NCMCA 2021 Recognition Night

Words: Margaret Foster

On Thursday evening (November 11, 2021) the Metrolina Chapter of the North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association (NCMCA) held its Annual Recognition Night dinner to honor local apprentices who have won masonry competitions over the last year.  Pictured top, left to right, Metrolina Chapter President Brandon Hartsell; North Carolina Eighth District US Congressman Richard Hudson who was on hand to help congratulate the apprentices and provided comments; Mason Saunders of Huntley Brothers Company who won the October Annual North Carolina State Fair Masonry Apprentice Skills Contest and placed second in the May 2021 NCMCA Samuel A. McGee Memorial Apprentice Skills Contest; Grant Helms of Helms Masonry, winner of the 2021 Sam McGee Memorial Contest with a rare perfect score and winner of the 2021 Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) Apprentice Challenge Skills Contest, third year, at Las Vegas in June. NCMCA President Danks Burton; and MCAA Chairman Paul Oldham flew in from Indiana for the event.

Bottom, left to right, Grant Haney of McGee Brothers Company, who finished in third place at the State Fair Contest; Christian Kluttz of Huntley Brothers Company, fourth place in the Sam McGee Contest; Bayden Huntley, Huntley Brothers Company, second place in the State Fair Contest and fifth place in the Sam McGee contest; and NCMCA Workforce Development & Training Coordinator Ryan Shaver. Cypress Brown won third place in the Sam McGee Contest but was not present for the picture.  

The apprentices and their families were hosted for a Low Country Boil dinner prepared by Chef and Journeyman Mason Jerry Talley and sponsored by Huntley Brothers Company, the Metrolina Chapter, and The Farmstead Wedding Venue in Mount Pleasant.  The event included special recognition of Veterans Day. Check out all the photos by clicking here. 

When Schedules Tighten, Experience Shows
May 2026

In construction, schedules rarely open up; they tighten. Weather delays, trade coordination, and last-minute scope changes all add pressure, even on jobs that were planned down to the minute. When that happens, experienced masons don’t start cutting corne

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.

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

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