Meet Amee Quiriconi
Amee Quiriconi is the inventor of Squak Mountain Stone and the founder of Tiger Mountain Innovations. Amee’s inspiration for TMI was sparked in 2003 during a master’s degree assignment about creating healthy, local economies. The challenge for Amee was to create a theoretical product that would strengthen local economies, provide a social benefit to communities and be eco-friendly. Though Amee had submitted the master’s paper and received her degree, she continued to think about how she could make this concept work. So she set out with some lofty, but attainable objectives that became the basis for her product and company philosophy.
In Amee’s Own Words:
“Starting my company wasn’t just about making a product that had some recycled stuff in it. It was about building a business that would be able to leverage its success to not only create a better environmental state for us all but also be a means to help people as well. I don’t think it makes sense that we can care so passionately about recycling our trash and yet be willing to throw people away and not give them second chances. So we think about where we get our raw ingredients, like getting our paper from AtWork! and I’ve even taken some risks on hiring some of my employees who other companies overlook due to criminal backgrounds. I believe that in the right environment, doing the right work, a young man with a troubled past can really change his future for the better. I’m not just inspired every day to make beautiful countertops from seemingly useless materials but I actually hope when all is said and done, my company made a difference for at least one person who has worked for me.”
Ameé continued to grow her business, moving from her garage in early 2004 to the first of several industrial shops in Woodinville, Washington. Squak Mountain Stone continued to grow in its use and recognition, being mentioned consistently in national publications as one of the top “green” countertops in the country and Ameé was being recognized as a forward-thinker in product design as well as an innovator in business development.
In November of 2008, Ameé was approached by a Seattle-based company that had spent the last year and a half developing an alternative slab material and had set-up a top of the line facility, ready for full-scale production. It was found that the new partners shared many ideas with Ameé ranging from the futures they saw for their respective companies to a deep dedication to being a part of a values-driven company with products and services that match mutual commitments of environmental and social responsibility. The new partners had a well developed product and a production facility ready for the next step and Ameé had demonstrated her ability to grow a product from a “garage idea” to market over the last 5 years. It was decided that the two companies would combine and Ameé would continue to preside over the new venture, which also decided to keep the Tiger Mountain Innovations name.
Squak Mountain Stone and Trinity are both manufactured in the Seattle neighborhood of Georgetown and can be found in showrooms and installations around the United States and Canada.
If you are inspired by the women being profiled this month, then make sure you attend FEMnominal Women in Business on Saturday, October 30th in Chandler, AZ.
Cool Counters 