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.
Color Trends Shaping Today’s Masonry Projects
July 2026

Homeowners today are coming into projects with a lot more opinions than they used to have. Between social media, home shows and contractor sites, most customers already have a look in mind before you even quote the job. For masonry contractors, having a

Chad Riley
Stone Savvy
MAP Partner
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The New Equation for Masonry Profit: Predictable Hardware and Proven Data
July 2026

The masonry industry is built on tradition, but modern growth requires a shift from guesswork to absolute certainty. When we talk about the philosophy that you cannot improve what you do not measure, we are looking at the literal minutes and manpower lost

Erin Koets Shayne Sanders
Build Smart
MAP Partner
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Owen Heimbach
July 2026

This month, the MCAA had the pleasure of speaking with SkillsUSA First Place Winner Owen Heimbach, a young mason just starting out whose enthusiasm for bricklaying is truly contagious. His passion for the craft was evident throughout our interview.

Justin Stengel
GEN NXT
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Backfill Your Foundation
July 2026

I’ve been noticing an uptick in a very specific kind of application lately, and once you see the pattern, you can’t unsee it. The résumé usually reads like a family photo album. “Started helping my dad when I was 15.” “Worked summers, then full time.” “R

Corey Adams
Building More
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