-0 x 9-0. It sits on a floor made of Keystone Blue with a Keystone Blue 4’ bench in front. Detailed two-crypt mausoleum by Eagle Granite A smooth finish on Blue Ridge gran­ite makes for a beautiful mausoleum, built by Eagle Granite Company, Inc. The staff of Eagle collaborated with the staff of Wake Monument Company in Rolesville, N.C. to recreate a design the retailer once made in the 1960s. "It took some real cooperation between our designer and the Eagle staff to work out some of the details of how the pieces were to fit together;' says Ron Bartholomew of Wake Monu­ment. "Eagle Granite did a real preci­sion job cutting this:' The mausoleum measures 12-4 x 8-10 x 4-10 and rests in the Rolesville Baptist Church. Downtown Display The new downtown display is yet another stunning example of the fine quality available in Elberton. Traditional designs as well as unique shapes are showcased in a multitude of granite colors. Thank you to our members for volunteering your work for us to display. Hillcrest Granite company Star Granite and Bronze Eagle Granite company Keystone memorials Dixie Granite company Quality monument Baston monuments Keystone Memorials honors Purple Heart Recipients On June 6, 1943, a memorial honoring the Purple Heart recipients was dedicated in Wyandotte, Mich. The memorial was crafted oflimestone and featured a statue of a soldier caring for his wounded brother-in-arms resting on a base in the middle of the town. Wyandotte was the first city in the country to which the National Military Order of the Purple Heart commissioned and donated a monument of this type. After decades of deterioration, the city decided to save and restore the original memorial. The statue was removed from the base and cast in bronze to highlight and preserve the original details. Keystone Memorials, Inc., was commissioned to create the base for the statue. They used two pieces of granite; the larger piece measures 3-8 x 4-4 x 4-0, all polished and sits on a smaller piece measuring 3-8 x 3-8 x 1-2 with a polished top and four sawn sides. A detailed, polish five cap, 4-1 x 4-9 x 0-6, with a polished scotia, tops off the pedestal. A dedication ceremony was held on Memorial Day, May 31, 2010. Veterans from numerous organizations as well as city and state officials joined the crowd at the dedication ceremony. The statue sits at the intersection of Biddle Avenue and Superior Boulevard, an area that has become the home to other veterans memorials, including a World War II memorial. Plans are in place for a Vietnam War memorial as well. Keystone Memorials played a huge part in the restoration of this historical monument that will enhance this part of the city for years to come. Net Granite provides materials for Airborne Battle Memorial Net Granite Company, Inc., provided the Georgia Grey granite for this massive project located on the Eubanks Field in Fort Benning, Ga. The Airborne Battle Memorial consists of 20 pieces - 19 memorials and one large map. Each of the 19 memorials represents a major para­chute and glider combat assault, starting with Operation Torch in World War II in 1942. Combining all of the combat assault parachutists, there are roughly 72,000 soldiers honored by this one project. The memorials measure 2-6 x 3-0 x 1-2 and rest on bases measuring 3-4 x 1-10 x 0-6. There is a map in the center with the detailed location of each combat assault. The map stands 6-0 x 0-4 x 4-0 on a base measuring 5-6 x 1-8 x 2-0. Each piece of granite is all-steeled. James Haney, owner of Net Granite Company, Inc., worked with Tony Charping of Monuments Eternal to create the beautiful project. Monuments Eternal did all of the sandblasting and installation. The memorial was dedicated at the 34th annual Airborne Awards Festival on April 8, 2011. Hundreds of veterans were on site to watch the dedication. Tony was able to attend the ceremony and was proud to be part of such a large project. "The dedication was great. James and his staff were great, as well;' he says. Boyd creates sign and benches for Augusta courthouse The Augusta-Richmond County Courthouse was dedicated in honor of Judge John H. Ruffin, Jr., of Augusta, Ga., on May 18, 2011. Judge Ruffin was appointed Judge for the Georgia Court of Appeals in 1994 after 33 years of practicing law. He was the first African American Superior Court judge for the Augusta Judicial Court and the first African American member of the Augusta Bar Association. Boyd Granite Company, Inc., produced and erected the large granite sign in front of the courthouse from their own Robin Blue granite. The 20-0 x 0-10 x 2-0 sign is polished five with a ridge top and rests on 20-2 x 1-0 x 2-0 rock pitched base with a l" polished wash around the top. The front of the courthouse displays 20 Robin Blue benches, also produced by Boyd. The 5-0 x 2-0 x 0-6 benches, with an inside and outside radius, are all-steeled and create a serpentine shape around the entrance. Textured mountain sign welcomes visitors to subdivision This beautiful sign was produced by Keystone Memorials, Inc., for Entrekin Memorials in Bowdon Junction, Ga. Standing 7-0 x 0-6 x 3-4, the Keystone Blue sign rests at the entrance of the Mountain Shadows Subdivision in Bremen, Ga. The sign has a polish two finish with the balance rock pitched. The mountain carvings are also rock pitched. The Keystone staff worked with Mark Loveless of Entrekin to create the unique design. When the Homeowner's Association began taking bids to replace their old wooden sign, Mark approached the Association with the idea of a granite sign. He submitted a sketch to the Association and got the overwhelming vote of approval. The Association is thrilled with the finished product. Superior fabricates sign for famous courthouse Superior Granite Company, Inc., fabricated this classic sign for Dayton Monument Company in Dayton, Tenn., to stand at the famous Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton. The sign measures 14-0 x 0-6 x 2-0. It has an all-steeled finish and is made of Georgia Grey granite. It was installed by the staff of Dayton Monument. The Rhea County Courthouse is known around the country for the trail of The State of Tennessee v. Scopes, or the Scopes Trail, in 1925. The trail was a battle between the state and a biology teacher who taught evolution in the public schools. Hulme's Tool Shop Since the 1950s, Hulme's Tool Shop has been a lead provider in quarry and stone cutting tools in Elberton and around the coun­try. Owner Derek Dye has a long history of tool manufacturing, as he worked alongside his grandfather who started the Tool Shop. Derek worked during the summer while in high school, then worked for three years as a welder in a nearby town. He soon returned to the family-owned business and has 24 years of service under his belt. Hulme's Tool Shop specializes in the fabrication of tools for the stone industry. The bulk of their clients are located in El­berton, but they ship out of town as well. They have two large shop buildings where they manufacture tools such as drill bits and shim wedges. They are able to create any custom tool their customers may need. Derek and his two employees strive to pro­duce high-quality tools, as well as keep their customers happy. "We just try to put out the best quality tools and service;' he says. Derek has continued the successful legacy of his grandfather and of Hulme's Tool Shop, which has over 50 years of service to the community. Comet Machine and Hydraulics Roger Guest has worked in the maintenance field of the granite industry for 20 years. He gained a great deal of knowledge and experience maintaining and building equipment. He has also been the owner of a granite sawing plant and quarry. In 1990, Roger decided to leave the granite side of the industry and devote all of his time to equipment maintenance. This marked the begin­ning of Comet Machine and Hydraulics. Roger now works alongside his employees specializing in all hydraulic and machine work. He has one large shop building, one side strictly for hydraulics and the other for machine work. Comet stocks quite a large number of parts, but they place the greatest emphasis on items used most. Roger says this enables him to get his customers back in operation more quickly. The team usually works out of their location, but they also do on-site services. Along with their expert opinions, Roger says they place a lot of emphasis on customer service. "We have a very loyal customer base, and we want to keep them satisfied.” Roger Guest James Dove Derek Dye Childs & Childs creates intricate carving detail Created by Childs and Childs Granite Company, Inc., this beautiful memorial rests in the Stanleyville Baptist Church Cemetery in Rural Hall, N.C. Mrs. Ingram specifically wanted a design with the rounded sides, but wanted to use her skills as a publication designer to create the rest. She worked with Steve Caroll of Caroll Memorials in King, N.C., to perfect the intricate carving designs. The tablet, 4-0 x 0-8 x 2-2, features raised carvings set in a recessed panel, giving the beautiful acanthus leaves more depth. It sits on a base measur­ing 6-0 x 1-4 x 0-6, which now holds two vases on either side of the monument. The all steeled Georgia Grey granite was the material chosen. Mrs. Ingram and her family are thrilled with the final product and are excited to have a monument exactly like they had pictured. George Chester Almond, 86, of 1651 Athens Highway, husband of Joyce Beth Bonds Almond, died Saturday, April 16, 2011, at Elbert Memorial Hospital. Born Feb. 20, 1925, in Elbert County, he was the son of the late Thomas Early Almond and Jasper Louise Fortson Almond. Mr. Almond served in World War II in the European Theater, was wounded and was a recipient of the Purple Heart. He was retired from the granite industry and served as President and several terms on the board of the Elberton Granite Association, Inc. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Elberton, having served as deacon and elder. Survivors are his wife, Joyce Beth Bonds Almond of the home; two daughters, Kay Almond Wilson and hus­band, Thomas Evans Wilson, Ill, of Beaufort, S.C., and Rita Almond Mulherin, and husband, Louis Mulherin, III of Augusta; as well as three granddaughters, two great-granddaughters, two great-grandsons and two nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Thomas Early Almond and Jasper Louise Fortson Almond; two brothers, Mack Almond and Hood Almond; and a sister, Edna Almond Teasley. A graveside service was held on Tuesday, April 19, 2011, at Providence Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Lowndesville, S.C., conducted by the Reverend Mike Woods. Training Institutes The spots are filling quickly for the 2011 Training Institutes hosted by EGA. Once again, we are holding our Monument Retailers Basic Course, and we are excited for the return of our Better Sales by Design Course. Fill out and send in the form below for more information. Don't miss out on this great opportunity! Monument Retailers Basic Course (SEPT 26 - 29): Designed for those new to the monument in­dustry, the Monument Retailers Basic Course will teach participants everything they need to know when starting in the monument business. Students will tour Elberton, visiting quarries, manufacturing plants, design studios and more to see how the memorial process works. We are excited to welcome some great instructors for this course: Karen Gillespie Owner, Gillespie Monument Company, Marion, VA Started her own business in 1999 More than 25 years experience in the field Dave Diederich Owner, Delta Associates, LTD in Belton, SC Business consultant for the monument industry for 10 years. Experienced CPA Specializes in human resources, restructuring companies and financial management in addition to other business interests. Bobby Schlitzberger Owner, Schlitzberger & Daughters Monument Company, Houston, Texas Second generation memorialist with 50 years experience Recipient of numerous awards including AICA Eugene H. Faehnle Award Better Sales by Design Course (OCT. 31 - NOV. 3) This course focuses on improving a company's design portfolio to help increase their sales. The majority of the course will be spent in the classroom working hands-on with our nation­ally-known instructors. Students will learn how to use different techniques and how to create unique looks, as well as how to use symbolism in their monument design. Charlie Hunt Owner, Hunt Memorials, Nashville, Tenn. Frequent speaker and instructor at conventions around the country Recipient of AICA Eugene H. Faehnle Award, Biondin Award and Harold Schaller Award Owner, Peterson Monuments, Egg Harbor City, NJ Serves on Board of Governors for AICA Decorated designer with numerous awards to his name Jim Peterson Bob Berg Owner, Richardson Monuments, Libson, Ohio Past President, Monument Builders of Ohio and Allied Memorial Council of Ohio Recipient of AICA Eugene H. Faehnle Award and MBNA Archie L. Green Award Pacific Northwest Monument Builders Association Annual Convention March 17-19, 2011 Portland, Oregon The Pacific Northwest Monument Builders Association held their annual conference in beautiful Portland, Oregon. The two-day event featured numerous speakers and events, such as a trip to the Oregon Memorials plant for a lesson in stone cutting and design from Bobby Mattos. The crowd ended the trip with a lesson on the Oregon Trail from a descen­dent of one of its followers. It was a great trip, and EGA looks forward to the next one! Ronnie Brown, Miles Supply of Elberton, Jim Bell, Beloit, Kan., Sam and Bonnie Bronleewe, Tim and Paula Bronleewe, Laura Bronleewe, Hillsboro, Ore. John and Sherry Tresko, Spokane, WA, Joey Fuerstenberg, Bruce Fuerstenberg, Vancouver, WA, Tom Oglesby, Keystone Memorials, Inc., Lynn Howe, Jennifer and Emily Bush, Yakima, WA. The Elberton Granite Association, Inc., has been a leader in the industry in offering advertising materials for monument retailers. We offer programs such as our loan notebooks, which consist of a set of notebooks with collections of pictures of monuments produced by our member-firms. We also have brochures with suggested letters, radio commercial ideas, DVDs with selling techniques and much more. Contact our office today for more information on our EGA advertising materials. We are always glad to help retailers who keep the Elberton Granite Industry running strong. Created by Childs and Childs Granite company, Inc. this beautiful memorial rests in the Stanleyville Baptist Church Cemetery in Rural Hall, NC. Mrs. Ingram wanted a design with the rounded sides, but wanted to use her skills as a publication designer to create the rest.