Masonry Magazine March 2002 Page. 20
20 MASONRY MARCH, 2002
Since we are "the ultimate responsible party," the mason contractor is in a unique position to lead the masonry industry. Unfortunately, not everyone shares our unique perspective of leadership. Not everyone wants to relinquish control to the mason contractor. Why should they? For years, the mason contractor has played a minimal role in providing the leadership that the industry needed. Our supplier friends carried the load of leading the masonry industry. They had well-financed associations with top-notch staff to promote the interest of masonry. Even the union through the International Masonry Institute and its large budgets provided a service for the industry. But over the years, the mason contractor has gradually stepped up to the plate of leadership and pointed the way to the future. And the path to our future is in unifying the industry and this effort has become a long term goal of the MCAA.
We have begun to achieve our goal through groups such as the Masonry Industry Council that MCAA helped to form several years ago. This organization, supported by the Mason Contractors Association, the National Concrete Masonry Association, the Brick Industries Association and the Portland Cement Association, has begun the long and arduous task of unifying the industry. We are beginning to see the results of our industry working more closely together through programs such as the establishment of a masonry pavilion at the Construction Specifications Institute show, the Federal Officials Masonry Seminar, and the development of a fourth Masonry Designer's Guide. We have a long way to go to build our industry into a cohesive force to build a stronger industry, but through groups such as MIC and its four active committees, our industry is beginning to think and act in unison.
Our MASONRY SHOWCASE has also become a unifying force for the mason contractor and our suppliers. At this year's show, we have over thirty local groups meeting in conjunction with the national show. In addition to the local meetings being held here in Phoenix, we are conducting a Masonry Summit Meeting with the heads of these local organizations and staff. It is our hope that at this summit meeting, we will gain insight from the leaders of the local industry associations to continue the process of building MCAA's Long Range Strategic Plan and ensuring the mason contractor's role as the leader of the masonry industry.
(Above) An attendee of the MCAA MASONRY SHOWCASE tests the latest in scaffolding equipment.
[Left] Attendees learn how scaffold works at the 2001 MCAA MASONRY SHOWCASE.