Gerardo Patlan Named Fastest Trowel 2020

Patlan Defends 2019 Title, Wins Three of Four Past Competitions

By Dan Kamys

Algonquin, Il., February 10, 2020 — The annual MCAA Fastest Trowel on the Block competition, held February 5, 2020 during MASONRY MADNESS® and the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete in Las Vegas, drew a record crowd to see the fastest twenty minutes in masonry and who would win the $8,000 grand prize.

The contest pits journeyman masons, accompanied by their favorite tender, against one another in a show of speed to build a sellable wall. Each contestant’s goal was to complete as much of a 30-foot long wall as possible, using 8”x8”x16” CMU and the provided mortar in a twenty-minute heat. Contestants were also judged on craftsmanship, and use of normal masonry practices and hand tools.

Each mason worked quickly to build a quality wall, while the crowd cheered them on throughout the twenty-minute heat. After the judges completed their scoring using the MCAA’s new scoring app with Sonim XP8 smartphones running the MCAA Perks Program’s Sprint network, the results were announced.

Gerardo Patlan, this year’s winner, has previously won the 2017 and 2019 contests, making him a winner for three out of the past four years. 2020’s victory marks his second consecutive win.

TOP 3 FINISHERS
FIRST PLACE: Gerardo Patlan (Block Count: 136)
Adams Fence LLC
Phoenix, AZ
Tender: Roberto Patlan

SECOND PLACE: Noe Martinez (Block Count: 125)
Sargon Masonry Construction
Phoenix, AZ
Tender: Heriberto Mendoza

THIRD PLACE: Roberto Cimental (Block Count: 141)
Arizona State Masonry
Phoenix, AZ
Tender: Saul Escarcega

SPONSORS

The MCAA would also like to thank SPEC MIX, LLC and the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) for sponsoring the MCAA’s Fastest Trowel on the Block competition, and give a special thank you to the sponsors and service/material donors for their contributions including:

CONTRIBUTORS

AZ Best Block

GATORBACK, Inc.
QUIKRETE
SPEC MIX, LLC

PRIZES PROVIDED BY

Beeline Purchasing, LLC
GATORBACK, Inc.
GROUT GRUNT
Iron Age Footwear
Keson/SOLA
Marshalltown Company

SPEC MIX, LLC

About The MCAA’s Fastest Trowel on the Block: The MCAA’s Fastest Trowel on the Block is hosted annually by the MCAA as part of MASONRY MADNESS® during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas. The competition is a showcase of industry craftsmanship and a testament of both the speed and skill of our industry’s workforce.