Masonry Magazine July 2001 Page. 10
from the editor
PROVOKING THOUGHT - AS YOUR ASSOCIATION, AS YOUR MAGAZINE
In the "President's Message" appearing on page 6 of this month's issue of MASONRY, Richard M. Johnston referred to MCAA's upcoming Masonry Showcase in Phoenix as THE CHOICE of shows, namely, "where the industry will be meeting". I'd like to elaborate on that fact and say further in my letter to you, that not only does the MCAA throw a tremendous effort into making the Masonry Showcase the place "where the industry meets", the place where mason contractors, local masonry associations and industry suppliers come together to network, to share information and ideas and to learn from one another. We, the MCAA, as your association, strive to stand behind that philosophy of being the place "where the industry meets" in everything we do, in every activity we conduct, everyday...right down to your magazine MASONRY Magazine.
If you look up the word "association" or "associate" in any dictionary or thesaurus, you'll find words and phrases such as "link together in some conceptual relationship", "join in partnership", and "unite", to name a few. I heard the most appropriate definition to the word "assocation" at MCAA's Long-Term Strategic Planning Meeting, which was facilitated by Tecker Consultants last July: Association (a group of people who voluntarily come together to solve common problems, meet common needs and accomplish common goals). We, as an association, recognize the common problems facing the industry today, and as a magazine, we strive to produce material that is thought-provoking and inspiring, with the common goal being to challenge the industry to solve these problems, to be innovative, and ultimately, to do more.
Every month we've been excited to receive phone calls from readers that compliment various articles in MASONRY. First of all, it's rewarding to know that you're actually reading each issue. Secondly, its exciting to know that even the most involved and established mason contractors are getting something from the features in MASONRY.
Since MASONRY Magazine is a product of the Mason Contractors Association of America, our magazine is not driven by decisions from investors or the pressures of having to make a huge profit. Instead, the officers of the association are driven by educating and informing the masonry industry on important issues and challenges that we collectively face as an industry. Rather than being a profit center for investors, we are free to publish articles that challenge the industry and mobilize us to action. During the MCAA's Long-Term Strategic Planning Meeting, our Board began the process of looking long-term to the future of our industry. What issues and challenges will the masonry industry be faced with, and how will we deal with them effectively? Our Board began the process of "what if"? What if we can get the entire masonry industry all pulling together in one direction, acting in the best, long-term interests of the industry? What if we could get contractors, suppliers and manufacturers supporting our efforts to recruit our industry's workforce, develop masonry-friendly building codes and make masonry the dominant building material? What if we had an information outlet to talk to the 15,000 mason contracting firms in the U.S? So they turned to your association's MASONRY Magazine as one vehicle for change and to unify the masonry industry.
Our magazine has slowly begun the transformation toward becoming both informative and thought-provoking, challenging mason contractors to become more competitive, professional and quality-conscious; prodding them to become activists in changing the masonry industry into a cohesive industry, working together for a more profitable future. Free of the burden of satisfying shareholders, I am happy to be a part of an association and a magazine that publishes articles to inspire our industry and make us proud to be in the masonry industry.
happitshell
Debra J. Mitchell, Editor-in-Chief
10 MASONRY JULY, 2001