The Marble Institute
of America (MIA) has bestowed Terry O’Neill (Columbia Marble Co., Pittsburgh,
PA) with its 2009 Migliore Award for Lifetime Achievement.
“Throughout the MIA’s 65-year history, there have been a handful of times
when one could look back and say, there would be no MIA today if someone hadn’t
committed critical time and energy to the association and the industry,”
commented Gary Distelhorst, MIA’s executive vp. “During the mid-1990’s, the
Marble Institute of America was struggling financially with a meager bank
balance, and deeply in debt when Terry O’Neill stepped up to provide
outstanding and brave leadership during some very trying times. His leadership
was evident first and foremost in restoring the financial underpinning of the
association.”
Described “as the right man at the right time” in the history of MIA,
O’Neill served as vice president and president of the MIA during from 1995 to
1996. He
also helped negotiate a merger
of MIA’s Annual Convention and StonExpo. O’Neill
credits his success on the fact that Columbia Marble Company was a “mom and
pop” business where “hands-on” experience was vital in handling virtually any
problems.
O’Neill received the award at MIA’s Annual Awards Luncheon at the
recently held StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas in Las Vegas. The Migliore Award for
Lifetime Achievement is named for the late Vincent Migliore, long-time
technical director and the first winner of the award.