Happy holidays

Words: John Smith Jr.

The MCAA staff is extremely busy this time of year Jeff and Tim are spending a lot of time preparing for the World of Masonry in January.

We have shortened the conference by one day. We did this as a result of the survey last year. We have a lot of seminars and events for the three days. Take a look at the information and register. We added an additional hotel in a modest price range to encourage you to bring a larger group to the convention. We offer a lot of seminars that would help your staff and company in the next year.

As far as Masonry in the country, most companies are reporting continuing growth. Profits are still slim but the opportunities are growing. We continue to address Manpower issues with NCCER as we have seen area’s that are starting to have difficulty finding qualified craftsmen. We just hired a new staff person Terry Ruppel to begin our initiative to work hand in hand with the high schools, career centers and community colleges in the states of KY and TN. He will work to encourage high school programs in the trades and become their liaison and sponsor with NCCER so they can credential their students. Credentialing their students will give them the ability to track their training and show competence on both the written and performance side.

We are also working heavily on the silica issue. Our coalitions busy evaluating the new rule and I can assure you from what we have initially discovered of the rule, it will dramatically change the masonry job-site and create a new burden on mason contractors with paper work and new liability exposure. We are hopeful that we can get changes made to the rule. The proposed PEL of .50 is not a practical or feasible limit we can meet. Our studies have showed that wet cutting can’ get consistently below .8-.9. Look for more information on our website on this issue we need all mason contractors to work together to try to get changes made to this rule. It will make compliance with the rule extremely costly and quite complicated.

Please enjoy your Holiday and make time to register for the convention.

Midyear - A Well-Earned Reward
August 2025

As managers or owners involved in the masonry industry, there are of course some perks that land on your plate. Such as a lot of extended workhours, calls, texts, and emails on weeknights or on weekends. The stresses, anxieties, pressures, and responsib

GEN NXT: Ashley Harris
August 2025

This month, the MCAA had the chance to talk with Ashley Harris from Washington, a mason who is determined by doubters and her ability to prove people wrong. Read about her story and why she chose masonry over any other trade. Ashley found her calling in

Masonry in the Media: Amber Palace, Brandenburg Gate, & More
August 2025

The impressive masonry structures around the world make up the scenery in each of these films as they can transport the audience to the past or demonstrate the strength of timeless masonry to the viewer at home. Each structure adds to the stories they are

Outreach Outlook: Back to School and Building Stronger Together
August 2025

As the summer winds down and we turn the page toward a new academic year, I hope everyone had an opportunity to rest, recharge, and reconnect with family and friends. These quiet moments help us return to our work with a renewed sense of purpose and energ