Dennis Rude

Founder

Expert in: Entrepreneurship, restoration best practices, substrate testing, masonry preservation, green masonry restoration and preservation products, stone cutting, recreational hunting.

Dennis Rude’s drive to improve the masonry restoration industry led him to found Cathedral Stone® in 1982. Through his extensive European travels and study under Heinz Jahn in Holland, Dennis has more than paid his dues. He has investigated centuries-old buildings, learned how to properly restore them, and single handedly brought this proven-process to the United States, making Cathedral Stone the exclusive North and South American manufacturer and distributor of the Jahn Restoration Mortars system.

Armed with his experiences in Europe, Dennis knew that only proven European techniques would stand the test of time and the elements in North America. With no other company operating in this capacity, Dennis knew he was on to something. He founded Cathedral Stone with the mission of pioneering a better method for restoring masonry—a method that would result in longer-term efficacy, higher cost savings, and fewer problems for building owners.

Today, his Cathedral Stone Products is widely respected among the North American historic and built industries for making a difference in how masonry restoration is performed. Dennis attributes his success to identifying the right process, products, people, and partners to get the job done.

As president/CEO, Dennis continually strives for Cathedral Stone to manufacture and distribute masonry restoration products that are safe for the environment and the people using them. Most recently, he led the development of Cathedral Stone’s 100% VOC-free water repellent.

Before founding Cathedral Stone, Dennis was the superintendent of Washington National Cathedral’s stone plant. Prior to that, he was a stonecutter at the cathedral and received the prestigious Washington Building Congress Award for excellence in craftsmanship for his stone cutting tracery on two of the cathedral’s windows.

Dennis completed his apprenticeship at the Stonecutters and Carvers Association of North America. He proudly spent four years in the U.S. Navy, including a tour in Vietnam.

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