Venkat “Van” Malladi, born in 1948 in India, passed away in August of 2013.
An electronics engineer by training, he found his true calling and love in the stone industry and founded Cosmic Stone and Tile Distributors Inc. in 1990, growing it into one of the largest stone and tile distributorships in the New York/New Jersey area.
During his 30-plus years in the business, Van became one of the most recognizable faces at industry events. Ever friendly and with the easiest of smiles, he made friends everywhere he went and earned the respect and love of all whose lives he touched.