FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
2026 Midyear Meeting 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
Five Truths About Final Brick Cleandown
May 2026

Not all truths are self-evident. Sometimes they’re easy to forget or clouded with misunderstanding. The good news is these truths of final cleandown are not hard to implement on your next project to ensure successfully cleaned and beautiful new brick.

Jake Boyer
MAP Partner
Read More
Shelf Angles and Their Impact on Wall Performance
May 2026

Shelf angles have long been a standard component in masonry construction. Installed at the slab edge, they provide support for brick veneer and are often treated as a routine detail. However, as building performance requirements evolve, particularly aroun

Erica Oliveraz
MAP Partner
Read More
The Mason’s Mark: Defining the Craft Through the Trowel
May 2026

Walk onto any job site, from a custom residential chimney to a sprawling commercial block wall, and you will hear it before you see it: the distinctive ring of high-carbon steel striking masonry. The trowel is more than just a mortar scoop; it is the cond

Mark Maleski
Technical Talks
Read More
Registration Now Open for the 2026 MCAA Midyear Meeting in San Antonio, Texas
May 2026

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is thrilled to announce that registration is now open for the highly anticipated 2026 MCAA Midyear Meeting, set to take place in San Antonio, Texas. This exciting event is scheduled from September 13th-1

Industry News
Read More