FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
2026 Midyear Meeting Registration is OPEN ↗

Severson Named Marble Institute’s ‘Craftsman of the Year’

Words: Helen Bouchard
/Public/News/20091220080000-1.jpg" width="300" height="200" border="0" alt="Randy Severson has been chosen as the very first MIA Natural Stone Craftsman of the Year.">
Randy Severson has been chosen as the very first MIA Natural Stone Craftsman of the Year.
Randy Severson, general superintendent of Carrara Marble Company of City of Industry in California, has been chosen as the very first MIA Natural Stone Craftsman of the Year; a competition introduced by the Marble Institute of America (MIA) in 2009.

A six member panel of stone industry veterans selected Severson from a pool of nominees in a competition sponsored by two leading industry suppliers, Laticrete and Campolonghi Italia. The award, a beautifully crafted and unique plaque, was presented at the MIA Annual Awards Luncheon at StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas in Las Vegas, October 23, 2009.

Severson joined Carrara Marble Company nearly three decades ago as a driver but quickly advanced to serving as an apprentice. Three years after that became a journeyman and he eventually became foreman and primary supervisor of the California Plaza project, a 55-story building in downtown Los Angeles. Six years later he was unanimously chosen to succeed Carrara’s retiring general superintendent, and he has now been involved in major projects in California, Nevada and across the country.

“Randy Severson epitomizes everything you could ask for in an employee and particularly in the stone business,” said Jim Hogan, senior vice president of Carrara Marble Company, who nominated Severson and for whom the award winner works directly.

Severson admits he got hooked on the stone business early in his career. “What I liked about it is that at the end of the day, you can feel like you’ve put in a hard day’s work and then you can step back and see what you’ve actually created,” he said.

Severson is also passionate about helping young people in the industry so they have the knowledge and expertise to become the next generation of top craftsmen. “It’s very important that my journeymen, foremen, and I take time to teach the young guys the proper way to install material,” he commented.

A devoted baseball fan, along with his wife, Debbie and three children, Severson beams as he describes how he correlates his job with the game of baseball. “I have coached my sons in baseball since they were Peewee. I put together my team here at Carrara Marble just like it. I have some utility guys. I have some guys who have some pop. I have some guys who have finesse. All of those guys are gamers, which is why when I get into a meeting that has an intense schedule, at no time do I think we can’t make it happen because I’ve got the best team behind me. I have a world championship team.”

The Natural Stone Craftsman of the Year Award will be an annual MIA competition to honor the men and women who truly reflect the best of the natural stone industry and bring stone to life through love of the material, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.
 0
The Mason’s Mark: Defining the Craft Through the Trowel
May 2026

Walk onto any job site, from a custom residential chimney to a sprawling commercial block wall, and you will hear it before you see it: the distinctive ring of high-carbon steel striking masonry. The trowel is more than just a mortar scoop; it is the cond

Mark Maleski
Technical Talks
Read More
Registration Now Open for the 2026 MCAA Midyear Meeting in San Antonio, Texas
May 2026

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is thrilled to announce that registration is now open for the highly anticipated 2026 MCAA Midyear Meeting, set to take place in San Antonio, Texas. This exciting event is scheduled from September 13th-1

Industry News
Read More
Case Study: The Revere Condominiums at River Oaks
May 2026

The Revere is a boutique condominium located in the River Oaks area of Houston. The nine-story development offers 33 residences with refined amenities for those looking for luxury living near the downtown area.

Kevin Camarata
Case Study
Read More
URGENT: Only One Cornerstone Spot Remains in the 2026 Masonry Alliance Program
May 2026

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is thrilled to announce that the 2026 Masonry Alliance Program (MAP) has reached a critical stage of exclusivity.

MAP Partner
Read More