In 1988, Stone World presented its first Fabricator of the Year Award to Jim Stengel of Dakota Granite Co. Since then, there has been one worthy fabricator after another honored each year with the award. Most recently, Scott Hanes of Majestic Marble and Granite in Orlando, FL, was the recipient.

Over the years, the award has gained recognition. We always present it before a crowd at The International Surface Event in Las Vegas, NV, followed by a cocktail reception. Jonathan Mitnick and his team at CCS Stone in Moonachie, NJ, take pride in making the award for us every year, and we certainly appreciate it.

For the 2016 award, we opened up voting online to our readers for the first time, and it was quite a success. The turnout was positive, and we hope to have even more of you vote for the 2017 recipient. With that said, I like to explain the process, because recently I, as well as our staff, have been asked on more than one occasion how one is nominated for Stone World Fabricator of the Year.

Nominations come from machinery and tooling manufacturers. The stone industry is relatively small, and most of the equipment suppliers are familiar with dedicated industry members who not only take pride in providing quality customer service and products, but also are involved and willing to share their knowledge and expertise with others for the overall good of the stone industry. We ask nominators to consider the following criteria when nominating a fabricator for the award:

• cooperativeness in sharing technology with the industry
• willingness to pioneer in the use of new technology
• fostering educational programs for the training of stoneworkers in industry methods
• promoting technological progress through association work

If you believe you are a contender for the 2017 Stone World Fabricator of the Year Award, then don’t hesitate to mention this to one of your suppliers. They are all sent nomination forms. Prove to them you are deserving of a nomination and encourage them to submit their form. We hope to start the process a little sooner this year, so nomination forms will go out in the next month. Once the nominations are in, the candidates — along with their credentials — will be announced on our website and the voting will commence.

As I mentioned, this past year was the first time voting was open up to our readers. Most of you know your peers and the “shining stars” in the industry, so it is only fitting that you have a say as to who should be honored with the award. Stay tuned for when the polls open, and be sure to cast your vote for the next Stone World Fabricator of the Year. It just might be you!