February 2026
James Durham embodies the true spirit of the American self-made man: starting from nothing in Wisconsin, rolling up his sleeves in his early twenties, he built one of the most prestigious companies in the United States, Quarra Stone Company.
For over 30 years, the company—based in Madison, Wisconsin—has specialized in the processing of natural stone into architectural artworks and sculptures, collaborating with architects, designers, and artists on highly prestigious projects. Among its notable achievements is the supply of materials for the new JPMorgan Chase headquarters in New York.
In 2024, Durham acquired the historic artistic workshop of Franco Cervietti, located just outside Pietrasanta, Tuscany, thus launching a new chapter in the town’s artisanal tradition. The company is also preparing to join the Consorzio Cosmave as a member.
We meet him at the Consortium’s headquarters to retrace his story, which is deeply connected to natural stone. With a degree in chemistry, he developed a passion for stone from a very young age.
When did your journey in the industry begin?
“During my college years, I found a summer job to pay for my studies at a warehouse that sold stone slabs and also handled polishing and sawing. That’s how I learned the trade—first in Washington, D.C., and then in Chicago.
I came across a small publication from the American stone industry titled Who’s Who in the Stone Business. I wrote to all the companies in Chicago looking for a job in the field. Joe Gennara, who owned a crushed limestone quarry, replied. I was only 22 years old, with little experience, but they entrusted me with managing the company.
I started at six in the morning and produced 12 tons a day. In a short time, the company began generating significant revenue. I was then also assigned the Madison market, where there was demand for bricks, concrete blocks, cement, and anchoring systems.”
How did the idea of founding Quarra Stone Company in 1989 come about?
“I preferred marble over concrete—I was interested in learning the craft side of the trade. In 1989, I founded Quarra Stone Company to focus exclusively on cut architectural stone—‘cut to size,’ as we say in the U.S.—especially limestone.”
What were the main challenges in the early years of the company? The 1980s were the boom years for granite.
“Granite really took off in the U.S. around 1980, with the construction of the AT&T Building in New York by Philip Johnson. Companies like Savema and Castellucci were pioneers, using 5 cm slabs, while we worked with limestone and granite at 10 cm thickness.
At that time, fewer than ten companies in North America were able to polish granite. In 1985, American companies filed a dumping lawsuit against Italian and Spanish companies but lost, because Italy had the technology to work stone in thinner slabs and offered a wider variety of colors.”
When did the company reach a turning point, and how did it evolve in the market?
James Durham, born in 1979 in Madison, Wisconsin, has been the owner of Quarra Stone Company LLC since 1989. He has been appointed as an expert in natural stone for proceedings in U.S. courts. In 2024, he acquired the historic Cervietti Workshop in Pietrasanta (LU). In 2026, the company is expected to join the Consorzio Cosmave.
