INOGOMAR, Pa. — The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) honored the winners of its annual fabrication awards at a ceremony held during ISFA’s 2024 Conference in Miami.

The association also presented its 2024 Fabricator of the Year Award to Nate Kolenski and celebrated the induction of Dr. Michael Banks into the ISFA Hall of Fame.

The ISFA Award program honors excellence in application design, fabrication and installation of projects using surfacing materials across five categories. Projects must exemplify excellence in all methods of the fabrication process, including safety, training and the use of technology.

“The ISFA Awards program is designed to create awareness and celebration around the wide array of surfacing materials used by our members and the unique applications in which they can be used” said Ted Sherritt, ISFA president. “We’re pleased to honor these exceptional fabricators and industry contributors and to showcase their amazing work within the industry.”

Winners and honorees included:

Excellence in Commercial Projects Under $100K: Gecko Solid Surface Solutions of San Antonio, Texas, for its RWE Project. This winning project was created using Corian solid surface and thermoforming of the desk facades. The project required compound radii on all corners and a 180-degree wrap around one of the custom desks. Custom colors were created to match the quartz countertops. Gecko SSS noted that fabricating the compound radii was a challenge that required a lot of trial and error and provided a great learning opportunity for all involved in the project.

Excellence in Commercial Projects Over $100K: Ellis Page of Manassas, Virginia, fabricated the Tysons Trillium Project. This senior living amenities project was comprised of multiple areas of the facility and required design refinement, fabrication, installation, and multi-trade coordination. A variety of materials were used to fully complete the project including several brands of quartz totaling more than 110 slabs used on amenity areas alone. Ellis Page shared that one challenge with the project occurred during installation. Keeping safety top of mind for the entire team, the project required lifting 70 large column parts ten feet into the air and then securing them to the wall. The team used a variety of lift equipment to safely maneuver the parts and ensure all crew on sight were safe during the process and installation.

Excellence in Residential Projects Under $20K: Alpha Granite and Tile of Austin, Texas, fabricated a Geometric Fireplace. Precision templating with consideration to existing conditions and careful fabrication were all a part of the unique work created, transported, and installed as a part of this award-winning project. The customer’s design called for very sharp corners and unusual miter angles. Using 12mm thick Caesarstone porcelain aluminous, the Alpha Granite group was able to create the desired aesthetic. This required the development of new process and testing to ensure satisfaction for all involved.

Excellence in Residential Projects Over $20K: Surface Providers of Alpharetta, Georgia, fabricated not your average countertops. The project upon completion glows with light and illuminates the full-height backsplash, mitered edges, and waterfall legs highlighting its selection as a 2024 award winner. Measured utilizing templating software and then matched with digital layout tools, this complex project was created using quartzite. Panels were custom fabricated and wired to switches which create the lighting effect seen throughout the end result. Access points were created to facilitate future maintenance on the lighting and safety was a top priority for the project at every step. Surface providers noted that the material was challenging due to density and best practices in working with quartzite.

Sustainable Project of the Year: The Countertop Factory-Midwest of Addison, Ill., created the Green Rose Dispensary Project. Working directly with the client on their vision of both sustainability and dynamic design The Countertop Factory Midwest was able to craft multiple kiosk tables and a centerpiece transaction counter. Gilasi recycled glass custom-sized slabs were produced to minimize waste and reduce material costs. The project contains intricate miter work and waterfall edges showcasing the unique, sophisticated look desired by the client. Sustainability was a cornerstone of consideration throughout the entirety of the project.

Fabricator of the Year: Nate Kolenski of Block Tops has been involved in the surface fabrication industry for more than 30 years. Kolenski and his team have built the business to where it now employs fabricators in two shops in Sacramento and Anaheim, California. He has been dedicated to technology and safety while also being profitable and efficient.

While the work of Kolenski’s shops is exemplary, his selection as Fabricator of the Year is also based upon serving as an advocate for the industry. He has invested time and resources to be the voice of the surfaces fabrication industry in California. He has spent an unparalleled amount of time sharing why he loves the industry and has tirelessly worked with regulators and lawmakers to ensure that the industry is safe and can continue to thrive. His organization continues to be a shining example of the type of shop that ISFA members aspire to be, and his work as an advocate is unparalleled.

ISFA Hall of Fame Inductee: Dr. Michael Banks has had a distinguished, decades-long career in the decorative surfaces industry, contributing both broadly and deeply to its underpinning. In his 31 years with the DuPont Corian business as a senior scientist and global codes and regulatory compliance leader, Banks developed and disseminated a science-based understanding of solid surface products, collaborated on critical and foundational global standards, and operated within the highest ethical standards, serving as an exemplar for the broader industry.

These deep wells of knowledge did not remain siloed within DuPont but rather were entered into the industry through Banks’ work on codes and standards, as well as patents in the public domain. He served as an ISFA solid surface manufacturer committee member and contributed most notably to the creation of ISFA 2-01 (2013) Classification and Standards for Solid Surfacing Material. He was a CMA (formerly ICPA) Solid Surface Standard Committee member and the DuPont representative within the Cast Polymer Association. To this day, Banks continues his support as an industry consultant though Surfacing Insights LLC.

ISFA will open submissions for the 2025 ISFA Awards in the second quarter of 2025. Learn more.