CLEVELAND, OH -- The Marble Institute of America (MIA) has announced plans for a Women in Stone Connection Conference to be held in conjunction with TISE East (The International Surface Event East/StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas/Tile Expo) in Miami, FL, on Sunday, October 19, 2014. The program features dynamic speakers including Lisbeth Calandrino, Toby Morrison, Dave Mitchell and a panel discussion of key women in the industry.

This conference will discuss the process of building relationships with customers, colleagues and co-workers. Each item on the agenda will focus on the opportunities and challenges that are facing women in the industry. Attendance at this leadership summit will award participants the following learning objectives:

• Learn how to take advantage of your assets to make your way in the business world
• Review today's building industry statistics and how key demographic factors affect your customer's decision to buy
• Discuss factors that affect women in the stone industry including working with family members and managing men
• Assess your personal leadership style and find out how to present information about ideas, products and/or services in a manner that is most engaging to those with a different interactive style than your own

"The Connection Conference is the first education event held by Women In Stone," said Sarah B. Kelly, Administrator of the MIA initiative. "This event will help serve our primary goals to recruit, retain, and advance women in the stone industry."

"The Women In Stone Connection Conference is an excellent opportunity for professional women in this industry to learn and network with one another," said Women in Stone member, Jacqueline Tabbah of International Stoneworks in Houston, TX. "I am thrilled to be part of the panel discussion and share my point of view with this prestigious group of ladies."