Masonry Magazine April 1985 Page. 5
The speakers table at the Opening Session of the Conference featured (from left) keynoter Don Thoren and MCAA officers Robert Hatch, treasurer, Dee Brown, secretary, Jerry Dufour, vice president, and W. C. Dentinger, Jr., president, who presided.
'85 MCAA CONFERENCE REPORT
Las Vegas, Nevada, March 7-12, 1985
The rebound in economic activity surely rubbed off on MCAA's 35th International Masonry Conference and Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 7-12, at the Las Vegas Hilton. The entire mood was one of optimism that seemed to reflect the current upswing in business growth that had been lacking for several years. Attendance was one of the best in years. The same air of optimism also held true for the Canadian Masonry Contractors Association, which held its Annual Meeting and social functions in conjunction with MCAA's Conference.
Pre-Conference Seminars
An unusually large turnout was on hand for the three pre-Conference seminars, held March 7th and 8th, that covered:
• Computer Assisted Masonry Estimating.
• The Rehabilitation/Restoration Market.
• Masonry Systems Marketing.
The lecturers for the computer course were construction consultant Jerry Pope of Greeley, Colo., Mark Soderberg of Soderberg Masonry, Fort Collins, Colo., and William C. Veneris of Interactive Management Systems Corp., Colorado Springs. This session featured the introduction of the Computer Assisted Estimating Manual developed by Pope and Soderberg. (See report elsewhere in this issue.) The seminar on the "Rehabilitation/Restoration Market" was given by a panel consisting of Fidell Cashero, Jr. of Grunwell-Cashero Co., Inc., Detroit, Mich.; Michael T. Miske, Ludowici-Celadon Co., Arlington Heights, III.; Mario Catani, Dur-O-Wal, Inc., Northbrook. III.; Michael Brennan, Simplex Co., New York, N.Y., and Ken Gutschick of the National Lime Association.