News From IMI

Words: Dan Kamys

Apprentices Compete for ‘Top Trowel’ Honors at Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers’ International Apprentice Contest

A select group of talented, relative newcomers to the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) earned the distinction of top apprentices in eight trowel trades crafts at the BAC/IMI (International Masonry Institute) International Apprentice Contest, held in September at the BAC/IMI John J. Flynn International Training Center.

A total of 103 contestants competed in eight craft categories that included brick, cement, marble, plaster, PCC/restoration, stone, tile and terrazzo. BAC apprentices receive their training through Local Union training programs and the IMI.

1st place winners:

Darren Tobolt, BAC Local 40 Ohio of the Ohio Administrative District Council

Michael Sell, Sr., BAC Local 7 New York/New Jersey

Nikolajs Pastuhovs, BAC Local 1 Washington

Ray Lowden, III, BAC Local 9 Pennsylvania

Christos Katechis, BAC Local 1 New York

Daniel McInerney, BAC?????? Local 3 Massachusetts

Rey Barrios, BAC Local 3 California

Jesse Steger, BAC Local 11 of the Wisconsin Administrative District Council??


Sustainable Certification??

Developed by the IMI, the Sustainable Masonry Certification Program educates union mason contractors on the nuts and bolts of sustainability practices and their roles in the LEED certification process, making contractors a valuable part of LEED project teams.

The course addresses subcontractor responsibilities from estimating and project scope, to project management and documentation. It covers the LEED credits every mason contractor should know, plus green strategies like site use and construction-waste management. Contractors are tested to verify their abilities to fulfill LEED responsibilities.



The Thirty-Year Mason: Ergonomics as a Retention Strategy
June 2026

In most industry circles, the conversation around the labor shortage follows a predictable script: How do we find the next generation of masons? While recruitment is vital, we often overlook the most valuable asset already on the job site: the experienced

Acme Brick Company Releases 2026 Pocket Guide to Brick Construction
June 2026

For more than four decades, all the basics of building with brick have come in a guide small enough to fit into a pocket. Acme Brick has just released a 2026 version of its Pocket Guide to Brick Construction. And yes, it’s still printed on paper just like

Masonry in the Media: Casa Azul, Chapultepec Castle, & More
June 2026

A film’s settings can take viewers to new locations, all from the comfort of their own home. It immerses them in the scenes, whether they take place in an opera house in Brazil or a grand mansion in Mexico City. Explore how these Latin American masonry ma

Chairman’s Message: When Things Don’t Go as Planned
June 2026

Not every day in this business goes the way we planned. Some days, everything lines up. The crew is moving well. Materials are on time. The job is flowing the way you hoped it would. And then there are the other days. The ones where something breaks. T