Masonry Magazine February 2000 Page. 7
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Donald Larsen
President,
Mason Contractors
Association of
America
Fifty Years of Serving the Masonry Industry
Fifty years ago this August, visionary mason contractors from nine different chapters met to form the Mason Contractors Association of America to deal with many of the national issues facing contractors at the time. During the late forties prior to forming the MCAA, many local mason contractor associations were in existence supporting contractors, however no national organization was established to promote the mason contractors issues that those same chapters dealt with locally. What the representatives of these nine local mason contractors felt what was needed, was a national association, focused solely on the concerns of mason contractors, carrying forward nationally, those issues that the chapters dealt with so successfully on the local level. Thus the MCAA was formed.
Since that time, the MCAA has been on the forefront of many critical issues. From industry promotion and the formation of the International Masonry Institute, to providing pensions for our industry's workforce, recruitment and training as well as educating mason contractors, the MCAA has lead the industry for the past fifty years. And during the past fifty years, the MCAA, through our many accomplishments, has steadily proven our worth to the mason contractor. Many of our accomplishments go unnoticed. What is the value to a contractor when the MCAA defeats a detrimental code or standard change? What is the benefit to mason contractors when the MCAA can modify a prospective federal law or OSHA standard? What is the worth to mason contractors if the MCAA protects a masonry market? Yet that is what the MCAA does. Fight for the future of all mason contractors, often times unnoticed.
While many other associations, some even in our industry, lose sight of who they are and whom they truly represent, the MCAA has steadfastly remained focused on the needs of the mason contractor. Even with annual budgets as limited as the MCAA's, few industry associations can match the effectiveness of your association. In fact, I believe that MCAA's effectiveness rivals those of much larger budgeted organizations.
As the MCAA looks forward to celebrating our fiftieth anniversary as an association, we would like to thank all those chapters who have been our partners since the beginning. Chapters such as MCA of Dayton, MCA of Milwaukee, MCA of Chicago, MCA of Nashville, MCA of Louisville, MCA of Charleston, WV, MCA of Kansas City, MCA of Northern IN, and MCA of Washington D.C. Your continued support is our hope for the future. To those mason contractors and local organizations not affiliated with the MCAA, I encourage you to join with us. The future is filled with uncertainties. Your membership and partnership in the MCAA guarantees our future as mason contractors.
Photo below is from original MCAA formation
meeting held on August 28th, 1950 at the Grand
Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan.
MASONRY-JANUARY/FEBRUARY, 2000 7