Masonry Magazine January 2003 Page. 18
Contractor
to Contractor perform. We've actually had prospective employees from all over the country e-mail us their resumes after looking at the website. It's helped us to be more efficient overall.
Masonry: What do you feel is the biggest misconception about the masonry industry?
Calvert: I think the biggest misconception that I see is that people don't realize that masonry can be a viable career choice. Our company is made up of many individuals with different backgrounds and education levels. The masonry field can be challenging and lucrative for the individuals that apply themselves. I have been able to hire accountants, engineers and college graduates. At first pass, they may not realize that the opportunities are there, but they are. These employees can make a comfortable living in the masonry field. We offer an extensive benefits package for our employees including a retirement plan, health insurance, life insurance, dental insurance and paid leave. In general, all of our employees are making a decent living no matter what their background or educational level is.
Masonry: What would you do to change that misconception?
Calvert: Really, we are just trying to get the word out that masonry can be a very challenging and rewarding field to be in. We make it a point to attend all of the career days for the high schools, technical schools, and colleges in the local area. We participate in the local area job fairs. The associations we belong to have a career day and they will not only have masonry, but they'll have everybody in the construction industry, and we always have a representative. Many local associations will ask us first to attend their career days because they know that we promote the masonry industry, so it's good for them too.
Masonry: What are your three biggest concerns in keeping your company successful?
Calvert: One of our first major concerns is keeping everybody focused. We started out as a very small company, without a lot of resources. Keeping everybody focused on where our roots came from and not losing perspective on who makes us our money, which are our field employees. We need to make sure that our field employees have the direction, technology, equipment and safety to make them successful, which in turn will make us successful.
Another concern is being innovative with the best equipment available and to always be looking for ways to be more efficient.
My third concern is the keeping and the training of my employees. Making sure that I have the best workforce possible; continuously training the ones we have and attracting the best and most qualified prospective employees thereafter.
Masonry: Where do you think the masonry industry is going to be 10 years from now?
Calvert: I wish I really did know that one! I think masonry is evolving. With new technologies, masonry is becoming a better product. Masonry has been around for centuries and I foresee it growing in the future. They've been trying to replace masonry for years, with tilt-up walls and pre-cast, and it just keeps coming back to masonry as the one product that works and we always find better ways to do it.
I think masonry is going to be a strong industry ten years from now.
Masonry: What do you think will be the masonry industry's biggest competitor in 10 years?
Calvert: On low rise construction, concrete tilt-up walls tend to be our biggest competition. On high rise work, architect's are using glass curtain walls in www.masonryshowcase.com