February 2008: President's Message

Words: Dan KamysFebruary 2008 President's Message

New Horizons

Tom DanielTom Daniel President, Mason Contractors Association of America

It was a great honor for me to be installed as the new president of the MCAA in January at the annual convention in Las Vegas. There have been so many respected individuals who have done a superb job in this position. I will endeavor to work hard and maintain the integrity and leadership that the MCAA has built over the years. I also want to thank the immediate past presidents, especially President Frank Campitelli, for their mentorship in my preparation for this esteemed position. Having served many years as a senior board member and regional VP, I was involved with developing long-term goals for the association.

For my two years in office I would like to focus on the following.

Convention

During the last year, we have made many exciting changes in the organization. We are no longer in the "show business." We have a stable schedule and have agreed to have our annual convention in conjunction with the World of Masonry for the next five years in Las Vegas. We will strive to improve the Mason Contractor show and seminar attendance.

Membership Growth

Our focus is changing to help our members, mason contractors, which, in essence, is our customer. MCAA is committed to providing programs with regards to training, education, codes and standards, legislation, OSHA, etc., to help your business prosper.

Certification

Our goal will be to help all mason contractors who want to become certified to do so. MCAA has developed this program by contractors, for contractors. It was developed not be a detriment to contractors but as an added asset for their businesses. Being certified is a recognition to show that you, as mason contractors, have taken the extra steps to be quality contractors. In many respects, it is like continuing education to show that you are keeping up with the changes in the industry.

Legislation

The MCAA will continue to have an industry presence in Washington to insure we have a voice in protecting our businesses, employees and family from legislation adverse to our needs.

I look forward to the next two years and am excited about working with the MCAA staff and our board members to accomplish these goals.

I would like to ask for your support in making the entire industry a more effective and profitable environment for all of us. Feel free to contact me with your input and suggestions through our national office.

     
About: President's Message
Helical Beaming: Your Top 6 Questions on Installation, Cost, and Limitations
March 2026

Although helical masonry beaming is still an underutilized and relatively unknown method in masonry repair and restoration, the number of questions and requests I get on this topic increases every week, which I view as promising. Helical masonry beaming i

Technical Talks
Read More
Wired for Safety: Electrical Maintenance for Fire Prevention
March 2026

Could your company survive if an electrical failure sparked a fire at your business? Electrical malfunctions cause thousands of non-residential building fires annually.1 Proactive maintenance and action are essential to help safeguard your operations.

Patrick Cunningham
MAP Partner
Read More
The Behind-the-Wall Secrets Every Mason Already Knows (But Some Ignore)
March 2026

You’ve been around long enough to know this already: stone doesn’t fail on the face; it fails behind the wall. You can lay the prettiest veneer in the county, but if the prep is junk, that wall’s gonna start telling on you after a couple of winters. Manu

Rob McKay
Technical Talks
Read More
From the Mound to the Mortar: Jon Rauch’s Tall Order in the Masonry Industry
March 2026

In the record books of Major League Baseball, Jon Rauch is a literal giant. At 6 feet, 11 inches, he remains the tallest player to ever step onto a Big League mound. But today, the Olympic Gold Medalist and 11-season MLB veteran isn’t looking for a strike

Robert Melgaard
Industry News
Read More