Nominated by Robert Shoebridge, Marketing Manager

Having grown up around her father Rob’s natural stone business, Ellie had hands on experience of the stone trade from a young age. She eventually headed up the sales arm of the business and developed long and fruitful relationships with swimming pool builders, designers, trades and end customers, thanks to her extensive knowledge of stone, fabrication, and sourcing. Ellie consistently seeks to increase her own knowledge and disseminate her expertise through CPDs, advisory consultations and open days for trades. Whether Stoneworld is working with a new stone or a design brief that requires devising a new manufacturing construction, Ellie will head her team at Stoneworld to ensure that innovative solutions are identified. Her commitment was recognised last year when she was presented with a ‘30 Under 30’ ProLandscaper Award. Ellie is a member of Women in Natural Stone, promoting more women to join and actively participate in the stone industry. Aged 25, her commitment to self-improvement through books and attending leadership courses is commendable.

Nominated by Rebecca Smith, Sales Manager

From the age of eight Jasper knew he wanted to work in the family business of D Zambelis. At the age of 21, while studying at university, he managed the project to design and build the company stand at the Natural Stone Show 2019 and still went on to achieve a first with honours. Six months after leaving university, the Covid pandemic started and Jasper, never shying from a challenge, helped create and manage strong marketing campaigns to maintain contact with customers and keep tooling and machinery sales flowing steadily. He designed the colour-coded rebranding of the D Zambelis saw blades to make it easier for customers to choose the blade they need. He has developed the website, online store and mailing campaigns, based on customer feedback and market trends. At the age of 25, Jasper is hardworking, passionate and dedicated.

Nominated by Stewart Cunningham, Contracts Director

Matthew started with Cunningham Stone Contracts in 2018 as a 30-year-old apprentice having previously completed a degree in Zoology and spent some time working in a Zoo. During a year travelling in Vietnam and central Asia, teaching English as he went, he developed a love for stonemasonry. On his return to the UK he approached Cunningham Stone and asked if they would take him on as an apprentice. He was interviewed, and it was clear he had a desire to learn and develop as a mason and an attitude that would enable him to fit well into the company. Since then he has worked on several large contracts involving restoration and new masonry work in London, Belfast, Oxford and Cambridge. His eagerness to learn and grow has led him to obtaining NVQs at Level 3 and Level 4 in Heritage Masonry and Heritage Banker Masonry in his own time.

Nominated by Paul Sambrook, Depot Manager

Aiden has worked in the stone industry for 13 years working for stone wholesaler Brachot supplying the manufacturing industry. Through his dedication to his work he has developed an overwhelming understanding of stone, building up a reputation of knowledge, understanding and helpfulness and passing on his skills and knowledge of the industry to new recruits, co-workers and customers throughout his career. Aiden is an inspiration for others to aspire to.

Nominated by John Rushworth, Managing Director 

Having gained a Degree in Conservation at Riga Building College in Latvia in 2013, Arturs moved to the UK to expand his practical conservation knowledge. As English is not his first language, he has worked doubly hard, rising rapidly through the ranks of the business, gaining praise, admiration and respect from professional teams. Arturs started as a labour-only sub-contractor for Restore London in 2015. His talent and professionalism quickly became evident and he was promoted to Site Management, Project Management and now to Associate Director. Projects which have benefited from Arturs’ input include The Drapers’ Hall, The Royal Academy and, most recently, the hugely significant refurbishment, restoration and cleaning works of the Grade I listed National Portrait Gallery. Last year Arturs was part of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Heritage Delegation to Malta that was researching conservation in the context of climate change. A team player who takes individual responsibility when needed, Arturs has sought ever greater responsibility and thrives on challenges.

Nominated by Joanna Davila, Director

Kirsty joined Rockford as a temporary worker in the warehouse. She had no background in the stone industry but showed interest in the factory and machinery and began helping on the saw. Within weeks she had mastered the use of the GMM CNC bridge saw and became the main sawyer, showing great dedication and commitment to her role. She has to be reminded to take her annual leave and is a perfectionist with attention to detail that has helped our company solidify its reputation for high quality work. Her training continues so that she can also work the CNC workstation. Apart from being a female in a male driven industry, Kirsty has always shown exceptional enthusiasm for her work.

Nominated by Mark Walden, Principal Designer

Steve joined Szerelmey in 2019 as a Design Technician, having come from a background on the tools. He studied NVQ Levels 2 and 3 in Banker Masonry at Bath College and achieved his Diploma Level 2 and 3 in Stonemasonry and Construction. Before joining Szerelmey, Steve gained considerable experience working as a banker mason, eventually moving into the production office and taking on a managerial role. From there he moved to the drawing office, gaining experience as a technical draftsman, and moved to Szerelmey as a Design Technician. High profile projects he has worked on with Szerelmey include One Bishopsgate Plaza, Lucent, Natural History Museum and National Gallery. Steve’s hands-on knowledge of stone is invaluable, giving him a depth of understanding of the material that is so important. Lately Steve won the prestigious Master Journeyman Craftsman Certificate Award, having been nominated for it by The Worshipful Company of Masons. It was presented to him by the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Nicholas Lyons.

Nominated by Steve Murphy, Managing Director

Stevie was heavily involved in planning the installation of four robots at Planet Granite’s facility near Coventry when he was 15 and still at School. Now, two years on, he has just turned 17 and is on an apprenticeship scheme at Planet Granite, where he has already, through his own initiative and largely single handedly, learnt all of the software for 3D CAD, scanning , machining, simulation software and G-code, understanding all the intricacies of the robot systems through sheer determination and with little help other than Google and YouTube. He has thrown himself into the whole project and is now running it so he can pass his knowledge on to the rest of the team. He can crate 3D high-definition scans or replicate by 3D CAD virtually any object, including sculptures, on the robots. These are the skills of the next generation in the stone industry.

Nominated by Chris Hairsine, Managing Director.

Sam, still in his early 30s, started working as a 15-year-old at J W Smith's Masonry in York. He took his City & Guilds in Stone Masonry and BTEC HNC at Leeds College of Building. Having worked for Yorkshire-based Stone Connection for several years he, along with his uncle Chris Hairsine, decided to start his own business, Belgravia Stone, in 2013 and has developed a highly regarded, fully digital fabrication unit in York. He has been instrumental in the development within a decade of a thriving company that has even greater prospects.

Nominated by Dave Cranfield, Managing Director

As Co-Director of Athena Stonecare, Becca is the driving force behind the expansion of the Company. Joining her husband and then the only employee of Athena Stonecare in 2018, she has overseen the growth of the Company to become a four-person business with an increase in turnover of 300%. She has achieved this by building partnerships with stone suppliers and implementing a digital marketing strategy, while also transforming the systems and processes internally to support the company development. Recognising a reluctance of some to use natural stone and observing an abundance of misinformation on stone maintenance, she has sought to change the narrative on the use of stone surfaces, creating a name for the company as a leading voice on stone maintenance. She is also helping other women to succeed in the stone industry as co-Chair of Women in Natural Stone.

Nominated by Callum Plews, Training Manager at Historic Environment Scotland

Luke is a fully qualified stonemason who has continued to demonstrate his personal and professional development by committing to Historic Environment Scotland’s Emerging Leaders Programme, which aims to develop the leaders of the future. He has proven himself to be a highly accomplished craftsperson by gaining a Gold Medal in the SkillBuild UK national finals last year. It was the second time Luke had qualified for the finals, having previously competed in Birmingham in 2019, the same year he was awarded Apprentice of the Year by staff at the HES Skills Training Centre, Stirling. Luke faced the significant challenge of completing his Level 3 Modern Apprenticeship (with Advanced Craft) during the Covid pandemic, when almost all site work was halted. However, due to the scope and quality of works carried out at sites such as St Andrews Cathedral, Dunkeld Cathedral and Doune Castle, he successfully completed the evidence requirements of the qualification.

Nominated by Iain Kennedy, Consultant

Jason was working at Realstone in 2016 when the company went into administration. He started his own stone rainscreen company, Stone Cladding Systems (SCS), and completed Realstone’s outstanding projects. He designed his own cladding system, Aztec, and for a short period, while his new business was becoming established, took on several part-time and ad hoc jobs to survive. The first project SCS secured on its own involved building a 6m2 test panel at Vinci for CWCT testing. He drove a van to Spain to collect a sample panel and returned the next day to Scotland in time for it to be erected for the planners. Through Covid, his hands-on approach continued to reap rewards, with repeat business growing. He believes he produced the first ever Bath Basebed stone rainscreen in Bath. SCS was approached by Hilti last year and now has an OEM partnership with the ventilated façades frame manufacture. Jason now has a thriving company offering cladding in more than 25 stone types, many of them from UK quarries. He expects SCS to break through the £1million turnover barrier this year.