The Home Stretch

Words: Bronzella Cleveland

The Home Stretch

Dan Kamys, Editorial Director - dkamys@masonrymagazine.com

I just got back from the MCAA’s Midyear Meeting in Austin, and I have to start by thanking Paul and Susie Odom for their hospitality during the event. I’ve always loved Austin, but this trip was a great chance to see and experience things I otherwise may have not had the opportunity to. From the Opening Dinner and Speed Dating all the way through the Committee and Board Meetings, I felt that this was a special Midyear. Though I’ve only been to three of these, hearing about the Build With Strength campaign, the Association Healthcare Plan, and our collaboration with XYZ University energized me. Attendance was a record high for Midyear Meetings. You can read up on the events in Austin this issue.   Speaking of XYZ University, in this issue you will find their whitepaper for the MCAA. We have done our best to make it easy to read and have facts be digestible, as the information contained in there will help us to provide a roadmap for tackling generational communication and as such, the workforce development issue. At Midyear, I also had the chance to hear about Ryan Shaver’s work at the North Carolina Mason Contractors Association, and we are hard at work crafting a comprehensive piece on the strategies and tactics used there that can be applied around the country.   At the magazine, we are continually refining and honing what we do and trying to figure out the most effective ways to inform the industry. That’s why I’m excited to say that we’ve begun work on a refreshed MASONRY website for 2019. I am truly thrilled to report that MASONRY’s current site closed out September 2018 with over 1.2 million unique and 5.7 million gross ad impressions for the month. With a slight tweak to how the site looks and functions, I feel that number can only go higher. Print is king for MASONRY, but I feel that we can continue to grow MASONRY’s Digital presence.   As Bronzella mentioned in last month’s Editorial Note, this is absolutely my favorite time of the year. The cool weather makes it bearable to be outside, and I look forward to the holidays. It’s a time to refocus on what’s the most important in our lives, and a chance to sort of wind down before the New Year starts. Everyone here wants to thank you for being a reader, advertiser, or content contributor with us in the past year. It means a lot, and as we prepare to enter our 59th year, we look forward to the future of MASONRY’s place within this industry that works so hard and means so much to so many. dsig
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