FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
The 2026 MCAA Annual Online Auction ↗

National apprentice contest

Words: Dan KamysWinner of the 14th annual National Apprenticeship contest held recently in St. Louis, Mo., was Ronald Pfleger, Local No. 2, Mo. Gary Hempel, Seattle, Wash. placed with with Denny Wayne Beitler, Ft. Worth, Texas, third. Fourth and fifth place winners were Thomas F. Doidge, Los Angeles, and George Dale, Newburgh, N.Y.

An estimated 211,500 persons visited this years Union Industries Exposition with the Apprentice Contest being one of the highlights of the entire show. Attentive crowds lined the walls of the Bricklayers' Exhibit with the greatest number on the third and final night of the competition.

At the annual Apprenticeship Banquet preceding the contest MCAA officials gathered to meet the apprentices. In attendance were: James Lonie, President; Les Dietrich, Vice President; Jack Cook, and Herman May, Regional Vice Presidents; Donald Bidwell, Secretary and Frank Zoubek, Treasurer. Also attending were: Herschel Hunt, Apprentice Committee Chairman; Frank Laureys, Illinois Vice President; Richard DeWalle, Missouri Vice President; Harold W. Person and Fred Daues, MCAA Presidents; T. Walter Kirk, MCAA By-Laws Committee Chairman; George A. Miller, Executive Vice President and members of the St. Louis Chapter.
 0
Bonding with Masonry 2026: Q1
February 2026

This issue’s questions come from a Mason Contractor and an Engineer. What questions do you have? Send them to info@masonrymagazine.com, attention Technical Talk. Q. A Mason Contractor states they were asked to construct a brick veneer on a multi-story pr

David Biggs
Bonding with Masonry
Read More
No Shortcuts: The Journey of Real Stone
February 2026

Have you ever stopped and really thought about how that stone on the wall got there? I don’t mean the install...not the mortar, the scratch coat, or the clean-up. I mean the whole journey. From the first cut in the earth to the

Rob McKay
Technical Talks
Read More
Stop Gambling on the Wall: Why the Modern Jobsite Demands a Sure Thing
February 2026

If you have spent any time walking the carpeted aisles of the World of Concrete, you know the vibe. It is a sensory overload of heavy machinery, slick demos, and the collective optimism of thousands of contractors. We are in Las Vegas, the gambling capita

Shayne Sanders
Technical Talks
Read More
Helical Beaming: Strengthening Masonry from the Inside Out
February 2026

In the world of masonry restoration and retrofit, the goal is always the same: preserve the character and craftsmanship of historic structures while ensuring their long-term stability. But anyone who has worked on century-old brick or stone buildings know

Tiffany Tillema
Technical Talks
Read More