Laura Grandlienard Named 2024 Stone World Fabricator of the Year
January 30, 2025
Laura Grandlienard Named 2024 Stone World Fabricator of the Year
January 30, 2025Image courtesy of ROCKin'teriors
The 2024 Nominees:
Article Index
Related Articles
Laura Grandlienard, owner of ROCKin’teriors in Raleigh, NC, was awarded Stone World’s 2024 Fabricator of the Year Award at a ceremony on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 during The International Surface Event (tise), which took place at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Grandlienard was among six nominees for the award, which was presented among a group of her peers.
Before diving into the stone industry and her fabrication business, Grandlienard started her career at IBM. “I was managing software sales for South America and the lower Caribbean region,” she said. “I was in awe of the natural stone I was seeing, and intrigued by the industry. We were in the process of building a home, and I was intrigued about how stone comes from a quarry and arrives to our homes. At the time, most countries had little government involvement/regulation on how the stone quarrying and fabrication process impacted our environment. It has not always been a top priority for many in our industry. We created our business model by asking, ‘What can we do better?’”
When asked what she has enjoyed most about working in the stone industry, Grandlienard said it is that each day is different and the challenges presented keep everyone sharp. “Solving the unique situations that arise in custom projects bonds our team as we strive for excellence,” said Grandlienard. “From custom residential builders and interior design firms to commercial projects, every application of stone is special and requires the very best from each team member.”
One of her most memorable experiences while working in the stone industry was that early on she took a leap of faith and ordered a premium block of Calacatta marble, custom cut approved block in full slab width of 5cm, 3cm and 2cm thicknesses. “Working with our distributor and the quarry directly to make selections on material of that caliber was such a privilege,” she said. “The anticipation of the delivery was intense, and seeing the marble fabricated and installed and pure joy it brought to the client, was the best reward.”
Grandlienard was presented with the award at tise 2025.
Watch Stone World’s interview with Laura below to learn more about her and ROCKin’teriors.
Stone World Fabricator of the Year Award Winners
2008
Paul Menninger
Capitol Granite & Marble
2007
Ron Hannah
Cadenza Granite & Marble
2006
Dick Laliberte
Ripano Stoneworks
2005
GK Naquin
Stone Interiors
2004
Tim and Scott Buechel
Buechel Stone Corp.
2003
Kip Cameron
Granite-Tops
2002
George Fox
Luck Stone Corp.
2001
Fred Becker
Becker & Becker Stone Co.
2000
Connie and Brenda Edwards
TexaStone Quarries
1999
Walter Dusenbery
Johnson-Atelier School, Sculpture
1998
Harold Stobbe
Owen Sound Ledgerock
1996
Willard Vetter
Vetter Stone Co.
1995
Chuck Monson
Dakota Granite Co.
1994
Linus Dingman
Cold Spring Granite Co.
1993
David Teitelbaum
Cathedral Stoneworks
1991
Wilbur Bybee
Bybee Stone Co.
1989
Tony Ramos
New England Stone Industries
1988
Jim Stengel
Dakota Granite Co.
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
Jason Kamery is the Managing Editor and Group Digital Editor of Stone World. With more than a decade of experience covering the stone and countertop industry, he has conducted hundreds of interviews with fabricators, manufacturers, and industry leaders, and hosts the Stone World. podcast. He reports from events worldwide, including TISE, Coverings, and Marmomac, and his coverage extends to worker safety and silicosis, trade policy and tariffs, and fabrication technology. Kamery has also served as a speaker and panel moderator at The International Surface Event (TISE). He graduated from Purdue University with a B.A. in Mass Communication.
email: kameryj@bnpmedia.com | office: (248) 833-7356
