Broken Tile Not Obsolete

Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. originated in the fall of 1992 when owner Jan Leong decided that she was ready for a change from Walt Disney Imagineering, where she had worked for four and half years in the project management group. Leong knew that owning her own small business was going to be huge change, but she was willing to take the risk of leaving big business for an entrepreneurial experience where she could make a difference.

Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. produces a large amount of broken tile. However, the broken tile did not go to the landfill, thanks to a fortunate connection. It all began when instructors at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) requested that Leong's company conduct an open house for FIDM's interior design students. The students visited the ceramic tile showroom as part of a course entitled "Materials." The instructors teaching this course were also affiliated with another industry-related organization to which Leong also belonged.

The students toured other showrooms such as paint stores, drapery stores, and other potential "material" stores that they would one day need to visit in their professional interior design careers. The instructor was impressed with Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. and put in a kind word to the student liaison of FIDM.

FIDM's student liaison then contacted Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc., asking if Leong would speak at their careers expo event. Held every other year, this turned out to be a great opportunity for Leong to reach out to the community of future interior design students. In the audience was FIDM's interiors librarian, who asked about additional partnership opportunities for Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. and FIDM. Leong offered her old, new, and extra samples of tile and stone. The FIDM librarian offered to have staff pick up the samples whenever they were available.

The expo was a success, with Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. eventually hosting the event three times.

FIDM's students generally use the tiles for their materials boards. Mounted on canvas boards, the students use these samples for presentations and student projects. These samples are usually placed in FIDM's library, which is organized by sample colors and sizes. When Leong visited the library in 2002, she was overwhelmed at the library’s capacity to house the tile samples.

The FIDM librarian informed Leong that each time new batches of samples arrive from Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc., the students eagerly take them. Sometimes the alumni can return to the FIDM library and use the samples for professional presentations for their prospective clients. The FIDM institution has used a great many tiles from Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc., which truly makes the company happy.

The excess and unusable tiles from Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. are also donated to local junior high schools and elementary schools for reuse. The company has connected with several local area schools, mostly by word-of-mouth. Schools and other organizations generally use the tiles for education through art.

Leong belongs to a local chapter of the Junior League, which has a national chapter she recently learned has received her donated tiles. The local chapter focuses on children's education. Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. has contributed tiles for functional or artistic use to the local Junior League chapter.

In the past, Leong has coordinated a field trip where odd lots from Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. were made into magnets commemorating the field trip theme (Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach). Leong has also provided tiles for the Junior League when they need them for their community center and their headquarters.

Whenever Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. has tile samples, they often mount them in framed plaques to create pieces of art. The company has also donated these tile plaques for the Junior League’s annual fundraising events. The nicely-mounted tile plaques are then featured as art objects in the Junior League’s silent auctions.

Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. calls FIDM about four to six times a year for tile sample pickups. Each time, FIDM completely fills its pickup truck with samples. The junior high and elementary schools come only when they need a specific color or size.

As a whole, Leong says Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. has always focused on how the company can reuse materials. This philosophy has been an integral part of her Asian heritage, since both her parents believed in conserving. Leong is also excited about reusing some of the company's tile displays. Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. will invest money to acquire a tile manufacturer’s tile samples and display. Sometimes the line is discontinued or the manufacturer goes out of business. The company then converts the display to hold another line or creates its own mix of tiles to place on the display so that the investment is not wasted. Since the old samples are donated, their commercial trash bin usually remains quite empty!

Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc. is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The showroom is closed Sundays and all major holidays.

Monterey Ceramic Tile & Marble, Inc.
3130 North Del Mar Avenue
Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 288-8693, Ext.10
info@montereyceramictile.com
www.MontereyCeramicTile.com

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Last updated: February 27, 2008