Masonry Magazine March 2001 Page. 6
2000 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT
"Strategically Thinking About the Future of the Masonry Industry"
Just when did the world become such a very small place? The last time I checked it still took forty-eight hours to travel around the world. In fact, the world is still 24,902 miles around at the equator. I step outside my house and Mt. Rainier still punches the clouds at over 14,000 feet. There are roughly 191 countries in the world and over 6 billion 100 million people living in them. So when did the world become so small? It has undoubtedly been the introduction of the internet and its uncanny ability to put us in direct contact with people and companies clear across the globe. Within seconds, we can be buying products and services from thousands of companies in hundreds of countries. We can obtain information on almost any topic with the touch of a computer keystroke. Clearly, it has become a smaller and much different world than the one that we have become so comfortable with over the past several decades.
I remember back to the introduction of the fax machine and doubted that anyone would buy such an expensive machine. Today, the fax is threatening the very existence of the U.S. Postal Service. I also remember the introduction of cellular phones and wondered if we could ever afford such a luxury. Today, I wonder how I'd ever be able to function if I lost my cell phone, which I have become so dependent upon. I marvel at the internet and the access to such tremendous information, products and services. Of course, I marvel at the internet once I figure out how to navigate my computer, or even figure out how to turn it on. I think those that know me know that I'm not one of the world's foremost authorities on computers.
But if there is any doubt that the internet is going to take hold much like fax machines and cell phones, just log on and surf the net to find out for yourself. But if you are computer illiterate like many of us older contractors, just watch your kids or grandchildren, they will show you the future.
The impact of a shrinking world and the introduction of new technologies is not limited to the internet. As the voice representing the interests of mason contractors nation-wide, the Mason Contractors Association of America has focused on the changing world around us, and the impact those advances will have on our markets and livelihoods as contractors.
As the only association representing all of the industry's mason contractors, we don't have the luxury of ignoring the future and its impact on us all. As President of the Mason Contractors Association of America, I am pleased to report to you here today that this past year, your association has continued to expand its effectiveness and and the MCAA's influence as an advocate for mason contractors. I would like to share with you during the next few minutes some of the key accomplishments your association has achieved during the past year.
Strategically Thinking About The World
The MCAA took a major step forward this past year when your executive board met back in July along with your association's committee chairs to begin the process of thinking strategically about our future as an association. For fifty years, we gathered together to review and ratify the actions that had already been accomplished by our committees. As an association, we spent very little time thinking about the future and how as mason contractors, we could impact the future. Started at a Long-Range Strategic Planning meeting held in San Diego, California this past summer and then completed at the association's Midyear Meeting in Seattle this past September, the Board constructed a strategic plan that will govern the association over the next thirty years. During the strategy sessions, we collectively shared our vision of what the future will look like, who our competitors will be and whether or not masonry will be a viable building product in the future. Then, based on our best educated guesses, we strategize about what the MCAA must do to bring about the most profitable futures for all of our members. As an association, we will face many detours and at times, many road blocks along the way. But relying on this new vision and a new way of strategically governing our association, your Board is now on what I believe to be the right pathway to the future. This new Long-Range Strategic Plan will be introduced at our Annual Meeting later today.
Thinking strategically about the future of the masonry industry requires us as an association to look beyond our borders and begin to think globally about our industry. As the world continues to get smaller, we must seek to develop new alliances and partners to expand our capabilities as contractors. Much like we have done with our partners in the Canadian Masonry Contractors Association with the the sharing of information and partnering on sound projects such as the Masonry Skills Challenge and the constructing of the Habitat for Humanity home, our association must work to build partnerships with other like minded mason contractors all across the globe. I have asked our Executive Director Mike Adelizzi to explore the existence of other mason contractor organizations world wide and to begin seeking areas of mutual concern and benefit from developing expanded partnerships much like the one we have forged with our partners in Canada.
Leadership in Workforce Development
But as high tech as the world has become, our industry still relies heavily on the hands-on process of installing our materials. And as long as we are dependent on an expanded workforce, the MCAA will be intricately involved in developing the availability of a quality workforce. MCAA has indeed provided leadership in guaranteeing the future availability of our workforce. One of the most exciting programs that the association has started along with our Canadian partners is the Masonry Skills Challenge where we spotlight our industry's brightest apprentices, which even has galvanized the industry to become involved in investing in our industry's future workforce. Here in Orlando, you will have the opportunity to experience the Masonry Skills Challenge where winning apprentices from the U.S. and Canada will compete for the title of the industry's best. In addition to the Skills Challenge, we continued to support vocational training throughout the U.S. with our involvement in Skills USA. Skills USA encourages the establishment of masonry programs in our country's high schools which I believe is a critical area of involvement to find the future of our labor force. This coming year, one of our association's goals is to double the number of high schools of-