A rapid response to a growing need in the construction business resulted in the creation of Master Marble Inc. (MMI). 1n 1987, Leland Huffman, a partner in a cabinet business, discovered that the delivery of molded, cultured marble vanity tops often held up the timely completion of his jobs. He took the important entrepreneurial step that would launch this highly successful family-run company—designing and creating his own product. 

At the time Leland was making this decision, his son Jeff was a student at Central Missouri State University (CMSU) in Warrensburg, Missouri. His father’s new company would make a perfect product development study for one of Jeff’s university courses, enabling the young college student to bring his real-life experience to the classroom.

Beginning with two molds and a mixer in a rented building in Holden, Missouri, Leland and Jeff were the entire workforce. One by one, they took an order, made the vanity top, delivered it, installed it, and returned to the workshop to begin the process all over again.

1989 proved to be a pivotal year for the young company. When a fire destroyed the building, Leland contemplated giving up the business to focus on his existing cabinet making operation. Jeff wanted to continue with MMI. Leland agreed under one condition—that Jeff run the company.

First relocating to a temporary site in Pleasant Hill, MMI then purchased and moved to its current location in Holden.

Delivering a quality product was important to the Huffmans, who took time to research and study other cultured marble operations. There was a lot to learn about the processes and formulas in creating a durable synthetic marble that could conform to many shapes and configurations. Father and son learned by trial and error, but one thing became evident—it was vital to begin with the best in materials.

Rick Huffman, the younger of the Huffman brothers, joined the company full time in 1991, after graduating with a degree in aviation from CMSU.  He became the director of quality assurance and supervises the installation crews that deliver and install every product sold by Master Marble, ranging from spa tubs to vanity tops to shower installations.

The slow, steady growth of MMI has been carefully planned to insure that quality is not compromised. The company has expanded outward from the greater Kansas City area to include the booming Lake of the Ozarks region. Solid business relationships with area contractors and developers have led to the expansion of the product line and the addition of more staff.

New home and condominium construction is a large segment of MMI’s client base. When one of MMI’s contractor customers had a special request, the Holden company was the one to call. Kevin Green Homes of Parkville, Missouri, had been tapped by ABC-TV executives to rebuild a home on Extreme Makeover–Home Edition. A deserving firefighter with several children needed a new home—which meant new bathrooms—and MMI donated the materials and man-hours to help get the job done.

All three Huffmans agree that a major factor contributing to the success of MMI is their workforce. Many of the employees have been witness to the growth of the company, and strive to meet the overarching goal of MMI—the satisfied customer.