Masonry Magazine April 2000 Page. 43
Report of the President
# A Half Century of Service...
# A Half Century of Leadership
By Donald Larsen
President, Mason Contractors Association of America
I am sure that many of you remember the year 1950. A year that the Republicans nominated Dwight Eisenhower for President; the "H" bomb was detonated; George Reeves debuted as Superman; the George Burns and Grace Allen Show, the Jack Benny Show and What's My Line debuted on television; North Korean troops invaded South Korea and the United Nations sent forces to repel the invasion under Gen. Douglas MacArthur. American cartoonist Charles Schultz created the comic strip "Peanuts" and the New York Yankees beat the Phillies in the World Series. The average price of an automobile in 1950 was $1,900, women's shoes cost $8.99, and the average price of a 3-bedroom home was $8,990. But most importantly, the Mason Contractors Association of America was formed.
In 1950 mason contractors lacked the unity to face tough issues, but thanks to the leadership of pioneers such as John Taheny from Chicago; Marshall Harrison from Kansas City; John Hawkes from Dayton, OH and Walter Kirk from St. Louis that unity was realized with the formation of the only association to represent mason contractors nationally. Today, the Mason Contractors Association of America remains the only national association to represent the interests of all mason contractors.
This year, the MCAA is celebrating its fiftieth year of leading mason contractors, and that milestone is unequaled in our industry. No other organization has compiled such a record of leadership for all mason contractors like the MCAA has achieved. No other organization has faced the tough decisions the MCAA has faced. While other organizations seek to only pacify, the MCAA refuses to abandon the best interests of all mason contractors simply to make friends. This past year, as we have done all along, the MCAA has continued its legacy of facing the tough decisions and providing leadership for all mason contractors.
This past year, the MCAA again established high goals for our association to accomplish. Goals that few felt could be achieved. But I am proud to report to you that your association has once again exceeded all expectations and has delivered a very profitable and successful year. Our goals contained six basic areas which I would like to address.