An Action-Packed Issue

Words: Bronzella Cleveland

An Action-Packed Issue

Bronzella Cleveland, Editor - bcleveland@staging1.masonrymagazine.com

As excited as I was about the warm weather, I have to say I’m ready for fall weather. It’s the absolute best time of the year. It's not just the leaves changing or the obsession with certain spiced seasonal Starbucks drinks. It’ll officially be “sweater weather” in our neck of the woods. The past couple of months the magazine team has been working hard to get the editorial pieces together for the New Year. There are so many new things that’ll be coming to you in the next couple of months. I can’t wait for you to see what we have in store. There are a lot of articles in this issue you’re sure to love. Following my note, you’ll find this month’s safety article Don’t Take Your Hand Tools For Granted. Make sure you read the restoration case study on Kent State University. Learn how barriers help to maintain the masonry on this educational facility. Our cover story features exciting news for the industry The MCAA announces the newly developed Healthcare Plan. This is monumental for the industry and has been in the works for some time. We’re excited to provide our readers with the details of this plan for mason contractors. Don’t miss out on this industry-changing news. Be sure to read the introduction to XYZ University’s research involving the masonry industry. We focus a lot on workforce development and stimulating interest in the younger generations when it comes to the construction industry. Their research will help to shed some light on the reasons behind that and more. Everyone has some sort of issue with their cellphones. It's a job in itself to ensure it survives day-to-day wear and tear. So this month we're featuring the CAT smartphones S41 and S61. You don’t want to miss our product review of these “construction-proof” phones. Following this review there's an interior uses thin brick and stone article you won't want to miss. This month’s installment of our GEN NXT series, we talked with Scaffoldmart’s Director of Marketing Chase Smith. Check out his story and plans for the near future. It’s always nice to see efforts to increase female interested in the industry, be sure to check out the Build Like A Girl article that follows the GEN NXT interview. It’s always nice to see efforts to increase female interest in the industry There is a lack of female interest in this industry, so Miron Construction Co. Inc. created this event to spark interest in construction for young girls. There’s also an update from our South of 40 chairs Brandon Hartsell and Mason Hill. See what they have in store for the upcoming months. Lastly, the holidays are right around the corner, so be sure to take a look at our 2018 Gift Guide. There’s tons of cool stuff that any mason contractor would love.
The Science of a Straight Line: Why Masonry’s Smallest Decisions Make the Biggest Differences
September 2026

There is a unique phenomenon in construction: the human eye can spot an out-of-plumb wall from 50 yards away across a crowded job site. We might not always be able to explain the exact mathematical deviation without a laser level, but our brains instantly

The Utah Masonry Council's Masonry Education Day
September 2026

The 2026 Masonry Education Day at Interstate Brick in West Jordan is bringing together members of Utah’s architecture, engineering, and construction community for a day focused on education, technical understanding, and workforce development. The event r

MCAA Upstate New York: Regaining Market Share Through Education
September 2026

The Upstate New York chapter of the MCAA was established in 2014 by a dedicated group of both union and non-union masonry contractors, producers, and suppliers who shared concerns about the declining use of masonry. T

GEN NXT: Luis Sontay
September 2026

For this month, the MCAA got to sit down with aspiring mason Luis Sontay. From taking an interest in masonry as a kid to placing 1st in a postsecondary competition, Luis’ dedication and passion for the trade is clear. Luis describes his early passion fo