Cohen compared the association to a luxury timepiece, noting that most members only see the surface of NSI's operations. "It's like one of those fancy watches,” he explained. “You look at the face of a Rolex, but when you open it up and look at all the pieces inside that really make it happen, that's how I would describe the Natural Stone Institute," said Cohen. "There's tireless hours of work being done in there."

A Year of Challenges

Cohen's presidential year coincided with significant industry challenges, including ongoing silica regulations and tariff concerns. He credited NSI CEO Jim Hieb with navigating much of the turbulence.

"Just when you think you have to make some changes here, and think about how to pivot, and how do we adjust, things are constantly changing," said Cohen. "It was a lot of having to be flexible. I think we learn in business not to be so rigid and stuck in the way that we do things, and this year was a great year to really show us we have to constantly be moving around."

The board adopted a more assertive stance during his tenure, Cohen said.

"As a board, we have decided that we want to take a stance, and we want to stand up against the things that are going to harm our industry," said Cohen.

Rebranding and Member Experience

The organization recently unveiled a new logo and slogan, "Expertise Set in Stone." Cohen said the visual refresh was actually secondary to a larger initiative focused on improving member experience.

"We have great resources, and we've got great information for people,” he said. “We have just found that it's been very difficult for people to navigate our website," said Cohen. "We're a little antiquated on our technology."

The association is overhauling its website, learning management system and member communication platforms. When NSI brought in consultants to lead the effort, Cohen said they recommended starting with a fresh visual identity.

"They said, really, this is a re-structure; this is a redesign of the organization,” he said. “Let's start it and kick it off with a new look and a new feel. The logo is kind of the shiny part on the outside. All the stuff that goes into it, that goes along with it, is coming soon."

Looking Ahead

Jeff Erickson of Cutting Edge Countertops, headquartered in Perrysburg, OH, will assume the presidency in 2026. Cohen said the organization's strategic priorities will center on two areas: people and product.

"We really want to make sure that we can tell the story of stone, and I think this new direction that we're going to head in this next year is going to give us the vehicle to be able to do that," said Cohen.

The silica issue will remain a priority, with NSI working to support fabricators in maintaining clean shop environments and minimizing health risks.

A Call for Involvement

Despite preparing to leave the board, Cohen remains a vocal advocate for NSI membership. He encouraged fabricators who have not engaged with the association to reconsider.

"If somebody's not involved, it's because they really don't understand what's going on behind the scenes," said Cohen. "Even if you were to donate your membership to help the NSI continue to fight for what it's doing and to continue to help our industry as a whole, even if that's all you did, it's well worth it."

Cohen compared NSI membership to a gym membership, noting that the value depends on engagement. "You can get the membership, but if you don't use it, you're not going to gain from it,"he said. "The reality is there's so many great things to gain. I would just love to see people use it."

As he prepares to step back from his leadership role, Cohen expressed mixed emotions. "I'm extremely proud of what we've done, and I'm a little sad, actually, to be leaving," said Cohen. "But it has to continue to go onward and upward."