MARBLE INSTITUTE OF AMERICA ENDS 2007 WITH 2,000TH MEMBER . . .
The record number of members is nearly triple that of the total when Gary Distelhorst, executive vice president of the MIA, assumed staff leadership of the natural stone industry organization at the start of 2002, when membership stood at 692. During that period, membership growth has averaged nearly 20% per year. Revenue growth has more than kept pace with the increase in dues-paying members, growing from $690,000 in 2001 to $2.24 million in 2007.
“Today’s worldwide membership is a far cry from 25 years ago, when MIA had only 90 members,” Distelhorst said. “In those days, nearly all MIA members operated in the commercial and institutional construction markets. Today, the majority of our members serve the residential market, which has grown dramatically in the last 10 to 12 years.