Masonry Magazine March 2001 Page. 8
When the Mason Contractors Association of America first published MASONRY Magazine in February of 1961, its intent, in the words of association President Stephen H. Raimo, was to be a publication "devoted to the interests and welfare of the mason contractor...and to serve as a vehicle to add strength to the industry as a whole". To that end, MASONRY Magazine has fulfilled the dream of President Raimo and has become an advocate of change on behalf of the mason contractor.
Since that first publication, many changes have occurred in the construction industry that have affected our industry, and today, we now face a crossroads. The Mason Contractors Association of America has recognized this and has laid forth an aggressive plan to face this crossroads, as explained in MCAA Executive Director, Michael Adelizzi's article, "Pathways to the Future", on page 30 of this issue. In his article, he lays out the vision of the future and how the MCAA will affect future changes that will impact mason contractors.
As the official publication of the Mason Contractors Association of America, MASONRY Magazine will play a pivotal role in affecting the future of our industry, in that it has become an effective force for change by becoming a vehicle to galvanize our industry's mason contractors behind common goals and efforts. In a sense, MASONRY Magazine, unlike any other magazine in our industry, not only represents the industry's mason contractors, but we are the voice of the mason contractors. By now becoming a monthly magazine, the Board of the MCAA envisions the magazine offering a monthly opportunity to talk directly to every mason contractor about the issues facing us, and how we can unite to address those issues. Through MASONRY Magazine, we have become one force - one voice to significantly impact and shape our future.
Unlike any other magazine in the industry, our magazine is our forum, where we can share new ideas and experiences with each other and learn from each other. It is also a critical means of informing our members and industry affiliates of the important industry issues taking place, so that we may come together on a routine basis and help to further strengthen the industry.
We have been asked why we do not publish more articles that are directed to our workforce. No doubt, these are important articles, but the future of our industry, the mobilization of our industry's more than 15,000 contractors, is frankly a much more important advocacy role for our magazine. You may find increasingly more articles on key worker topics in future issues of our magazine, but not at the expense of articles that can motivate our industry's contractors. Because if we can move our industry's contractors to action, the hearts and minds of our workforce will not be far behind.
We welcome your thoughts.
Aghappestshell
Debra J. Mitchell, Editor-in-Chief