Leo Dellacroce was one of eleven brothers and sisters, born in the Bronx, New York in 1913. An intelligent, spirited and mischievous boy, Leo often caused trouble in school. With eleven siblings in the family, there were many mouths to feed and resources like clothing and food were in short supply, so Leo dropped out of school in the fifth grade and went to work selling newspapers and performing odd jobs. Throughout his youth and early adulthood, he held numerous jobs including mechanic, fruit-cart vendor, professional boxer and stone mason (5th generation).

In 1940, Leo married Adele Troina, a 21 year old woman from Harlem, New York. Adele was orphaned at the young age of fourteen and worked in a curtain factory helping to support her brother and five sisters. Leo and Adele started their life together in New York. They had two children, Anita and Joseph. Aggressive and motivated, Leo searched for opportunity.

In 1948, Leo started Connecticut Stone Supplies with $100 that he borrowed from his sister-in-law. He used the money for a down-payment on 2 & 1/4 acres of farmland property on the Boston Post Road in Orange, CT. Initially, the property was not for sale, but the owner, a wealthy man, liked Leo's ambition and recognized his determination. He allowed Leo to pay interest only on the property loan until the business began to turn a profit.

In the late forties, the concept of a "stone company" was somewhat unrealistic. The market for stone was undeveloped and the Company was slow to grow. The public was unfamiliar with the natural complexities of stone, including variation in color, size and thickness. Natural stone is heavy, difficult to move and hard to install. When the Company began, the product was not formally displayed and customers could not visualize a finished product from piles of raw material in the yard. Leo quickly learned that the only way to sell the product was to install it.

An innovative, determined risk-taker, Leo was the classic entrepreneurial founder. He built an enterprise from nothing and worked hard to ensure its survival.

In 1967, Leo's son Joe graduated from Quinnipiac College and entered the Company full-time, taking over as President in 1975. Joe worked diligently to improve production techniques, strengthen the customer base, improve financial stability and expand distribution nationally. Under Joe s leadership and with the dedication and support of his loving wife Kelly, Connecticut Stone grew to a widely respected, national stone manufacturer. Joe and Kelly are now joined in the business by their three children, Lance, Tyra and Brie. The Connecticut Stone family is further completed by a staff of loyal, dedicated employees.

Joe continues to support and encourage the growth and development of the building stone industry. In 2002, Joe served his industry as President of the Building Stone Institute, a globally recognized trade association, and continues to support the organization's vision today.

The face of the stone industry slows for no one as it evolves and reinvents itself. Consequently, we diligently attempt to work with the changes, rather than against them. Our goal is not only to be successful in this industry, but to excel in it. Therefore, we refuse to simply stand by tried and true methods. Rather, we resolve that no method is perfect, no system absolute. We constantly evaluate our policies, procedures, and methods in order to unveil more effective, more efficient, and more productive ways to meet the challenges of our industry and the demands of our clientele. As an organization looking with pride upon our history and excitement towards our future, we are pleased in knowing that we have yet to perfect our methods and take pride in our quest for excellence.