2006 NCMCA Masonry Apprentice Skills Contest
Words: Heath Drye, Wayne Starr, Josh Morrison, Dallas Caudle, Marcus Hefner, Joshua Kimrey, Travis Greenly, Juan Salas, Sergio Contreras, Armilcar Chinchilla, Chris Sparks, Jesus Ramirez, Patrick Wilson, Jose Santoes/Public/News/20060721083400-1.jpg" width="250" height="167" border="0" alt="Top row, left to right: Juan Miguel Chaves Salas, Sergio Arias Contreras, Travis Greenly, and Armilcar Chinchilla. Bottom row left to right: Jose Santoes, Jesus Ramirez, Chris Sparks, Patrick Wilson and Marcus Hefner.">
Top row, left to right: Juan Miguel Chaves Salas, Sergio Arias Contreras, Travis Greenly, and Armilcar Chinchilla. Bottom row left to right: Jose Santoes, Jesus Ramirez, Chris Sparks, Patrick Wilson and Marcus Hefner.
Nineteen-year-old Travis Greenly of McGee Brothers Company in Monroe, N.C., is the 2006 North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association (NCMCA) Masonry Apprentice Skills Contest champion. Greenly finished first in a field of 44 apprentices from 16 NCMCA member firms at the contest held at Adams Concrete Products in Fayetteville on May 20.
This year's contestants included Dallas Caudle, who won a Gold Medal in the 2005 SkillsUSA National High School Masonry Contest, and Joshua Kimrey, who won the N.C. SkillsUSA Masonry Contest earlier this year. Also competing was Heath Drye, who won the 2005 N.C. Department of Labor State Fair Masonry Apprentice Contest, and Josh Morrison, who attempted to defend his NCMCA championship title from last year and won the National SkillsUSA Post-secondary Education Masonry Championship in 2005. Several other contestants previously placed well in various apprentice contests, including Greenly himself, who finished third in the 2005 N.C. High School SkillsUSA Masonry Contest and third in the 2005 N.C. Department of Labor State Fair Masonry Apprentice Contest.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
Second place
Heath Drye, Alward Masonry
Third place
Juan Miguel Chaves Salas, Brodie Contractors
Fourth place
Sergio Arias Contreras, Brodie Contractors
Fifth place
Armilcar Chinchilla, Gates Construction Company
Sixth place
Chris Sparks, Beam Construction Company
Seventh place
Jesus Ramirez, Gates Construction Company
Eighth place
Patrick Wilson, Barbee Masonry Contractors
Ninth place
Jose Santoes, Gates Construction Company
Tenth place
Marcus Hefner, McGee Brothers Company
The top 10 scores ranged from 155 to 165 points out of a possible 180.
As winner of the contest, Greenly earned the opportunity to compete in the Mason Contractors Association of America's International Masonry Skills Challenge in Orlando, Fla., next February.
NCMCA State President Wayne Starr of Gates Construction Company, who served as head judge, said, "NCMCA has a long history of producing national masonry winners. I am sure that Travis will represent NCMCA well next year at the International Masonry Skills contest. We are proud to name Travis the best of the best in North Carolina's masonry industry."
As the contest winner, Greenly was presented the David R. Sigmon Award for top score, $600 in cash (traditionally matched by the employer), a United Rentals Stihl masonry saw and a wheelbarrow full of tools.
NCMCA members provided approximately $13,000 worth of tools and cash, which was divided among all the contestants. Members also donated equipment, labor and materials.
For more information, visit the association website at www.ncmca.com.