Apprentices’ Skills On Display During MASONRY MADNESS Words: Mason ContractorsThe eighteenth annual Masonry Skills Challenge, held January 18, 2017 during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas, showed off the best apprentices our industry has to offer. The Masonry Skills Challenge is a competition of masonry apprentices in first, second and third year skill levels. The contest is a showcase for skills training in the masonry industry, challenging winning apprentices from regional U.S. and foreign competitions to determine the top masonry apprentice at each level. This exciting competition spotlights our industry’s finest young masons and focuses attention on careers in the masonry industry. Each contestant was presented with a project drawing appropriate to their skill level just moments before the competition began. Contestants only had three hours to construct the project based on the materials provided. The final projects looked great; the apprentices should be very proud of their three hours of hard work. The judges were impressed with the quality of the apprentices’ construction, and had the tough decision of choosing the winners. The top-placing contestants for each skill level were: Joseph Blanton, 2017 Masonry Skills Challenge First Year winner. First Year Apprentices First Place Joseph Blanton WASCO, Inc. Knoxville, Tenn. Second Place Victor Walls Hummel Industries Cincinnati Third Place Ramon Vargas G & G Enterprises Glendale, Ariz. Luis Marquez, 2017 Masonry Skills Challenge Second Year winner. Second Year Apprentices First Place Luis Marquez Huntley Brothers Co. Inc. Mint Hill, N.C. Second Place Austin McEwen Adams Masonry, Inc. Chattanooga, Tenn. Third Place Travis Buda Leidal & Hart Mason Contractors, Inc. Livonia, Mich. David McWilliams, 2017 Masonry Skills Challenge Third Year winner. Third Year Apprentices First Place David McWilliams Kusler Masonry Carnegie, Pa. Second Place Chris Dubief R & R Masonry, Inc. North Hollywood, Calif. Third Place Ben Grzegorczyk Baker Construction Whitmore Lake, Mich. All winners received trophies, cash prizes, Marshalltown Company tool bags, and concrete calculators from Calculated Industries. First place winners also received engraved trowels from Marshalltown Company. All contestants received a level from competition sponsor Stabila, a GROUT GRUNT masonry scoop, a safety kit from Beeline Purchasing, and additional prizes. The Mason Contractors Association of America would like to thank the judges from across the country for donating their time and expertise: Curtis Hoover, Anne Arundle County Public Schools; Stevensville, Md. Tony Bishop, Australian Brick and Blocklaying Training Foundation; Brendale, Qld., Australia Calvin Brodie, Brodie Contractors, Inc.; Raleigh, N.C. James Brylowski, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 2 Michigan; Otsego, Mich. David Eastham, Lurvey Supply; Volo, Ill. Michael Ellsworth, Schiffer Mason Contractors; Holt, Mich. Dan Flores, BAC 4 IN/KY Apprenticeship; Granger, Ind. Brandon Hartsell, Gates Construction Company, Inc.; Mooresville, N.C. James "Hoss" Hoskinson , Lang Masonry & Restoration Contractors; Waterford, Ohio John Jacob, J. Construction Co. Inc.; Cleves, Ohio Eugene Johnson, Lake Marion High School/Technology Center; Santee, S.C. Dan Kwiatkowski, Kwiatkowski Masonry, Inc.; Crown Point, Ind. David Leon, Masonry Consultants; Naples, Fla. David Malone, Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1 MN ND; New Hope, Minn. Joseph Romesburg, Bon Tool Co.; Gibsonia, Pa. Richard Skaife, JH Findorff, MATC, BPA; Windsor, Wisc. Brian Smith, John J. Smith Masonry Co.; St. Louis, Mo. David Unger, Dee Brown, Inc.; Garland, Texas Tom Vacala, Restore Masonry, LLC; Des Plaines, Ill. Milton Young; Eutaw, Ala. The MCAA would also like to thank the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC), the International Masonry Institute (IMI), the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), and Stabila for sponsoring the MCAA’s Masonry Skills Challenge, and give a special thank you to the sponsors and service/material donors for their contributions including: Competition Sponsors International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) International Masonry Institute (IMI) Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Stabila Contributors AZ Best Block The Belden Brick Company GATORBACK, Inc. QUIKRETE SPEC MIX, Inc. Prize Donations Beeline Purchasing Calculated Industries, Inc. EZ Twig GROUT GRUNT JagClamp Marshalltown Company SPEC MIX, Inc. Stabila MCAA Strategic Partners Amerimix Echelon EZG Manufacturing Federated Insurance Fraco Products, Ltd. Hohmann and Barnard, Inc. Hydro Mobile iQ Power Tools Kennison Forest Products, Inc. Mortar Net Solutions Non-Stop Scaffolding Pullman Ermator SPEC MIX, Inc. Stabila Trademen’s Software, Inc. About the MCAA’s Masonry Skills Challenge The Masonry Skills Challenge 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. This exciting competition highlights our industry’s finest young masons and focuses attention on careers in the masonry industry. The 2018 MCAA Masonry Skills Challenge will be held Wednesday, January 24, 2018 during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas. For more information about the competition, please visit www.masonryskillschallenge.com.
