FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
World of Concrete 2026 Registration Is Open ↗

Overwhelming Instructor Support

Words: Dan Kamys
/Public/News/20080410084700-1.jpg" width="300" height="200" border="0" alt="Adam Coffey is every instructor's dream as a masonry student.">
Adam Coffey is every instructor's dream as a masonry student.
Lee Porter, a masonry instructor at C.E. McCormick ATC in Alexandria, Ky., knows a talented masonry student when he sees one. Porter saw a good student in Adam Coffey, and he supports recognition for this up-and-coming mason.

"I'd like to see my student, Adam Coffey, honored in your magazine for the hard work and dedication he has demonstrated," Porter says.

A senior at Pendleton County High School, Coffey participates in football and basketball and is completing his second year at C.E. McCormick ATC. He began his technical schooling in the auto body program, but quickly transferred into masonry.

"Early in the program, I was impressed by how easily Adam picked up the requisite skills," Porter says. "In his first competition, he placed third in our local SkillsUSA competition. That seemed to inspire him to work even harder. He told me he was going to win the regional SkillsUSA competition, and he did."

Porter says Coffee continued to practice and push himself. When he won the Kentucky State SkillsUSA competition, he earned a trip to Kansas City, Mo., where he earned 11th place in the National SkillsUSA Masonry Contest.

"Adam is a very gifted young mason, and I'm proud to have had the opportunity to instruct him," says Porter. "Adam says he's going back to Kansas City; I have no doubt about that. He says he can win the competition this year. I'll say this: I truly believe he has an excellent chance of it."

Porter says Coffey has always strived to be the best he can be and that he will make an excellent contribution to the masonry industry. The future looks bright for our nation's masonry students.
 0
From Day One to Long-Term Success: Onboarding Strategies for Contractors
January 2026

The construction industry is facing one of its toughest challenges in decades. Companies are struggling to find enough skilled workers while competing to keep the ones they have. At the same time, projects are becoming more complex, deadlines are tighter,

Matt Dibara
Business Management
Read More
Finding the Right PPE for Your Work
January 2026

When it comes to PPE, one thing’s for sure: safety isn’t one size fits all. The work you’re doing, where you’re doing it, and even what time of year it is, can all make a big difference in what gear actually works. Price, comfort, and job performance all

Greg Brown
Safety Library
Read More
Back Injuries: The Real Cost and How to Prevent Them
January 2026

The mention of back injuries makes mason contractors cringe, and for good reason. Masons lift heavy objects every day, all day long. When a person sustains a back injury, it is serious. It affects every part of their life, from their ability to perform wo

Zach Everett
Safety Library
Read More
Detailing for Durability: The 2026 Guide to High-Performance Stone Veneer Transitions
January 2026

Some of the most expensive failures involving manufactured stone veneer installations don’t come from the stone at all, but rather from the material transitions and flashing around it. Transitions are weak points in the overall cladding where water can fi

Jeff Tew
Technical Talks
Read More