Chairman's Message: Navigating 2021 with the MCAA

Words: Paul Oldham

Paul Oldham, MCAA Chairman

  Spring is around the corner here in the Midwest and where will 2021 take us all? The year for us is starting a lot slower than we have seen in many years, but there seems to be work in the pipeline. December and January our company has experienced more COVID cases so far during the Pandemic combined. It doesn’t make much sense but it is what it is. If there was a time for us to have more hardship with the pandemic this is the time with our work being slower than any point in 2020. As I write this article in the first week of January, the MCAA is preparing for our Annual Meeting to be held at Captiva Island, FL. This is a change this year with the World of Concrete/ World of Masonry moving to June. The MCAA Board and staff felt it was important to hold our Annual Meeting at the normal time of year rather than waiting until June. We held a successful and safe event back in September so we felt we could do it again.  So hopefully since this article will be published after the February event, everyone that wanted to attend was able to and the event was a success. I’m looking forward to it. It's always nice to get away from the business for a few days and talk business with fellow contractors. As I have said before, it provides me with a reset and has me step back and evaluate our business and how we can improve what and how we do it. As always, I encourage fellow contractors to come and experience these meetings and opportunities. If anyone ever has any questions or wants to ask why should I attend events, please give me a call or send me an email. At the Annual Meeting, you likely received some information regarding our new branded apparel. We are excited to have a new MCAA Apparel Store where you can order items. You can find this on the website under “Shop” in the drop-down menu and then click on Apparel. The kick-off of this store is branded items with MCAA or Masonry Strong logos on them. The Masonry Strong initiative is going to be tied to many aspects of MCAA over the coming years, so support the MCAA and get some merch to show your involvement. Well, this is number 12 of 24 Chairman’s Messages. My first year as Chairman of the Mason Contractors Association of America has not been as I had imagined but the ride continues and I value the opportunity more every day.   
About: Chairman’s Message
From Day One to Long-Term Success: Onboarding Strategies for Contractors
January 2026

The construction industry is facing one of its toughest challenges in decades. Companies are struggling to find enough skilled workers while competing to keep the ones they have. At the same time, projects are becoming more complex, deadlines are tighter,

Matt Dibara
Business Management
Read More
Finding the Right PPE for Your Work
January 2026

When it comes to PPE, one thing’s for sure: safety isn’t one size fits all. The work you’re doing, where you’re doing it, and even what time of year it is, can all make a big difference in what gear actually works. Price, comfort, and job performance all

Greg Brown
Safety Library
Read More
Back Injuries: The Real Cost and How to Prevent Them
January 2026

The mention of back injuries makes mason contractors cringe, and for good reason. Masons lift heavy objects every day, all day long. When a person sustains a back injury, it is serious. It affects every part of their life, from their ability to perform wo

Zach Everett
Safety Library
Read More
Detailing for Durability: The 2026 Guide to High-Performance Stone Veneer Transitions
January 2026

Some of the most expensive failures involving manufactured stone veneer installations don’t come from the stone at all, but rather from the material transitions and flashing around it. Transitions are weak points in the overall cladding where water can fi

Jeff Tew
Technical Talks
Read More