Masonry Magazine April 2004 Page. 15
I think we are going to see
architects become
increasingly more creative with
the variety of masonry
materials available to them.
Masonry: Looking back over the
years, what was your most difficult
masonry project and how did you over-
come the obstacles?
Thomas: One of the most difficult
projects was Proctor & Gamble in
Cincinnati, Ohio. The challenge for this
project was logistical. We were building
laboratories designed for cut limestone
panels on a site that had no space for a
crane and on a very rigid schedule. I
designed a monorail system and had it
fabricated at a local machine shop out of
I-beams and trolley wheels to move the
2,000-pound panels to a hoist for erec-
tion. Despite these challenges, we
brought the job in on budget and on
schedule.
Masonry: What is the best advice you
would give a budding mason contractor?
Thomas: I absolutely believe that
the job begins on the planning table.
Make sure your numbers are right. If
you haven't estimated the project
accurately, you can be behind before
you get started, and if that happens it
will be very difficult, if not impossible,
to make up the difference, even with
good production.
Masonry: What do you feel is the
biggest misconception about the
masonry industry?
Thomas: I think one of the biggest
misconceptions I see is that people don't
realize that masonry is a skilled trade. It
is a craft that takes much time and effort
and talent to learn. If I run an ad in the
newspaper for brick masons, about 75%
to 80% of the responses will come from
people who have no knowledge of brick-
work, but feel like they could probably
do it.
The Voice of the Mason Contractor
Masonry: What would you do to
change that misconception?
Thomas Education. I think that pro-
moting vocational training at the high
school level is a good place to start. I also
believe that individual mason contrac-
tors should have their own training pro-
grams for those who want to work and
learn to master the trade.
If we placed a value on skilled crafts-
men, then we owe it not only to our-
selves, but our industry, to help train
them.
Masonry: What are your three
biggest concerns in keeping your compa-
ny successful?
Thomas: Maintaining my crews and
training new people will be key to our
success in the future. We have to be able
to combine productivity with quality
work.
Also, making sure I choose our projects
wisely-profitability is key to success.
Last, but certainly not least, maintain-
ing my relationship with my banker.
Having a banker who understands my
company and my industry allows me
greater freedom in choosing my projects.
Masonry: What do you feel is the
industry's biggest challenge in the
near future?
Thomas: Labor. Finding people who
want to learn the masonry trade is not
an easy task; even harder is finding peo-
ple who want to excel in this trade.
Masonry: Where do you think the
masonry industry is going to be 10 years
from now?
Thomas: I'm very optimistic. I think
we will see a real growth in the masonry
industry. The large variety of materials
available for use allows for more creativ-
ity and flexibility in designing masonry
projects.
Masonry: What do you think will be
the masonry industry's biggest competi-
tor in 10 years?
Thomas: I think that the tilt-up wall
industry will be our biggest competitor.
It takes less time and in most cases is