Richard Atkinson Receives the 2025 Thor Lundh Quarrier Award

 

Contact:
Natural Stone Institute
(440) 250-9222
networking@naturalstoneinstitute.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Oberlin, OH, October 15, 2025 —The Natural Stone Institute (NSI) is proud to announce that Richard “Rick” Atkinson, of Stony Creek Quarry in Branford, Connecticut, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Thor Lundh Quarrier Award. The honor was presented during the NSI Study Tour in Georgia, recognizing Atkinson’s outstanding leadership and lifelong commitment to advancing the natural stone quarrying industry.

A fourth-generation Stony Creek Quarry worker, Atkinson inherited the helm from his uncle, John “The General” Barnes, and over the past 45 years has carried forward a legacy of craftsmanship, safety, and mentorship. Under his leadership, Stony Creek granite has been used in landmark projects including the Statue of Liberty Museum, Columbia University, and Chifley Towers in Sydney, Australia.

Described by peers as both a protector and a pioneer, Atkinson has consistently placed safety and sustainability at the forefront of operations. In 2005, Stony Creek Quarry earned an MSHA Certificate of Safety, and in 2018 became the third quarry worldwide to achieve Gold certification for NSI 373 Sustainability of Natural Dimensional Stone.

“Rick represents everything the Thor Lundh Quarrier Award stands for: dedication, innovation, and respect for the craft,” said Dacia Belisle Woodworth, Natural Stone Institute Staff Lead for the North American Quarry Advocacy Group. “His impact extends far beyond Connecticut, inspiring quarry professionals around the world.”

“Rick’s commitment to quality and sustainability echoes the same principles that guided Thor Lundh throughout his career,” said Frank Nordby, CEO Lundhs AS “It’s an honor to see the spirit of global collaboration that Thor championed continue through leaders like Rick.”

The Thor Lundh Quarrier Award, established in 2024 and named in honor of Thor Lundh, founder of Lundhs AS in Norway, celebrates visionaries who modernize quarrying practices, take courageous risks, and elevate the global natural stone industry.

The Natural Stone Institute congratulates Richard “Rick” Atkinson on this well-deserved recognition and thanks him for his enduring contributions to natural stone quarrying.

 

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About the Natural Stone Institute

The Natural Stone Institute is a trade association representing every aspect of the natural stone industry. The current membership exceeds 2,000 members in over 50 nations. The association offers a wide array of technical and training resources, professional development opportunities, regulatory advocacy, and networking events. Two prominent publications—the Dimension Stone Design Manual and Building Stone Magazine—raise awareness within the natural stone industry and in the design community for best practices and uses of natural stone. Learn more at www.naturalstoneinstitute.org.