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
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

Erin Koets
MAP Partner
Read More
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,

Steven Fechino
Fechino Files
Read More
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

Conner Birdsong
Outreach Outlook
Read More
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.

Cass Stern
Marvelous Masonry
Read More