When it comes to a family business, the line between personal loyalty and business responsibility can be razor-thin. The hardest decisions rarely happen in boardrooms. They usually unfold in the middle of real life, around a kitchen table, or over a drink

As we turn the page to May, the school year is rapidly approaching its final chapter. Last month, Conner Birdsong highlighted the incredible momentum building across the Southern Region as spring expos, state-level SkillsUSA competitions, and graduation p

This month, the MCAA got to talk with Mason Paolini, a mason who has a clear passion and talent for the trade he has such high praise for. Read about Mason’s story and why he sees a future in this industry. Mason Paolini’s career began with a simple desi

Spring is one of my favorite times of year. There’s energy in the air. Jobs are picking up. Crews are hitting their rhythm. Schedules are filling up. You can feel momentum building again. And every year around this time, I find myself thinking about con

The MCAA thanks everyone who bid in this year’s online auction. With hundreds of bids on over 140 items, this year’s auction turned out to be our largest ever! We also want to thank all of our amazing donors who put items up for auction. Without all of

Westminster Abbey is undergoing long-awaited repairs to its roof, and experts involved in the work say they have discovered hidden secrets along the way. For the masonry industry, the story is less about what's up top and more about what sits beneath it.

How Today’s Systems Strengthen Traditional Masonry In masonry, longevity has always been the true measure of craftsmanship. Any wall can look impressive the day it’s finished, but the real test comes years later, after the first freeze-thaw cycle, after t

A Designboom feature spotlights a community center set in a Paris park, described as a monolithic brick building that is cut through by a glazed facade.

Vermont officials are asking Vermonters for feedback as the state weighs the high cost of restoring the Bennington Battle Monument. The discussion is a reminder that preserving landmark structures often depends on clear scope, realistic budgets, and quali

Saint-Joseph church in Brussels’ European Quarter has regained its splendour, according to The Brussels Times. Stories like this point to steady demand for skilled restoration work on older, masonry-heavy buildings.

A restored Catholic church in New York has received an architectural preservation award, according to CatholicVote.org. The recognition highlights how restoration work can keep long-serving community buildings in use for decades to come.

Tod’s Group says it has completed a restoration of Palazzo Marino in Milan. The announcement is a reminder that high-profile building conservation often depends on specialized trade work, including

Bricklaying students were given insight into construction work at Roe Wood Park, according to BDC Magazine. Stories like this matter for the masonry trade because jobsite exposure helps connect training to how work really gets planned, sequenced, and insp

Urban Milwaukee’s "Why Cream City Brick Matters" makes the case that one building material can carry a city’s identity. The story tracks how Cream City brick connects Milwaukee’s past to its present, and why that connection still shows up in the way peopl

Archaeologists have identified a brick kiln tied to the work that supplied Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, which included enslaved and free workers.

Students from Phoenix High School are putting their skills to the test in a state masonry contest, with a chance to advance to a national competition. For mason contractors, it is a clear signal that hands-on training programs are still building real jobs