A Tribute to Industry Veteran David Fell, B.G. Hoadley Quarries

The natural stone industry is saddened by the recent death of David Fell, president of B.G. Hoadley Quarries, who died on August 4, 2021, in Bloomington, IN, at the age of 59. David successfully led a multigenerational limestone business for over 35 years.

If it were ever true that a person had stone dust in their blood, it would be the Fell family. After completing a degree in marketing at Louisiana State University (LSU) in 1983, David returned to Bloomington to work alongside his brother, Chip, sister, Laura, and his mother, who picked up the mantel of B.G. Hoadley in 1977 after the passing of David’s father, Bert. Chip left Bloomington to pursue his own career in finance and Laura married and relocated to Chicago.  David took the helm, eventually seeing his own children, Lauren and Garrett, join as the sixth generation in the family business.

Always looking to improve the natural stone industry, David served on the Board of Directors for both the Indiana Limestone Institute (ILI) and the Allied Stone Industries (ASI). He was also an active member of the Natural Stone Institute (NSI). Through his involvement with these groups, he developed many strong professional and personal relationships. All three organizations have lost a great champion.

In January 2020, David was honored to accompany his mother, Patsy Fell-Barker, to StonExpo/Marmomac in Las Vegas, NV, where she was recognized with the 2020 Women in Stone Pioneer Award.

Always willing to engage in meaningful conversation, David recently met with the NSI & ILI leaders at his facility to discuss industry initiatives and how to advance the industry he loved so much. “David always greeted you with a smile and was one of the most genuine people you could meet. His passion for the stone industry and the people he worked with was ingrained in him,” said Todd Schnatzmeyer of ILI. “He also had one of the best smiles in the industry!”

“You just felt at home with him, and he was open to discussing any topic that would improve the industry,” said Jim Hieb of the Natural Stone Institute.

Above all, David treasured his family, friends and animals. He never missed an opportunity to engage with his family at an LSU football game, “Geaux Tigers!” He also enjoyed spending time golfing, equestrian riding, hunting and fishing with them. David doted on his grandchildren and lit up at their giggles. He somehow found quality time for his life-long friends and enjoyed many trips with his industry friends through numerous ASI travel events.

You could often hear him say in a conversation, “We just need to do what’s right!” There’s no doubt he accomplished that mission time after time.

He will be missed!

Continental Cut Stone Earns Natural Stone Sustainability Standard Certification

OBERLIN, OH -- Continental Cut Stone in Florence, TX, has earned certification to the Natural Stone Sustainability Standard (NSC/ANSI 373). The company has achieved Gold status for their quarry, which extracts Cordova Cream and Cordova Shell limestone, and Silver status for their fabrication facility, which processes limestone from raw blocks of stone into usable building materials.

“It has been a goal of mine to get our companies certified for a number of years,” said Rob Teel, president of Continental Cut Stone. “I have been involved with the Natural Stone Council since its inception and believe that stone has a great story to tell. We are proud of our staff, especially Kristin Cannon, for working through the process with the help of Tom Cleveland. Our hope is that others will continue to follow suit and get certified.”

The Natural Stone Sustainability Standard was first published in 2014 by the Natural Stone Council. Ownership of the standard transferred to the Natural Stone Institute in early 2021, marking a significant opportunity to raise awareness about the standard within the design community and helping to position natural stone as a solution for green building goals.

Quarriers and natural stone fabricators can look to this multi-attribute industry standard to identify ways to improve sustainability efforts in their operations. Through NSF’s third-party verification, companies can certify their compliance to the standard’s metrics, which include human health and safety, corporate governance and environmental responsibility. By defining best practices for land reclamation, adaptive reuse and management of excess materials and waste, the standard ensures that natural stone companies are being good stewards of the land.

New Opening of Antolini MilanDuomo Stoneroom

MILAN, ITALY -- Last month, in the center of Milan, marked the opening of the first Antolini Stoneroom -- a new, unique space where the absolute protagonist is natural stone; narrated through the vision and experience of the Verona-based company, a leader in the selection, processing and distribution of a wide exclusive range of natural materials.

The magnificent facility enters the spotlight during the Fuorisalone 2021, the moment in which the capital city of Lombardy, a worldwide design hub, becomes an international showcase for the non-plus ultra of interior design, product design, innovation and creativity.

Antolini takes part in this extraordinary moment by opening the doors of its own hub, entirely focused on the universe of natural stone: a universe in which stone marks the phases of evolution of the locus mundi, and also the world in which architects, designers and curious visitors from around the world are invited to discover the infinite charm of natural stone in all its versions and applications, many of which are still unfamiliar to the general public.

A unique location between Piazza Fontana and Via San Clemente, a historic crossroads in the city center, where eight display windows catch the eye, stimulating curiosity and capturing the gaze to lure passers-by into an emotional, timeless journey that builds and expands upon entrance.

Antolini MilanoDuomo Stoneroom is a place of cultural value, expressing the desire of the Antolini family to narrate the exclusive, unique character of natural materials, through a narrative that starts with the material and continues in the design. The co-author of this tale is the interior designer Alessandro La Spada, whose extraordinary expertise and vision have produced a forceful, original context in every square meter of the total of 600 set aside for the display area.  

Antolini and Alessandro La Spada, applying the immediacy of a precise visual and tactile, emotional and experiential language, communicate clearly the identity and values of the brand – tradition, innovation and the pursuit of beauty – confirming the Verona-based company’s unrivaled role as an ambassador in the sector of natural facing materials.

Architectural elements, layouts, displays and an effective retail concept reflect Antolini’s leadership in best practices, both in Italy and worldwide: the use of innovative and sustainable industrial processes, research and development of avant-garde technologies, including many patents, fine craftsmanship, a tradition of selection and crafting of natural stones, and the ongoing pursuit of beauty.

The new Antolini MilanoDuomo Stoneroom is the gathering place for counterparts who recognize and seek the excellence made in Italy, signature design and the expertise of a company with a remarkable tradition that looks to the future, thanks to a dynamic approach and daring innovations which are applied to the materials provided by nature.

Starting with the panoply of choice among 1,300 natural materials available and in stock, Antolini MilanoDuomo presents professionals and clients with over 5,000 samples in exclusive formats, confirming the company’s mission of combining knowledge and discovery, creativity and exceptional design.

Visitors to the Antolini Stoneroom can admire stones from the Exclusive Collection, Textures+, the Natura Collection, the Precioustone, Gemstone, Shellstone, Perception and Couture series.