Networking

Words: John Smith Jr.

Your support and membership are key to our success. If you are reading this article and are not a member, ask yourself why.

Twice a year, we meet at our National Convention and at a Midyear Meeting; this year, we will meet in Park City Utah, Sept.12 - 15.

These opportunities give all of us a chance to sit down and discuss all aspects of our business operations. The chance to network with another member and discuss the same issues that you and they have in common is priceless. There is a good chance that someone has had similar experiences to yours, and learning from others who may have been through it before can give you invaluable experiences. You then can implement those experiences into your business.

The chance to network with another member is priceless. Image © Keith Bell | Dreamstime.com
The chance to network with another member is priceless. Image © Keith Bell | Dreamstime.com

In recruiting contractors to join MCAA, one of the most commonly asked questions is whether there opportunities to sit down and discuss aspects of my business with other contractors who are not competitors. The answer is yes, and topics I have discussed with others are far too many to list, but include personnel, equipment and contracts. In Park City, these opportunities will be highlighted and easier to do than ever before.

It is not too late to sign up for Park City. We are expecting a large crowd. This year, we are featuring our Team Awards program. This event is sure to be a Tribute to Exemplary Achievements in Masonry. We also are having the PAC fundraising golf tournament. It is a challenging, 18-hole mountain course. Please check out all the details on our MCAA website, www.masoncontractors.org/midyear.

Stay cool and have a profitable summer!

GEN NXT: Mason Paolini
May 2026

This month, the MCAA got to talk with Mason Paolini, a mason who has a clear passion and talent for the trade he has such high praise for. Read about Mason’s story and why he sees a future in this industry. Mason Paolini’s career began with a simple desi

Marvelous Masonry: Tianjin Zhongshuge Library
May 2026

It is not unusual today for masonry to be treated as a surface decision rather than a structural one. Too often, brick enters a project late in the process, trimmed back by budgets or reduced to a veneer once the “real” building work is finished. The Tian

Fechino Files: Concrete Pavers around a Pool
May 2026

Many folks over the years have placed concrete pavers around their pool as a nice form of decorative pool deck. Early in the 2000’s, I took a class held by the Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute, then known as the ICPI. At the time I attended the class

Chairman's Message: Staying the Course
May 2026

Spring is one of my favorite times of year. There’s energy in the air. Jobs are picking up. Crews are hitting their rhythm. Schedules are filling up. You can feel momentum building again. And every year around this time, I find myself thinking about con