As our economy very slowly recovers from the recession, and our industry slowly gets back to normal (whatever “normal” means these days), I see the same old patterns falling into place. Specifically, it seems to me that the same old names are out there supporting our industry — financially and otherwise. Meanwhile, there are so many names out there that are in a position to help our industry, and they continue to decline that opportunity.
Take a look at the names of the speakers at events like StonExpo and Coverings; examine who is front and center representing organizations like the Marble Institute of America and the Stone Fabricators Alliance — sacrificing so much of their time to educate the trade. More importantly, look at who is sponsoring these educational events and who is giving back to the initiatives that are in place to help our industry. With only a few exceptions, it is the same collection of people and companies every single time.