The MCAA is forging the future of masonry

Words: Donald McCauleyThe MCAA is forging the future of masonry. One of the goals of the MCAA is to validate the architects, owners, federal, state, local governments and general contractors that thru certification our mason contractors are “qualified”, “well trained”, “well educated” and can professionally handle the challenges that building projects in the 21st century can bring.

While there are great masonry contractors and some great regional masonry associations in all areas of the country, we as an industry have not been able to join together as a whole. This has allowed other trades, other industries to steal “market share” from masonry. This is happening not because masonry contractors don't know what they are doing but because of perception and a few “bad apples”.

By perception I mean that there have been numerous occasions that a general contractor or owner have given jobs to an unqualified mason contractors for a “ridiculously” low and “unqualified” bid and those unqualified masonry contractors have laid waste and pillage to a jobsite, through poor workmanship, sub quality materials, poor coordination, delaying the project through lack of manpower, not supplying the correct equipment and simply cutting corners trying to save money.

Everyone reading this article knows of occurrences where this has happened and felt the implications. One of the first things mason contractors hear when they get to a new projects is that masonry in the past has left a “bad taste” in their mouth. When you dig deeper and start peeling back the layers of the onion, you find out that this stigma is usually from one or two encounters with an unqualified masonry contractor, not the industry as a whole.

I have been in the masonry industry for my whole life and I hear all the time from other masonry contractors that they are, “sick and tired of losing jobs to a masonry contractor that is unqualified to do the project or is not totally above board in their business practices,” but that is the end of it; no more is said or done.

Well here is our opportunity to do something and let your voice be heard. Masonry contractors can take steps toward insuring the other masonry contractors they are competing with are qualified and operate with ethical business practices through joining the MCAA and becoming a Certified Mason Contractor.

The MCAA can then promote to architects, owners, federal, state, local governments and general contractors a well-organized national organization of masonry contractors and suppliers that are well trained, well educated and qualified to meet the challenges and desired outcome of each and every project.
Masonry as the Standard: Delivering Strength, Durability, and Permanence at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs
July 2026

The replacement of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs serves as a clear example of masonry’s ability to deliver long-term durability, structural integrity, and architectural permanence in worship facility construction. Following the tragic events

Anton Shadrock
Case Study
Read More
Designing Masonry Openings Without Compromising Aesthetics
July 2026

One of masonry's greatest strengths is its ability to create visually striking architecture. From arches and deep reveals to decorative brick detailing, masonry provides texture, depth, and character that continue to inspire architects today. As buildin

Erica Oliveraz
MAP Partner
Read More
Restoring the Breath of the Building: The Life-Saving Science Behind Historic Masonry Repairs
July 2026

When I first set out to become a historic preservation and restoration mason, I imagined that most of my trade would involve repairing the effects of old age. Instead, 99 percent of my work is attempting to stabilize and reverse damage caused by recent an

Technical Talks
Read More
Laying the Foundation for the Future: Workforce Development at the Arizona Masonry Council
July 2026

For generations, masonry has been built on a simple but powerful principle: knowledge passed from one set of hands to the next. In Arizona, the Arizona Masonry Council (AMC) is working to ensure that tradition continues by investing in one of the industr

Dawn Rogers
Industry News
Read More