RMMI News & Events

Words: Ann WolterThe Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute (RMMI) recently held its annual bricklaying contest for high school juniors and seniors at Warren Tech in Lakewood, Colo. Separated into class divisions, students competed for awards and prizes by building a wall using blueprints. Judges from RMMI member companies, such as Berich Masonry, scored the participants on level, plumb, square and range, and measurements. Threewit-Cooper Cement Company and Colorado Scaffolding and Equipment Company donated cash prizes and masons tools for the top competitors. Also, 12 students graduating from the school's masonry program were evaluated for entry-level positions with RMMI member companies.

Linda Riney was recently selected to serve as the RMMI Member Services director. In that capacity, Riney will visit member companies, arrange member networking evenings, organize certification courses and Lunch-n-Learn seminars, lead the Work Safe and workers' compensation programs, and attend to the professional needs of more than 100 member companies.

Riney's background includes more than 20 years experience in management, finance, real estate, insurance and mutual funds. She developed her management skills by participating in programs such as Six Sigma with GE Capital. Riney established an automobile credit division with GE Capital and launched the first Land Home division in Colorado with Green Tree Financial Services Inc., allowing manufactured housing to be affixed to real property.

The inaugural RMMI Clays for Masonry event will be held at Kiowa Creek, near Bennett, Colo., on July 14. The sporting clays event is expected to be a popular fundraiser for the promotion and education programs RMMI offers. Tickets are $100. Contact Executive Director Larisa LaBrant at larisa@rmmi.org or (303) 893-3838 if you would like to participate.

The RMMI Lunch-n-Learn free monthly brown bag seminars continue to increase in popularity. This year, RMMI is offering two new seminars for municipal planners and elected officials, as well as the usual crowd of architects and engineers. The June and December Lunch-n-Learns will address Total Masonry Construction and the 2003 International Building Code. All RMMI events are listed on the website at www.rmmi.org.

Argo Community High School Performing Arts Center
July 2026

Argo Community High School is located in Summit, Illinois, just southwest of Chicago’s Midway Airport. In 2016, the Argo Community High School Board of Education and the school’s administration undertook the construction of a new performing

Masonry as the Standard: Delivering Strength, Durability, and Permanence at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs
July 2026

The replacement of First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs serves as a clear example of masonry’s ability to deliver long-term durability, structural integrity, and architectural permanence in worship facility construction. Following the tragic events

Designing Masonry Openings Without Compromising Aesthetics
July 2026

One of masonry's greatest strengths is its ability to create visually striking architecture. From arches and deep reveals to decorative brick detailing, masonry provides texture, depth, and character that continue to inspire architects today. As buildin

Restoring the Breath of the Building: The Life-Saving Science Behind Historic Masonry Repairs
July 2026

When I first set out to become a historic preservation and restoration mason, I imagined that most of my trade would involve repairing the effects of old age. Instead, 99 percent of my work is attempting to stabilize and reverse damage caused by recent an