Friends in high places

Words: Jennifer MorrellAfter nearly seven years covering the masonry industry, and double that time covering real estate and development in the past, I fully understand that the industry can become a small world. I have gotten to know the movers and shakers in the masonry industry, along with countless others who touch our industry in various ways.

For instance, it’s nice to travel to Washington, D.C., and see familiar faces in the Halls of Congress. I have finally learned my way around the Senate and the House, and after our most recent Legislative Conference in May, I now know my way around the Capitol Building. Thanks to Rep. Reid Ribble (R-WI), all of the participants in this year’s South of 40 Convention in D.C., which was held in conjunction with the MCAA Legislative Conference, I know a great deal more about the U.S. Capitol — including a room or two that were locked away from the general public. It’s just another example of the many benefits that come with involvement in the MCAA and the vibrant
South of 40 group.

So, I’ll say again, if you didn’t attend this year, you should plan to in 2015. It’s beyond invigorating to know you actually are making a difference for your industry — the best industry in the world: masonry.
About: Legislative
 0
MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Episode 24 Recap: Gary Hensley, VP of Sales at Oldcastle Adams
July 2025

On this episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Gary Hensley joins Justin in Indianapolis to talk about his story within the masonry industry, how he got started, how he's seen it evolve, and where he sees it going. Why the Masonry Industry? Concrete and

Justin Stengel
Read More
The Enduring Power of Structural Masonry
July 2025

Masonry has been holding its ground for millennia — literally. And thanks to the simple brilliance of arching action, it continues to do so with strength, style, and surprising efficiency. In an era of advanced modeling and fast-moving schedules, one time

Shayne Sanders
Read More
Building More: Slow, Fast, or Consistent. What is Tempo?
July 2025

It was a drizzly midweek day when I rolled up to the project we were working on just outside of town. The foreman paced the scaffolding, rain hood half-zipped, barking at two laborers who were sprinting bricks like they were late for a flight. Forty feet

Corey Adams
Building More
Read More
Marvelous Masonry: Belém Tower
July 2025

The Belém Tower in Lisbon, Portugal, stands as a testament to stone construction's enduring artistry and technical prowess. Erected between 1514 and 1519, this iconic structure served as a defensive bastion at the mouth of the Tagus River and as a ceremon

Cass Stern
Marvelous Masonry
Read More