Mankato Kasota Stone, Inc. Awarded with Grande Pinnacle Award for Fortaleza Hall and Commons Building Project — 12 Other Awards Presented

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Marble Institute of America
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, OH, January 31, 2011 — The Marble Institute of America presented 13 Pinnacle Awards during its annual Awards Luncheon, held during StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas 2011 in Las Vegas, NV. The Pinnacle Awards competition is sponsored by MAPEI and honor the best stone projects from around the world. Awards are presented to those projects whose beauty, ingenuity and craftsmanship exemplify professional mastery in the use of natural stone. This year's winners included the first ever Special Pinnacle Award of Merit for Sustainability and the 3rd annual Grande Pinnacle Award, sponsored by Marmomacc.

Fortaleza Hall and Commons Building project, submitted by MIA member Mankato Kasota Stone, Inc., was honored with both the Commercial Exterior Award of Excellence and the Grande Pinnacle Award. The Grande Pinnacle Award, sponsored by Marmomacc, was presented to Nancy Gulliford and Steve Hewitt of Mankato Kasota Stone. Located on the SC Johnson Global headquarters in Racine, WI, the project created companion buildings: Fortaleza Hall and the Commons, which gives the campus a new social heart. The SC Johnson Family built Fortaleza Hall and the Commons as a tribute to their late leader, Sam Johnson and his father, H.F. Johnson, Jr.

A panel of four judges said the Fortaleza Hall and Commons Project was "elegantly and beautifully crafted" with "excellent use of radial cut stone". The radial walls and warm stone give this project a rich look worthy of the 2010 Grande Pinnacle Award.

For their masterfully completed project, Mankato Kasota Stone received the magnificently crafted Grande Pinnacle Award, designed by Tobia Scarpa of Venice, Italy. In addition to the award, Mankato Kasota Stone received an all-expense paid trip to Marmomacc 2011 in Verona, Italy.

The overall Pinnacle Awards competition honors projects that demonstrate exceptional beauty, creativity, ingenuity and craftsmanship in the use of granite, marble, travertine, limestone and other natural stones.

The 2010 Pinnacle Award winners are:

• Commercial Interior Award of Excellence was presented to TexaStone Quarries of Garden City, TX for the Tesoro Headquarters in San Antonio, TX.
   
• Residential Interior/Exterior Award of Excellence was presented to Stones and Roses International Co. Ltd. of Samutprakam, Thailand for Villa Mayavee in Phuket, Thailand.
   
• Renovation/Restoration Awards of Excellence were presented to four MIA member companies and worked jointly on one project: KEPCO+ of Salt Lake City, UT; Valders Stone & Marble, Inc. of Valders, WI; Vytek Laser Systems of Fitchburg, MA; and Decoro Art Stone of West Jordan, UT for the O.C. Tanner Flagship Jewelry Store in Salt Lake City, Utah.
   
• Commercial Exterior Award of Merit was presented to Las Vegas Rock, Inc. of Jean, NV for the MGM City Center Aria in Las Vegas, NV.
   
• Commercial Exterior Award of Merit was presented to TexaStone Quarries of Garden City, TX for Cedar Hill Government Center in Cedar Hill, TX.
   
• Commercial Exterior Award of Merit was presented to SMG Stone Company, Inc. of Sun Valley, CA for the LA Live Hotel and Residences in Los Angeles, CA.
   
• Commercial Interior Award of Merit was presented to SMG Stone Company, Inc. of Sun Valley, CA for the LA Live Hotel and Residences in Los Angeles, CA.
   
• Commercial Interior Award of Merit was presented to Stones and Roses International Co, Ltd. of Samutprakam, Thailand for the Sotus International Head Office in Bangkok, Thailand.
   
• Renovation/Restoration Award of Merit was presented to Rugo Stone of Lorton, VA for the Dominican House — Saint Thomas Chapel in Washington, DC.
   
• Residential Interior/Exterior Award of Merit was presented to Stones and Roses International Co. Ltd. of Samutprakam, Thailand for the Krungthep Kreetha Residence in Bangkok, Thailand.
   
• A Special Pinnacle Award of Merit for Craftsmanship was presented to Carnevale & Lohr, Inc. of Bell Gardens, CA for Millard Sheets Mural Restoration Chase Bank in Rolling Hills, CA.
   
• A Special Pinnacle Award of Merit for Sustainability was presented to Architectural Granite & Marble of Austin, TX for Pioneer Courage Park in Omaha, NE.
   

The following served as judges for the Pinnacle Awards competition: Christian R. Pongratz of Pongratz Perbellini Architects, Verona, Italy; John Cook, FAIA of HGA Architects and Engineers, Minneapolis, MN; Edward Farr of Edward Farr Architects, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN; and Guido Gliori, Grazzini Brothers & Company, Eagan, MN and MIA immediate past president.

To view the 2010 Pinnacle Awards brochure, which depicts the winning entries, or to see the actual awards presentation, please go to: http://www.marble-institute.com/awards.

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.