BROUGHT TO YOU BY

California Stone Summit – October 9, 2025

California Stone Summit
October 9, 2025

8:30 AM - 3:00 PM

Stone Industry Education

Stone Industry Safety Townhall

Join us for the Stone Industry Safety Townhall, a crucial gathering focused on enhancing workplace safety standards. Engage in discussions about best practices, regulatory updates, and risk management strategies. Share insights, learn from experts, and collaborate to create a safer environment for everyone in the stone fabrication community. Your safety matters!

You will:

Discuss recent changes in safety regulations affecting the stone industry and how to ensure compliance.
Share insights on proper equipment handling, maintenance, and safety protocols to minimize accidents.
Engage in identifying common hazards in stone fabrication and strategies for effective risk management.
Explore the importance of ongoing safety training and how to implement effective training sessions for staff.
Discuss strategies for fostering a workplace culture that prioritizes safety and encourages open communication about concerns.

Venue & Location

MSI
7130 Miramar Rd Ste 200
San Diego, CA 92121
Find Your Venue

Instructor

Jeff "Corky" Courtright
Planet Granite

Mark Meriaux
Natural Stone Institute

Registration Fees

$99

for Installers & Fabricators

$249

for Suppliers & Stone Distributors

Earn two free registrations

Non-Natural Stone Institute member companies who join prior to the seminar can send two employees free of charge (a $198 value). For more information about membership, go to www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/whyjoin or call 440.250.9222 and ask for the NSI membership team.

Target Audience

Stone fabrication industry professionals, including business owners, marketing experts, and those eager to expand their businesses, connect with suppliers, and glean invaluable 'best practices' for successful operations.

Agenda

Time	Session
8:30 AM	Registration & Networking
9:00 AM	Welcome, Announcements & Introductions
9:30 AM	Shop Safety
10:30 AM	Break
10:45 AM	Silica Safety in California
12:00 PM	Lunch & Networking Tour
1:30 PM	Safety and Training Best Practices
3:00 PM	Closing and Social Networking

Earn CEU Credits

Take advantage of this special workshop the day before the stone summit!

Natural Stone vs. Manmade Materials

October 8th, 2025

4:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Separate registration required for CEU course

Mark Meriaux
Accreditation & Technical Manager
Natural Stone Institute

Natural stone has been the premier building material of choice throughout history, thanks to its durability and timeless aesthetic. Inherently beautiful and versatile, it’s no wonder that manmade materials aim to replicate its attributes, appearance and ultimately its desirability.

This course will compare the versatility, performance characteristics, and green building considerations for both natural stone and manmade materials. Understanding these key points will prepare you with knowledge for design concepts, applications and how to educate the consumer.

Styles change from season to season, but mother nature creates unique designs in natural stone that are historically innovative and always on trend.

Learning objectives:

Define and explain attributes to understand what can affect the performance of both natural stone and manmade materials in interior applications.
Compare and contrast the attributes and installation capabilities of natural stone and manmade materials to understand the optimal building material choice for project design and installation.
Discuss common green building considerations for these materials, including embodied energy, potentially harmful ingredients, and land impacts.
Learn which innovative design trends can be satisfied using natural stone, including biophilic design, complex geometries, and textures, to offer the consumer both creative and aesthetic opportunity.