The morning session was moderated by industry veteran Buddy Ontra, who has 40 years of experience in stone fabrication and is a past president of NSI. Ontra also administrates testing for NSI’s silica and slab safety certification. 

After formal introductions, the morning kicked off with a panel discussion about material trends. Those on the panel included Lyon, Brie Pfannenbecker of Viking Kitchen and Kassandra Brandao of Pedrakut Stone Design.

“Education is everything,” said Pfannenbecker. “Managing expectations is half the job. The other half is making sure customers understand the facts -- both good and bad -- before making a choice.”

In addition to discussing popular material choices they are seeing, the panelists talked about the importance of honesty with customers when educating them on the characteristics and performance of particular stones and quartz surfaces and the frustration with the misnaming of materials, among other relative topics.

“After 15 years immersed in the stone industry, as a Natural Stone Advocate, contributing to this discussion felt like a natural extension of the work I have been doing daily -- designing with intention, leading teams, mentoring women and helping clients navigate the complex beauty of natural stone,” said Brandao. “Sitting on the panel alongside peers who are equally passionate about this industry was energizing, and speaking to a room full of fabricators, many of whom I deeply respect, was both humbling and affirming.

“One of the most meaningful takeaways for me was seeing the diversity of voices represented on the panel,” Brandao went on to say. “As a woman in a field that is still predominantly male, that visibility matters. It is a reminder that mentorship, community and representation are not just ideals, they are essential to our industry’s growth and relevance. I left the event feeling recharged. 

“As a steering committee member for Women in Stone (WIS), a longtime mentor for the program and a proud supporter of NSI’s educational initiatives, I strongly believe that we are not just shaping surfaces, we are shaping a future where knowledge is shared, leadership is inclusive and success is built on both skill and connection,” Brandao further said.

Following the material trends panel discussion, Ontra, along with the team from Rumford Stone in Bow, NH, engaged participants in a talk about shop safety. In particular, they talked about the current silica standards, as well as voluntary OSHA visits, material handling, employee health checkups, and water recycling. 

OHM International is excited to host another Stone Summit at their Antioch, TN, location on Thursday, September 11, 2025. “What a great event we had last week,” said Sean Lyon, product manager. “We were proud to host the NSI and Stone World Stone Summit in our facility in Randolph, MA, last week. We had a great turnout and a ton of great learnings throughout the day. It was great to be able to support this wonderful industry and the great people that make it go! We look forward to many more successful events!”

Sponsors of the Boston SIE event included: Big Dog Adhesives, Dry-Treat, GranQuartz, Leica Geosystems, MORE Surface Care, Park Industries, Stone Boss, and The International Surface Event (TISE). 

For a complete schedule of upcoming SIE events, visit www.stoneindustryeducation.com.