Metrolina Chapter Annual Recognition Night 2019

Words: Lynn Nash

The North Carolina Masonry contractors Association (NCMCA) Metrolina Chapter celebrated its "Annual Recognition Night" at the end of October.  Students, apprentices, and instructors from the Charlotte area who have achieved masonry competition success in the past year, along with their guests, were hosted for dinner and awards.

Pictured top, left to right, Rodney Harrington, instructor at West Rowan High School, the school that received the "Douglas Drye Overall Best Program Award" for the 2019 NC SkillsUSA State Masonry Competitions and instructor for two 2019 National Champions; Drew Huntley, Huntley Brothers Company, second place at both the 2019 Samuel A. McGee Memorial Masonry Apprentice Skills and the Annual North Carolina State Fair Contests; Jace Huntley, Huntley Brother Company, First Place/"David R. Sigmon Award" at the Sam McGee Contest; Wade Taylor, Huntley Brothers Company, First Place 66th Annual NC State Fair Masonry Apprentice Contest; Grant Helms, Helms Masonry/West Rowan High School, 2019 National High School SkillsUSA Masonry Champion and Second Place at the Las Vegas MCAA International Skills Challenge; Justice Isenhour, Helms Masonry, Fifth Place in both the Sam McGee Memorial and the Annual State Fair Contests; Todd Hartsell, Central Cabarrus High School, USA Team WorldSkills Masonry Expert; NCMCA President Kent Huntley who accepted the "David R. Sigmon" traveling plaque on behalf of Huntley Brothers Company for the fourth consecutive year for having the winning apprentice at the Sam McGee Memorial Contest; and Metrolina Chapter President Brandon Hartsell.

Bottom, left to right, Reese Hallman, Third Place, Sam McGee Memorial Contest and Zachary Smith, Fourth Place, Annual NC State Fair Contest, both of McGee Brothers Company; the new Southeast Concrete Masonry Association (SCMA) NC SkillsUSA traveling Championship Trophy, presented to West Rowan High School for 2019; Ashton White, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2019 National Post-Secondary SkillsUSA Masonry Champion (for the second consecutive year;) JK Huntley, Huntley Brothers Company, Winner Third Year Division, MCAA International Masonry Skills Competition, Las Vegas; Kelby Thornton, USA Team/Masonry, 2019 Russia WorldSkills Competition; and NCMCA Workforce Development & Training Coordinator, Ryan Shaver.

Smarter Time Tracking on the Jobsite: Introducing Geofence Notifications and Logging in CrewTracks
April 2026

For masonry contractors, time tracking is more than just a payroll task; it’s a key part of managing crews, understanding job costs, and keeping projects running smoothly. Yet many companies still struggle with one common challenge: making sure employees

Fechino Files: Diesels Below 32 Degrees
April 2026

I am guessing that if you are reading this, then you experienced the cold, late-January spell that took over most of the country. The cold weather has many effects on the operations of a masonry contractor, from job shutdowns to equipment starting issues,

Outreach Outlook: Building Momentum Across the Southern Region
April 2026

As April arrives, the pace of our outreach and workforce efforts across the Southern Region reaches a new level of intensity. This is the time of year when our programs, partners, and state collaborators all accelerate at once. SkillsUSA competitions are

Marvelous Masonry: Elbphilharmonie
April 2026

Most people know the Elbphilharmonie for its glass façade and dramatic roofline. From a distance, that’s what defines the skyline in Hamburg’s HafenCity district. But for masonry contractors and suppliers, the real story starts at the base.