Minnesota Stone Summit Provided A Voice for Fabricators
Fabricators from the region came together to discuss pressing industry issues, challenges and trends related to their businesses
Throughout the day, interactive discussions, moderated by Buddy Ontra of Bostone in Bridgeport, CT, a former fabricator and past NSI president, covered material and fabrication trends, shop and jobsite safety, and technical issues fabricators often encounter.
The all-day event provided an interactive experience where fabricators were encouraged to ask questions and share experiences.
Several breaks throughout the day provided time for attendees and sponsors to interact.
A panel discussion about technical issues and solutions was held after lunch. From left to right: Nate Schultz of Innovative Surfaces, Buddy Ontra (moderator), Brad Nooris of NVR Surfaces and Steve McIntosh of Astonia Stone Artisan.
The group of fabricators in attendance had the opportunity to tour MSI's slab warehouse, including its extensive collection of Taj Mahal varieties.
Attendees, sponsors and the MSI team had an insightful day of education and networking.
Many fabricators from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area attended the Stone Industry Education (SIE) event hosted by MSI at its showroom and warehouse in Maple Grove, MN, on Thursday, May 21, 2026. The all-day seminar was organized by Stone World in conjunction with the Natural Stone Institute (NSI). Throughout the day, interactive discussions, moderated by Buddy Ontra of Bostone in Bridgeport, CT, a former fabricator and past NSI president, covered material and fabrication trends, shop and jobsite safety, and technical issues fabricators often encounter.
The primary objective of the event was to unite fabricators to share experiences and ideas with the intent of learning and coming up with solutions together.
Ontra was excited to have local experts in their field to be part of the conversations on trends, safety and technical issues. “I think of this as a regional event, where we are bringing in the experienced local talent, who can engage with their peers to share knowledge and to learn from each other,” he said.
The Material Trends Panel included Thomas Price, a MSI sales representative, Dan King of Leon's Countertops; and Jennifer Richinelli, editor-in-chief of Stone World. The panelists cited the popularity of warmer tones on the rise, which was confirmed by fabricators in attendance. White has not totally gone away but veining with soft golden and brown tones are replacing cool grays. Full-height backsplashes and the continuing high demand for Taj Mahal quartzite were also points of discussion. Additionally, the group talked about the importance of fabricators presenting themselves as an authority on materials and setting customer expectations and educating them from the start of a project.
Following the opening panel discussion, Ontra teamed up with Ted Huppert of Grazzini Brothers for a talk on safety in the stone industry. “The biggest thing I see regarding silica is housekeeping,” said Huppert. “You have to keep your shop nice and clean -- and organized. I can’t emphasize that enough. Wet everything down at the start of a shift.”
Huppert went on to say how his company uses NSI resources for all its training.
The discussion turned to why it is beneficial to voluntarily invite an OSHA inspector into your shop, as well as the importance of slab handling correctly.
After lunch, Ontra moderated a technical fabricator forum with Nate Schultz of Innovative Surfaces, Brad Nooris of NVR Surfaces and Steve McIntosh of Astonia Stone Artisan. The discussion covered everything from rework to hiring and managing employees to buying quality material and how to handle quartzites.
In between panel discussions, attendees had the opportunity to speak with sponsors to learn about their products and services, as well as talk with the MSI team and each other.
There will be more in-depth coverage of the discussions from the Stone Summit published soon.
The next SIE event is scheduled for June 25, 2026, at OHM’s facility in Charlotte, NC. The presentation will be given by Eric Tryon of Surface Providers, LLC. Tryon will speak on "Analyzing Shop Performance," a session focused on evaluating key metrics to enhance efficiency and productivity in a stone fabrication shop.
To learn more about the North Carolina Stone Summit, as well as to view the complete 2026 SIE series schedule, and to register, visit www.stoneindustryeducation.com.Looking for a reprint of this article?
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