Congratulations from the European side of the Atlantic to Regis Studeny, a project manager on the American side of the Atlantic. Regis, of Rugo Stone in Lorton, VA, has been named 2015 Natural Stone Craftsman of the Year by the Marble Institute of America (MIA) and the Building Stone Institute (BSI). The award was presented to Studeny at TISE 2016, a floor covering, stone and tile event in Las Vegas.

Studeny began his career as an apprentice first with Georgia Marble then with Atlas Tile & Marble, where some of his first projects were on the Library of Congress and National Gallery of Art. He joined Rugo Stone in 1993 after nearly two decades in the stone industry.

In addition to playing a critical role in six MIA Pinnacle Award-winning projects, Studeny’s work has been honored with awards from organisations such as the International Masonry Institute, the Washington Building Congress, the Baltimore Building Congress, and the American Institute of Architects. In 2011, he was elected into the Washington Building Congress Hall of Fame.

In a letter nominating Studeny for this award, Brett Rugo, President of Rugo Stone, said: “Regis is a true marble craftsman. His stone setting skill is excellent, but what separates Regis from so many other foremen is his in-depth knowledge of each job’s stone types and their limits, and his ability to provide a constant, steady onsite leadership presence. In a day when most people are satisfied with mediocracy, Regis has stood out as a true craftsman and I cannot think of anyone more deserving [of this award] than this man...”

When accepting the award, Studeny was quick to thank his fellow workers at Rugo Stone. He said: “From really coming from nothing to where I am today, it feels good. Knowing I have done some good things, it makes a guy feel proud that you get acknowledged. Even though my name is the only one on this plaque, I couldn’t have done this alone.”

For more information on the MIA+BSI awards program, visit www.marble-institute.com/awards.