July 2010: President's Message

July 2010

Mackie Bounds President Mason Contractors Association of America

Even though we are in some tough economic times, we at MCAA are working hard for the mason contractors and our industry. At present, our staff is working to put together strategic partners of MCAA, which will enable all of us to promote more masonry around the country. These suppliers will be mentioned as you hear MCAA mentioned, including being on all of our correspondences. It is a great opportunity for our suppliers to grow business with the users of their products. If you know of anyone who may be interested, contact Jeff Buczkiewicz in our office. Thanks already go to CavClear, SpecMix, QUIKRETE and EZ Scaffold.

Our technical committee is very busy, having just finished helping the mason contractor with ASTM C216 and ASTM C652 brick specs. This was extremely important to us, as mason contractors, as we try to be competitive and bid jobs so we have a little bit of profit. My staff here at home was really relieved when they heard the news that C652 brick will remain in the C652 specs, and we will be able to bid accordingly. The committee is now beginning to work in other areas and be pro-active for us, the contractors, and our industry. Each day, we learn how important this committee is to this association and the members. If you have something that you want us to pursue, contact our staff, and we will get busy. I think it is important for us to be on the offense, rather than the defense.

I also am proud to announce that the legislative committee has not let up any since our legislative conference. You know, sometimes we feel like resting, but I think we all know how important our actions are right now concerning legislative issues. Paul Odom and others of the committee met with the Masonry Institute of Michigan concerning work that they already have done concerning energy ratings. I firmly believe that we do not need to reinvent the wheel but, much rather, use the wheel that is already there. I take my hat off to the Michigan group for the work they have done and their willingness to share.

The plans now are that we will be going to Washington, D.C., July 6 and 7 to meet with the Pentagon again concerning MILCON. The folks from Michigan will be going with us to make the presentation. I want to give a special thank you to Ed Davenport for his help in all of this. At the same time, hats off to our friends in the state of Washington as they lead the way on the legislative side concerning MILCON. It is so exciting to see all of us come together and work in harmony for the same cause. I want to give a special thanks to our good friend, Steve Borman, for all of his help from the West Coast.

Then there is our exciting Mid-year Meeting in Chicago, July 27-30. We are planning educational sessions, networking opportunities, fun times and some association business. Several of the committees are planning on meeting this year, and I am excited about that. The South of Forty group is planning a meeting and a fun time in Chicago. I think it is something called Whirly Ball. I have never played, and I am North of Forty, but I am going to show off my athletic skills. Ha!

Along with all of that, NCMA also will be in Chicago, and we will have some joint meetings with them. They are great partners in Vision 20/20 and, of course, great friends. We will cap everything off with a dinner on the 95th floor of the Hancock building in Downtown Chicago. It will be summer fun for all.

We are having a great summer and doing our best to improve during these tough times. I know we are all working hard, but I also know we will all become better business folks learning from these tough times. I am writing this letter from our home on the Texas Coast and enjoying my children and grandchildren, Autumn and Mason. I played with them on the beach this morning and we built masonry walls out of sand. My granddaughter, Autumn, said in a very serious way, “ Pappy, these walls will be like the pyramids.” She is even learning about Vision 20/20!

Until next time, this old cowboy says, “Shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you will land among the stars!”