2003 Fastest Trowel Competition

Words: Dan Kamys
/Public/News/3172003930-1.jpg" width="166" height="275" border="1">
At left, the first place winner was Rex Allen, Cunningham Masonry, FL.
One of the highlights of the final day of the Masonry Showcase on March 15th was the Fastest Trowel on the Block competition. Sponsored by Spec Mix, thirteen competitors from different parts of the country competed for the honor and a first prize of $5,000, as well as other prizes.

From the opening horn to the close after 20 minutes of furious activity, each trowel man, with a two-person support crew, worked to lay as many concrete blocks as possible.

Speed was not the only criteria when it came to judging the results of their efforts. A team of judges examined each 24-foot wall to ensure that the wall met the right standards in six exacting categories.

The first place prize was awarded to Rex Allen, Cunningham Masonry, Fla. He was ably supported by Kenneth Eiland and Charles Harris.

Second place and $2,500 went to Pascal Robertson, Pascal Robertson Masonry, Fla., and third place and $1,000 to Glen Houghton Sr., Houghton Masonry, Iowa.

In overall charge of the competition were co-chairmen, Steven Fechino, WASCO, Inc. and Harry McGraw, Lucia, Inc.

The following companies made generous donations of materials and prizes:

Crick Levels - the levels used in the competition, as well as the prize levels for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
MultiQuip - two mortar mixers.
OmniQuip Textron - forklift use.
Red Brookshire of Florida - competition materials.
RMC Ewell Inc. - concrete blocks.
Spec Mix - mortar.

For further information contact Colin Faul, MCAA Director of Professional Development, at (800) 536-2225 or cfaul@masoncontractors.com.

About: Convention
PPE That Workers Actually Wear: Building Buy-In Through Education and Smart Selection
August 2026

In masonry construction, personal protective equipment (PPE) is often the last line of defense between a worker and an injury. Yet despite its importance, PPE compliance remains one of the most common challenges on jobsites across the country. The realit

Zero Laydown: Navigating the Logistics of Tight Urban Job Sites
August 2026

In modern commercial construction, spatial real estate has become just as valuable as the materials themselves. The industry shift toward high-density, urban projects means that the sprawling job sites of the past have been replaced by tight footprints wh

Why "The Software Can't Track That" Is Finally Going Away
August 2026

For as long as specialty contractors have used field software, most of them have kept a workaround somewhere: a spreadsheet on a foreman's laptop, a whiteboard in the trailer, or a text thread where crew leads send block counts at the end of the day becau

Monadnock Building
August 2026

Chicago’s Monadnock Building doesn’t dominate the skyline the way it once did. Surrounded by steel-and-glass towers, the dark brick structure can seem almost understated. But for anyone in the masonry industry, it remains one of the most important buildin