A Milestone: Masonry Strong... and MASONRY Strong

Words: Todd Fredrick

Dan Kamys, Editorial Director - dkamys@masonrymagazine.com

  MASONRY was first published 60 years ago. Not too many publications, whatever their topic, can say that. Allow me to briefly take us down memory lane with some of the initial messages from Stephen D. Raimo, then-President of the MCAA. “Welcome, too, to MASONRY, the new official publication of the MCAA… a publication designed to add strength to the industry. It is devoted to your interests and welfare. MASONRY will implement the programs of various responsible segments of our industry and disseminate the latest advancements and developments for those in masonry and allied fields.” In that first issue, which I am looking at in a bound archive, there were comments from the leaders of several related groups, including: 
  • Douglas Whitlock, Chairman of the Board, Structural Clay Products Institute
  • Frank G. Erskine, Managing Director, Expanded Shale Clay & Slate Institute
  • John J. Murphy, President, Bricklayers, Masonry & Plasterers’ International Union of America
  • D.J. Renkert, Chairman, Facing Tile Institute
  • Max H. Miller, President, National Concrete Masonry Association
  • John H. Donohue, III, President, National Association of Distributors & Dealers of Structural Clay Products
  • Robert S. Boynton, General Manager, National Lime Association
I can’t help but get a little nostalgic looking back, mainly because it helps our team refocus as we move forward. Considering it was called “MCAA’s pioneering effort in introducing the only national magazine devoted exclusively to the entire masonry industry,” it was something special. Fast forward 60 years and MASONRY is still here. The brand has evolved into much more than a print magazine. Our team is still excited by the challenges involved with strengthening and modernizing the brand. Though how we share MCAA’s message through MASONRY has evolved, the mission remains the same.  Going forward, we have tweaked the MASONRY masthead with a bit of a retro-modern look. It’s a subtle, visual way for us to call back to the past as we work toward the future. We’re excited for the brand’s next six decades. Thank you all sincerely for your support.    P.S. — Volume 1, Issue 1 of MASONRY, dated February 1961, featured The Imperial House residentia l building located at 150 East 69th Street in New York City. It was designed by Emery Roth & Sons and built in 1960 using around 1.25 million brick. Unsurprisingly, the building is still being used as a (pricy) residential space. Masonry, and MASONRY, stays strong.   dsig
Terminations: The Hardest Part of Leadership
May 2026

Throughout my career, I’ve faced a wide variety of challenges, some technical, some interpersonal, and many that forced me to adapt quickly. These days, most of my work is behind a computer in an office, but the lessons I’ve learned apply wherever I go.

Damian Lang
Business Management
Read More
The Compliance Shield: Navigating the New Standards of Field Oversight
May 2026

The modern job site is undergoing a quiet but significant transformation. While the physical act of laying a block remains the core of the trade, the environment surrounding that work is becoming increasingly data-driven. We are moving away from the era o

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Read More
PROSOCO Breaks New Ground With ICC‑ES Listing For Blok‑Guard and Anti‑Graffiti Products
May 2026

After years of pushing to raise the bar on third‑party verification, PROSOCO has reached another industry milestone, this time for anti‑graffiti and surface protection technologies.

Darcy Boyle
MAP Partner
Read More
Elevating Masonry: Old Habits, Familiar Tools, and the Real Reason Masonry Contractors Aren’t Making the Switch
May 2026

Ask a masonry contractor how they run their jobsite, and the answer probably sounds familiar: paper logs, a flurry of texts, maybe a shared email thread. It works until it doesn’t. And yet, even as purpose-built field management software has become more a

Erin Koets
MAP Partner
Read More