Marble Institute Expands Architect/Designer Continuing Education Program to Include Stone Facility Tours
Contact:
Marble Institute of America
(440) 250-9222
networking@marble-institute.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Cleveland, Ohio — July 26, 2011 — The Marble Institute of America (MIA) has expanded its popular continuing education (CEU) program for architects, designers, kitchen/bath dealers, and landscape architects to now include CEU credit for facility tours. The "Natural Stone: The Evolving Marketplace, Technology & Product Applications (facility tours)" course was unveiled by MIA's education committee chair, Joshua Levinson of Artistic Tile.
Levinson commented, "With over 75 member companies delivering CEU classes to the design community, the natural question was; how can we also offer credit for a tour following the traditional classroom CEU?" The team at Kansas City based Sturgis Materials offered a program concept, and over twenty MIA members collaborated to create the necessary outlines to get the facility tours CEU credit approved by:
- American Society of Interior Designers (ASID);
- American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA);
- Interior Designers of Canada (IDC);
- Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC);
- International Interior Design Association (IIDA); and,
- National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA)
Recognizing that not all stone facilities are identical, guidelines were created for:
- Stone facilities with only a stone showroom;
- Stone facilities with a stone showroom and tile/slab warehouse;
- Stone fabrication facilities with a showroom & tile/slab warehouse; and,
- Quarries with a production/fabrication facility.
Levinson added, "Given the diversity of the industry, it was important that we create a program that accounts for different types of facilities and maintains a high level of education for the design professionals. I believe this program is a great way for stone companies to connect with the design community." Additionally, this course can be used as a stand-alone CEU credit or combined with another CEU course to offer the design professional multiple credits.
The "Natural Stone: The Evolving Marketplace, Technology & Product Applications (facility tours)" course is one of six CEU classes now available. Three new classes will be rolled out later this year. To learn more about the MIA CEU program, go online to www.marble-institute.com/education/continuing-education.
About the Marble Institute of America
For over 65 years the Marble Institute of America (MIA) has been the world's leading information resource and advocate for the natural dimension stone industry. MIA members include marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, and other natural stone producers and quarriers, fabricators, installers, distributors, and contractors around the world.
