Fifth Annual International Masonry Skills Challenge
Words: Steven Fechino, Scott Hitchens, Curtis Hoover, Eugene Johnson, Lawrence Johnson, Merritt Johnson, Alonza Lewis, Robert Mcgalliard, Chris Pruitt, Jason Rentfrow, Adam Slattery, Milton Young, Doug Nichols, Rey Flores, Antonio Hamilton, Troy Holmes, John Nero, Conrado Ramierez, Matthew Botts/Public/News/4262004839.gif" width="250" height="167" border="1" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="1">
The stage was set in Las Vegas at the Masonry Showcase on March 23rd for the fifth annual International Masonry Skills Challenge to be an exciting day of competition and apprentice excellence, and it delivered!
Nineteen contestants in their first, second, and third years of apprenticeship began the contest at 10am, and built their projects from the ground up in three hours. The biggest challenge for these young men was building a project that they had never practiced or prepared for, and building it under the precise criteria of the judges. These men met that challenge, and nine of them prevailed as the winners. MCAA congratulates:
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First Year Apprentices
1st place: Rey David Flores
Pioneer Masonry, Glendale, Arizona
2nd place: Antonio Hamilton
Masonry Arts, Pensacola, Florida
3rd place: Troy Holmes
Foti Construction, Cleveland, Ohio
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Second Year Apprentices
1st place: John Nero
Frank Brown and Sons, Stow, Ohio
2nd place: Conrado Ramierez
L.F. Jennings, Falls Church, Virginia
3rd place: Chris Pruitt
Masonry Specialist Corporation, Chattanooga, Tennessee
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Third Year Apprentices
1st place: Matthew Botts
Masonry Unlimited, Cherryville, North Carolina
2nd place: Jason Rentfrow
Rentfrow Masonry, Miami, Oklahoma
3rd place: Robert McGalliard
JB McGalliard, North Hollywood, California
The help of volunteers and donations from many industry supporters made this Skills Challenge a great success. MCAA sincerely thanks:
Co-Sponsors
Lafarge North America, Marshalltown Trowel, Non-Stop Scaffolding, E-Z Grout Corporation, ACME Brick Company, Quikcrete
Contest Judges
Doug Nichols- Contest Chairman, Merritt Johnson, Lawrence Johnson, Milton Young, Scott Hitchens, Curtis Hoover, Alonza Lewis, Adam Slattery, Eugene Johnson
Materials and Manpower
SPEC MIX, Inc.; Steven Fechino of WASCO, Inc.; ACME Brick Company; Rinker Materials Corporation; Marshalltown Trowel; Kraft Tool Company