MCAA Holds Management Institute

Words: Dan KamysForty-two persons from nine states attended MCAA's first Management Institute held here at the Park Ridge Inn on July 20-22. Main topic of the conference was Cost and the various aspects of Cost.

The program was under the leadership of George Conomikes, Director of Business Forum, Chicago, Ill., and specialist in industrial training. Staff members were Sidney L. Davidson, Charles T. Horngren and David M. Green all professors from the Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago.

Attending

In attendance were: James Lonie, Joseph Szabo, Robert Tubesing, Joseph Anastasi, John Bastiaans, D.G. Beyer, Gregor Pichler, Fred Beyer, Percy Bilbrey, Joseph Clifford, Thomas F. Costello, Bert Dirvin, Doug Erickson, Reno Fabbri, Robert Foley, Pat Filippi, Richard Harris, Richard Lauber, Frank Laureys, Gloria Linari, George Lutz, Waldo Marolf, Walter McCann, Warren McCoy, Ronald Olson, Ernest Pisacano, John Rafferty, Al Rubin, Thomas Scott, T.J. Shatkowski, Turner Smith, Jr., H.M. Strauss, Jr., Don Stevens, Robert Thornton, Robert Butendorf, Bob Cavanaugh, Ken Oxley, R.J. DeWalle, Jerry DuFour, Ray Holeman and George Miller.

During the Friday noon luncheon, the group heard Mr. Martin Bartling, Vice President, U.S. Gypsum Co., relate his experiences on a recent trip through Russia.

Subject Matter

The Nature of Cost and Cost/Volume/Profit Relationship were the topics of the Friday morning session handled by Mr. Horngren. David Green discussed Cost Projections and Profit Planning during the afternoon session. Saturday morning's topics were Control of OVerhead and Overhead Allocations presented by Mr. Davidson. Mr. Horngren then offered Cost Records for Estimating and Markup Formulas.

Second Meeting

Planning is now underway for the Second Management Institute which will feature Financing. Tentative dates for the session are October 7 and 8 at the new Hilton Inn, Aurora, Ill.
Turning Visualization into Opportunity: How Digital Design Tools Are Supporting Today’s Masonry Contractors
April 2026

Today’s homeowners are taking a proactive approach to planning and design. Before reaching out to a contractor, many clients spend hours researching products, comparing materials, and building inspiration boards online. By the time they request a quote,

Sarah Lograsso
MAP Partner
Read More
Smarter Time Tracking on the Jobsite: Introducing Geofence Notifications and Logging in CrewTracks
April 2026

For masonry contractors, time tracking is more than just a payroll task; it’s a key part of managing crews, understanding job costs, and keeping projects running smoothly. Yet many companies still struggle with one common challenge: making sure employees

Erin Koets
MAP Partner
Read More
Outreach Outlook: Building Momentum Across the Southern Region
April 2026

As April arrives, the pace of our outreach and workforce efforts across the Southern Region reaches a new level of intensity. This is the time of year when our programs, partners, and state collaborators all accelerate at once. SkillsUSA competitions are

Conner Birdsong
Outreach Outlook
Read More
Marvelous Masonry: Elbphilharmonie
April 2026

Most people know the Elbphilharmonie for its glass façade and dramatic roofline. From a distance, that’s what defines the skyline in Hamburg’s HafenCity district. But for masonry contractors and suppliers, the real story starts at the base.

Cass Stern
Marvelous Masonry
Read More