Masonry Magazine January 2001 Page. 78
masonry news
Brick Industry Hosts Brick Day at the University of Houston
SouthWestern Brick Institute & Texas Masonry Council Launch State-Wide Program
On September 26, 150 University of Houston architecture students participated in Brick Day, a collaborative effort between educators, professionals and industry representatives, with the competition at the University of Houston, marking the kick-off of the program in Texas.
The event gave many of the students their first attempts at actual hands-on brickwork. Following instruction by five Houston masonry companies, the teams transferred the academics of architecture to fieldwork by building a brick wall. The four teams of undergraduate and graduate students were judged on the design and workmanship of their project, with the winning teams receiving Gold, Silver and Bronze Bricks. Harry McGraw with Lucia, Inc. was the instructor for the winning teams in both the undergraduate and graduate categories.
The goal of Brick Day is to bridge the gap between architects and contractors - the planners and the doers in the world of building - by providing architecture students with a look at the work involved in implementing their designs before they enter the workforce. According to Kyle Montgomery, Executive Director of the Texas Masonry Council, plans are underway to expand the program to schools of architecture at every major university in Texas.
Glen Duncan, Executive Director for the South-Western Brick Institute, notes that the face-to-face interaction between the architecture students and professional masons is a key component of Brick Day. "It's amazing how the respect for the skill involving masonry work increases dramatically after these students actually try laying a few bricks."
Masonry companies providing the instruction for the event include Lucia, Inc., W.W. Bartlett, Inc., Hoggatt, Inc., T.E. Reilly, Inc. and Paul Yeatts Enterprises, Inc. The brick and supplies were donated by WW. Bartlett, Inc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
California Conference of Mason Contractors (CCMCA) Honors Ryan O'Brien
Palm Desert, CA: On Saturday September 30, 2000, the CCMCA hosted a dinner roast for their long time Executive Vice President Ryan O'Brien. Ryan O'Brien has served the CCMCA for nearly fifty years and has developed it into one of the largest state masonry associations in the country. Today, the CCMCA has 247 contractor and associate members. The CCMCA has twelve local chapter affiliates, and has every contractor member affiliated with the national Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA).
At the dinner, Ryan was roasted by contractor members as well as professional roasters from the VIP Rent A Roast company. On hand for the roast where many of Ryan's family members including his son and daughters. Ryan began his work in the masonry industry fifty years ago as a bricklayer in the booming Los Angeles market. Soon after this Ryan rose to become the Executive Vice President of the CCMCA. MCAA Region H Vice President Tom Daniel said, "We can measure the greatness of a man by the amount of love and respect he has earned in his life. Taking that measure, Ryan O'Brien is and always will be one of the greatest!"
Erv Rung of J.E.D. Masonry Named MCAA State Chairman
MCAA President Mike Johnston named Erv Rung of J.E.D. Masonry to serve as Nebraska State Chairman for the Mason Contractors Association of America. The selection was ratified by the association's Board of Directors at the Midyear meeting held in September. State Chairmen are elected members of the Board and represent the interests of the members in each state at Board meetings.
Rung is President of J.E.D. Masonry which was established in 1963. J.E.D. Masonry specializes in commercial masonry construction. He has served as President of the Nebraska Masonry Institute and continues to remain active on the Institute Board. Rung is also Vice President of the Mason Contractors Association of Nebraska.