FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
The 2026 MCAA Annual Online Auction ↗

Follega named 2014 Natural Stone Craftsman of the Year

Words: Helen BouchardStefano Follega of Grazzini Brothers & Co. in Egan, Minn. was recently named the 2014 Natural Stone Craftsman of the Year. The Marble Institute of America (MIA) award honors excellence in craftsmanship. Follega received the award at the MIA’s annual awards luncheon at StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas in Las Vegas.

Follega, a native of Rome, Italy, learned the craft from his father and uncle. He also worked with top architects and designers in historic Rome, home to some of the world’s most beautiful architecture. He credits his first teachers–his father, uncle, and prominent architects–for his work ethic and simple philosophy: ask questions, be respectful, and always be ready to do the job. He also admits he’s a perfectionist with a fervent passion for stone. “I like seeing a piece of stone, a rock or something change,” he said. “I always envision the finished product before I start.”

When he and his wife, Cara, moved to her native Minnesota to raise their family, Follega brought his old-world, artisan craftsmanship with him. In two-weeks-time, Follega was working at Grazzini Brothers, one of America’s leading stone companies. “Stefano walked into our office and spoke about 10 words of English,” recalls Guido Gliori, chief operations officer at Grazzini Brothers. “He showed up with his interpreter, who happened to be his wife. You knew immediately that he was a good man. He had the credentials... The rest is history.”

His work with the Lakewood Mausoleum Project in Minneapolis earned the Grazzini Brothers the 2012 MIA Grande Pinnacle Award. “No project is beyond Stefano’s ability,” said Eugene Grazzini Jr., chairman of the board at Grazzini Brothers. “His layout, his attention to detail and his creativity are superb. We are proud to have him as part of our team.”
 0
Outreach Outlook: Springing into Action – The Season of Growth
March 2026

There is a distinct shift in the air when March arrives. You can feel it on the job sites, and you can certainly feel it in the classrooms. As the winter chill begins to lift and the days are a little longer, the construction industry naturally wakes up f

Robert Melgaard
Outreach Outlook
Read More
Chairman's Message: Laying the First Brick - A Fresh Start
March 2026

As we head into a new year, I’m excited and, honestly, grateful to step into the role of Chairman of the Mason Contractors Association of America. This industry has been good to my family, and I see this role as a chance to give back and help move things

Kent Huntley
Chairman’s Message
Read More
GEN NXT: 2026 Skills Challenge Winners
March 2026

After another successful year of the Skills Challenge, the MCAA had the opportunity to speak with the three 1st Place winners of each skill level. Get to know their journeys, motivations, and the mindsets they have in order to compete in a national compet

Justin Stengel
GEN NXT
Read More
2026 World of Concrete Recap
March 2026

The 2026 World of Concrete Convention marked another successful year for masonry. From the world-renowned Skills Challenge and Fastest Trowel on the Block competitions to the new innovative GEORGE AI class, we gained a lot of ground in pushing this indust

Justin Stengel
Industry News
Read More