Masonry Magazine May 1971 Page. 30
More Cities Lend Support to IMI
Thirty-six cities are currently being given special assistance in establishing financial support for the International Masonry Institute, it has been announced by BM&PIU Treasurer John T. Joyce, who serves as an IMI Advisor. "In addition," he said, "IMI has distributed guidance materials which countless other cities in the U.S. and Canada are using to have IMI included in their collective bargaining agreements."
Such agreements between the Mason Contractors Association of America groups and members and the BM&PIU call for a 1¢ an hour contribution to IMI for use in promoting masonry construction. "For our industry to move ahead promotionally, IMI needs the support of every group," Joyce said.
"Where a local or regional promotion fund is already in existence, the amount for IMI should be in addition to contributions to the local fund," he explained. "IMI cannot and will not either supplant local masonry promotion groups or control them. Even though the IMI contribution, and the contribution for the local program, come from the same agreement, they will be in an organizational sense-independent," the BM&PIU Treasurer said. "One will not be contingent on the other."
IMI Is Separate Concept
"Contractors and union members should look upon IMI as a separate concept," he said. While IMI can help the masonry industry without local programs, IMI favors effective local programs. "National effectiveness will be heightened by their work," he stated.
The BM&PIU Treasurer said local groups have two alternatives: (1) simply write into the local agreement the 1¢ contribution to IMI whether a local promotion fund exists or not, or (2) create a local or regional promotion program at the same time that the IMI contribution is authorized. For guidelines, sample agreements, and other aids, he suggested that local groups contact: Neal English, Executive Director, IMI, 823 Fifteenth St., N.W., Washington, D. C. 20005.
Regional Programs Recommended
IMI recommends that contractors and union members in small cities unite into regional promotional programs. Joyce said, "We see little benefit, and some potential harm, if a large number of small, financially under-nourished local programs come into existence. On the other hand, amalgamation into regional programs has many advantages."
He gave one example of how national IMI advertising and promotion would help locally. "If school boards, architects, and decision makers in your area are pre-sold through national promotion on the value of masonry buildings, you are going to stand a better chance with them. There's usually need for local promotion, too," he said. IMI, therefore, recognizes that each local or regional program has the right and the responsibility to set its own priorities, and develop its own programs, in accordance with the specific needs in that area.
Joyce said IMI is now stepping up its efforts to put masonry promotion materials into the hands of local groups. And the national IMI office will increasingly serve as a clearinghouse for masonry promotion and ideas, he predicted.
In conclusion he said, "IMI has been created, by a trust agreement between BM&PIU and MCAA, to do some things that up to now have not been done. It was created to work with you and for you."
IMI is governed by five Trustees representing MCAA. The BM&PIU Executive Board and Research Director serve as Advisors to IMI.
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TAGGING A RARE STONE
Charles R. Tyson (center), chairman of the board of the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, ties a symbolic "No. 1" tag on the first stone removed from the rare Egyptian Revival facade of 508 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. The historically registered art treasure, a portion of which is shown in the background, will be dismantled stone-by-stone for reconstruction as a free-standing screen for the lobby entrance of a 21-story glass-sided Penn Mutual office building on the site. Participating in the ceremony which marked the start of work on the $28 million project are Thomas Gerlack (left), vice president of Turner Construction Co., general contractor, and William Fox, project head, Mitchell/Giurgola Associates, architects.