2011 MCAA Annual Convention Recap

March 2011

??MCAA Convention

2011 MCAA Annual Convention Recap

2011 Fastest Trowel on the Block, First Place – Kris Chee, Sutter Masonry Inc., El Mirage, Ariz.Tenders: Enrique Esparza, Gilberto Palacios Aguero World of Concrete/World of Masonry 2011 returned to the Las Vegas Convention Center in January with 48,554 professional registrants in attendance, and more than 1,200 exhibitors. During World of Concrete/World of Masonry, the MCAA held its annual Convention. Many of the industry’s finest leaders and most enthusiastic masonry professionals were in attendance. Learning, networking and committee meetings took place, along with MCAA’s annual competitions and some fun, new events.

??Daniel Awarded C. DeWitt Brown Leadman Award?? MCAA President Mackie Bounds (shown left) presented the 2011 C. DeWitt Brown Leadman Award to Tom Daniel (shown right) of GBC Concrete & Masonry in Lake Elsinore, Calif., during the MCAA Annual Meeting at the 2011 MCAA Convention in Las Vegas in January. Tom Daniel has worked in the masonry industry since the 1980s and has been a member of the MCAA for more than 15 years. He has volunteered countless hours for the association and the masonry industry in California and nationally. Daniel spent eight years on the MCAA Executive Board, including two years as president from 2008-2010.

The Fastest Trowel on the Block showcases the skill of masons and how important teamwork is in accomplishing a final product. The competition pitted the masons from across the United States and Canada against one another in a show of both speed and craftsmanship. Each contestant’s goal was to complete as much of an 18-block-long wall as possible. With the 20-minute time limit that was placed on the contestants, they had to make split-second decisions based on the judging criteria.

2011 Fastest Trowel on the Block, Second Place – Keith White, Frazier Masonry, North Highlands, Calif. Tenders: Frankie White, Charlie Weger

Each mason worked quickly to build a quality wall while the crowd cheered them on through the 20-minute competition. After the judges completed their scoring, the results were announced.

Winners were presented with trophies, plus first place took home $6,000 and a plaque from Marshalltown, second place received $2,500, and $1,500 was awarded to third place. All contestants received a Marshalltown tool bag and tools, a Grout Grunt, and additional prizes. For more information about the Fastest Trowel competition, please visit www.fastesttrowel.com.

South of 40 Committee The mission of the South of 40, chaired by Lindsey Stringer, is to??provide??members the opportunity to learn, to become more involved, and??introduce a youthful voice into the masonry industry by educating the leaders of tomorrow with the objective of increasing the masonry market share and ensuring the industry is solid.

South of 40 fundraiser attendees enjoy the Bavarian flavor of the Hofbrauhaus.

Senator Mike Ensign (R-NV) spoke during the MAC PAC event, held during the MCAA Convention. The purpose of MAC PAC is to help elect federal candidates to office who are pro-construction and will give the MCAA and the masonry industry a fair hearing on industry views.

Membership Committee The Membership Committee meeting was led by chair Don McCauley. Renewals, new members, committee growth and participation, a monthly Member Postcard Program, and the Group Challenge/New Member Contest of 2010 were discussed.

MasonrySystems.org Committee The MasonrySystems.org Committee meeting was led by chair Brian J. Grant. Topics discussed were defining direction from the MCAA Board, the goals of the committee, committee ground work, a LEED task group, an advertising and self-funding task group, and the promotion task group. The MasonrySystems.org website will continue to grow and develop in 2011.

Marketing Committee Marketing Committee chair Damian Lang led the meeting, during which several topics were covered. Those topics included Vision 2020 and the MCAA’s continued close work with the National Concrete Masonry Association on this effort, the rebuilding of Haiti and work with the Dominican Republic, Phase II of the MilCon presentation, green building, task groups, the MCAA website and its continued growth, and the year ahead.

Legislative Committee Mike Falencki of The Keelen Group gave a presentation to update MCAA members regarding several pieces of legislation. Updates were given on such issues as MilCon, Estate Tax, 3% Withholding Tax, Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), Immigration Reform, and Regulation/Agency Rulemaking. For more information on the progress being made by MCAA’s lobbyists in Washington, D.C., see “Government Affairs” on p. 10 of this issue.

??2011 MCAA TEAM Award Winners

Winners of the 2011 MCAA TEAM Awards were announced during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas in January. The Tribute to Exemplary Achievements in Masonry (TEAM) Awards were created to recognize quality masonry projects and members of construction teams for outstanding accomplishments in masonry design and construction. The committee is chaired by Elizabeth Beber. Visit www.masoncontractors.org/team for more information. Residential: Single Family The Oaks Residence in Dallas Mason Contractor – Dee Brown Inc., Garland, Texas Residential: Multi-Family Harvard and Highland in Seattle Mason Contractor – R&D Masonry Inc., Marysville, Wash. Contractors, architects and suppliers are awarded at the 2011 MCAA TEAM Awards. Education: K-12 Winner ?? Kingwood High School in Kingwood, Texas Mason Contractor – Camarata Masonry Systems Ltd., Houston Photography by Richard Payne FAIA Architectural Photographer

Landscape, Hardscape Temiz Project in New Jersey Mason Contractor – Cipriano Landscape Design, Ramsey, N.J. Photography by Cipriano Landscape Design

Industrial, Commercial Acme Brick Headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas Mason Contractor – Dee Brown Inc., Garland, Texas Photography by Acme Brick Co./Marketing Photographic Services

Block ?? Dennis F. Michaelis Academic Building – McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas Mason Contractor – Brazos Masonry Inc., Waco, Texas Photography by Norma Jean Photography

Education: College/University Mitchell Physics Building – Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas Mason Contractor – Camarata Masonry Systems Ltd., Houston Photography by Richard Payne FAIA Architectural Photographer

Rehabilitation, Restoration Savery Hall – University of Washington in Seattle Mason Contractor – Pioneer Masonry Restoration Inc., Seattle Photography by Anita Simon

Government, Institutional Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston Mason Contractor – Dee Brown Inc., Garland, Texas Photography by Mark Johnson Photography

LEED AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in Austin, Texas Mason Contractor – P and S Masonry Inc., Hamilton, Texas Photography by Trashman Productions

????MCAA Vision Award Winners

The first-ever Vision Awards were bestowed during the 2011 MCAA TEAM Awards at the MCAA Convention in Las Vegas in January. The Vision Awards celebrate school districts, universities, communities and architects who have demonstrated outstanding use of masonry in their projects and incorporated masonry into their campuses, communities and buildings. The Vision Awards Committee is chaired by Elizabeth Beber. Visit www.masoncontractors.org/team for more information. Architect Award – Malcolm Holzman; Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture, LLP Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, designed by Malcolm Holzman Community Award – City of Kyle, Texas Kyle, Texas, is Community Vision Award winner School District Award – Humble Independent School District Kingwood High School, Humble Independent School District Photo by Richard Payne FAIA Architectural Photographer University Award – The University of Texas Humble Independent School District AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center at The University of Texas Photo by Trashman Productions Paul Odom of P and S Masonry Inc. accepts the MCAA Vision Award from Elizabeth Beber on behalf of The University of Texas.

2011 Masonry Skills Challenge

The twelfth annual Masonry Skills Challenge was held during the 2011 MCAA Convention in Las Vegas and showcased the best apprentices our industry has to offer. The Masonry Skills Challenge is a competition of masonry apprentices in first-, second- and third-year skill levels. Each contestant was presented with a project drawing appropriate to his skill level just moments before the competition began, and had three hours to construct the project based on the materials provided. All winners received trophies, cash prizes, Grout Grunts and Marshalltown tool bags and tools. First place winners also received engraved trowels from Marshalltown and concrete calculators from Calculated Industries. First Year Apprentices First Place – Jermey Casey Foti Contracting, Wickliffe, Ohio Second Place – Miguel Pina Artisan Masonry Inc., Garland, Texas Third Place – Romeo Sarmiento Overberg Masonry Inc., Tampa, Fla. Second Year Apprentices First Place – Cory Honeycutt Alward Masonry Contractors Inc., Rockwell, N.C. Second Place – Galdino Lucio Sutter Masonry Inc., El Mirage, Ariz. Third Place – Darren Tolbolt Studer-Obringer Inc., New Washington, Ohio Third Year Apprentices First Place – Daniel Sapp Adams Masonry, Inc., Chattanooga, Tenn. Second Place – Andrew Fernandez Foti Contracting, Wickliffe, Ohio Third Place – Eric Cambron Artisan Masonry Inc., Garland, Texas