Despite the name Monument Builders of North America, our organization is truly becoming an international association, with an increasing number of members hailing from such far-flung places as Italy, Germany, China, and India.

Our sole member from the Republic of South Africa is Hawley Marble & Granite works, a third-generation firm located in Primrose, Germiston, a few miles southeast of Johannesburg - the financial "heart" of South Africa - in the northeastern part of the country. As a long-standing member of the local community (the firm has been in business since 1948, and one of Collen Hawley's ancestors lays a fair claim to being the first of the 1820 settlers to set foot ashore at Algoa Bay) Hawley Marble & Granite has been involved in numerous community works that have brought them publicity both locally and nationally. As a result, Hawley Marble & Granite this year received an Aspire Award Honorable Mention. Asked how monument business in South Africa differs from its counterpart in North America, Collen Hawley answers, "We tend to supply more fully polished monuments than companies in the U.S.A. Because of the high cost of production and the ever-diminishing supply of monument masons and letter cutters, we seldom supply rustic finishes and hard-carved letters. And the inscriptions submitted are generally longer than those found in the U.S. The range of incised decoration is still in seldom seen on normal monuments.

While cremation poses a "threat" to the monument industry in the States, it is less a problem in South Africa. "Our largest market comes from the black community," says Hawley. Cremation is an alien concept to most black Africans, who generally celebrate funerals with the same fevor they celebrate a wedding. There is an enormous respect for the dead and, among certain cultures, a belief that family members will be cursed if they fail to provide a decent burial for their loved ones.

Although involved in numerous high-profile projects over the years, Hawley's entry in the most recent Aspire Awards competion included three items that swayed the judge's favor.

The first among them was the creation of a special granite plaque that would be placed atop Mount Kilimanjaro by two climbers, Elaine and Dudley Murphy. A free-standing peak, Kilimanjaro rises 5,895 meters (approx. 17,500 feet) above sea level, the highest point on the African continent. Requiring a six-day hike to reach the top, weigh t was definitely a factor. As a result, the granite plaque, which bore a lengthy inscription, was cut to a mere 1/2-inch thickness. With a Hawley-created plaque atop Kilimanjaro, and another Hawley monument located on Africa's shore, Collen is proud to have examples of his company's work at both the highest and lowest points on the continent.

Second project by Hawley also generated a good deal of publicity for the firm. "The Pretoria Jewish community decided to establish a new complex in one of the local suburbs. We enjoy the support of this community for decades and offered to assist with the fixing of the original foundation stones and historical plaques. In addition, we have clad one of the facades at the main entrance with natural stone and incorporated the new foundation stone."

At no cost to the congregation, Hawley undertook the re-laying of the old Corner and Foundation stones, as well as providing approximately 90 plaques for the Memorial Garden. Hawley also supplied, engraved, and erected the new synagogue foundation stone, along with the Rabbi Sidney Katz Beit Midrash plaque. Aside from generating an immense amount of goodwill among the local Jewish community, Hawley was praised in an article in the Pretoria Jewish Chronicle.

Adopting an idea of some other MBNA members, Hawley Marble & Granite instituted a program of its own. "A nation's history is recorded in its monuments, " says Collen, and he challenged local Grade 7 students to write a 500 word essay on the historical significance of Germiston's Cemeteries. Hawley offered R1000 cash prize to the winning school.

The above are just a some of the programs and projects Hawley was involved with in 2001; the company has a long list of prior achievements. In the early 1990's the firm took on a massive restoration project, rehabilitating the cemetery of Boer War concentration camp victims in Vereeniging. This cemetery contained the graves of over 200 concentration camp detainees, many of them children, most of the women died from cholera and other diseases associated with camp life. Restoring the graves and monuments many of them made of sandstone and in sad disrepair was a huge task, requiring many new plinths to be cut and installed. Hawley also erected a new monument inscribed with all the names of those who died during the war years of 1899-1902.

Complicating the task was the new architect's intention to make repairs using brick, mortar, and concrete. After many meetings that saw Collen armed with examples published in MB News, Hawley finally managed to convince the architect to switch to hard natural stone for the plinths of existing monuments, as well as the new memorial. For this, Hawley Marble & Granite received MBNA's 1995 Aspire Award.

Another major accomplishment for Hawley Marble & Granite was the design and erection of a major memorial for victims of the S.S Mendi disaster. In February, 1917, the Mendi was on its way to France, carrying 805 black and 22 white South African volunteer soldiers. Colliding with another ship in heavy fog, the Mendi sank within twenty minutes, taking nearly all aboard to the bottom. Unveiled in 1995, the dedication ceremony was attended by both Queen Elizabeth II and President Nelson Mandela.

Hawley Marble & Granite embraces new technology. "It has always been our goal to be pro-active, and not re-active," explains Collen. "With the introduction of new technology almost continuously we have sought to keep apace with the industry." As he points out, cutting the more than\ 10,000 letters needed for the Mendi memorial took a little over two weeks using computer technology. "I'm my father's day, that job would have taken more than six months." And advanced technology is not the only are a where Hawley strives to keep up. "New designs, letter styles, various coloured granites, and specifically personalised designs form part of our future strategy. In recent years we have developed an export market for our granite to many countries, and it is in this sphere that much of our future planning is focused."

Collen Hawley also proudly bears the MBNA certified Memorialist designation. "It was one of the proudest days in my business life to receive a letter from the MBNA advising me I had succeeded in passing the examination for Memorial Certification.

Undoubtedly, it has increased the trust and confidence of our clients. 'This person knows what he's talking about,' has often been the comment. One's horizons have been increased by the exposure to other monument\ builders and their methods of particularly with MBNA marketing and customer relations." Collen Hawley is married to Jean, who serves the company as administration and financial manager. A son, Gregory, a surveyor, lives in England and from there helps the company with its export market.

Daughter Tracey is employed at Hawleys as office assistant. Four grandchildren live in England. Collen is avid sports fan who played soccer for 20 years, part of that time as a professional. Dogs are another major factor in his life. He is a life member of the Chow Club of South Africa, and is certified to judge Chow-Chow dogs. As with most MBNA members, Collen is constantly challenged finding time to attend to business, family, church and community manners and still find time for a little relaxation. "It remains a challenge, with daily adjustments necessary." he explains.

Hawley Tombstones, a third generation family business situated in Primrose, Germiston, has once again made monumental history.

The business, started by the late Collen Hawley Snr in 1948, has grown considerably over the years and today is one of the most trusted and reliable monumental masonry companies in the country. "Recently our company achieved a new milestone, when we were commissioned to manufacture and install a granite tombstone for the father of the one of the directors of Congo Airlines," said Collen Hawley Jnr. "What was unique about this commission was that, firstly, a portrait of the deceased was etched into the granite by an artist," explained Hawley.

"The finished tombstone was then transported by air to Kinshasha, where our erector, personally supervised the installation of the tombstone in the cemetery for the unveiling." This is not, however, the first time the award-winning company has made history in the tombstone business. In April, 1993, Hawley Tombstones was commissioned by the SA National Monuments Council to restore and preserve the country's national monuments erected for British and Boer soldiers who died during 1899 through to 1902.

In 1994 the company, competing against 1 200 other companies worldwide, was presented with the certificate of achievement by the National Monument Builders of North America - the biggest stone association in the world. Hawley Tombstones manufactures the SS Mendi monument in the Avalon Cemetery in Soweto - erected in the honour of 805 black and 22 white soldiers who died when SS Mendi sank on February 21, 1917. This monument was unveiled by former President Nelson Mandela and Queen Elizabeth II on March 24, 1995.

In addition, Hawley Tombstones was also part of a select team which upgraded the Hector Petersen Memorial last year, and another well-deserved award came their way for the outstanding work the company carried out on the Pretoria Jewish Community Centre in 2001. There is even a small engraved piece of Hawley granite on top of Mount Kilimanjaro - placed atop Africa's highest free standing peak by two intrepid climbers in 2001. Hawley Tombstones has a website listing its achievements and with photographs of its work, which marks gives not only in Africa, but also in Ireland, the United Kingdom, United States, Asia and Israel.

A founder member of the International Monument Federation and Master Masons of South Africa, the company is also a member of the American and British monument associations.