Working for you

Chairman’s Message

By John J. Smith, Jr.

The last two months have been a very busy time for the MCAA officers and staff. Besides meeting to review and analyze the January convention, we are in full planning mode for next year.

Hopefully, when you read this article, you are on your way to Washington, D.C., for the Legislative Conference. There is much to accomplish in the effort to take back our businesses, and we need everyone’s help and best efforts. We plan on meeting with numerous Congressmen and Congresswomen while in Washington. We have plans to meet with OSHA and with the Bricklayer and Labor unions.

Right now, we are in the middle of a PAC and PEC fundraising program. Your Regional VP is setting up opportunities for all of you to become involved with your Congressman. These dollars are needed, especially this year, to support our Congressmen who are looking out for your businesses and personal lives. These funds are most important right now, and can do a great deal of good. If you have any ideas or comments, please contact our legislative chairpersons Paul Oldham and Beverly McCauley.

The last two months have been a very busy time for the MCAA officers and staff.

Our TEAM awards program has been moved to the MCAA Mid-year Meeting in Utah in September. The event looks to be a premier event. Masonry has so many wonderful products and capabilities, and we hope to be seeing your best work and projects representing incredible architectural structures.

In March, your officers met with SPEC MIX in Chicago to discuss our activities together at the Bricklayer 500 and Fastest Trowel activities. There are many more plans being made to make this a premiere event in Las Vegas during the World of Concrete/World of Masonry show in February 2013. Look for opportunities for sponsorship and personal involvement as well.

Another great opportunity I would like you to be aware of is the MCAA Certification program. I personally continue to train and qualify my company for recertification in the MCAA certificate program. It has been three years since initially qualifying, and it has produced many opportunities for my company, besides elevating my company personnel to the next level. This program ensures that our supervisors are educated at a high level. Their education, in addition to the owners’ education, is most crucial to a successful masonry business, and the larger image of the masonry industry as a whole. I would like each of you to look into the program. The MCAA is a great source of educational opportunities, and our staff makes the effort easy and accessible.

Finally, I would like to reach out to all of those who currently are not members of the MCAA. Right now, we are in the middle of a membership drive. If you are not a member, please join today as not to miss out on the many benefits to belonging. MCAA meets about three times per year, at the Legislative Conference, Mid-year Meeting and the Annual Convention in Las Vegas during World of Concrete/World of Masonry. In listening to members requests, we are scheduling networking time at these three meetings. How valuable is it to sit down with another contractor of your size or larger, who is not a competitor, and share daily activities and problems?

As complex as the masonry business is, the day-to-day activities are the same for everyone. Everyone has issues, and together we can network and learn how other contractors handle these same issues for better solutions. Look for more published information on this in the upcoming communications. In addition to the above benefits, a number of committees are meeting and working on activities that will assist your business as well. We encourage you to join MCAA, and to get involved with one of these committees to make a difference in your industry.