When a business or association is doing well, there is always a temptation to relax and enjoy the ride. However, as anyone who has worked for an extended period in their career knows, there always seems to be some potentially knee-buckling challenge lurki

As I prepared for my 8th-grade graduation, I opened my closet and very carefully removed the shining new suit I would wear to the ceremony. I was excited and thankful that my parents purchased it, because if they hadn’t, I would have stood out like a sore

When watching a football game, it’s always interesting to first see the play live in real-time, followed by the slow-motion replay afterward. In real time, it plays out in a handful of seconds.

There’s a fabulous scene in the climax of the film CASABLANCA starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. In the scene, Claude Reins, the French Police Captain during German occupation, arrives at the airport hanger only to find Bogart had just expired

Growing up in the home of a mason contractor had all sorts of wonderful experiences for my siblings and me. My father and mother had a good thing going in their little household. They had a happy marriage and were raising four children. Mom was in charge

Look, I get it. Yes, I have gray hair, but to be fair, I first started getting gray hair at age 16. Still, there’s no denying I’m an “old guy.” I’m a baby boomer, and I’m aware that some new trends and changes our companies have witnessed in recent years

Chairman's Message: Everyone is an Influencer

Chairman's Message: Passing the Baton, Staying the Course…

Chairman's Message: January 2024

Chairman’s Message: Past, Present and Future

Chairman's Message: The House That Chocolate Built

Chairman's Message: A Better Understanding

Chairman's Message: Labor Shortage?

Chairman's Message: A Safety Culture

Chairman’s Message: July 2023

Chairman's Message: June 2023

Chairman's Message: May 2023

Chairman's Message: A Blueprint For Success

Chairman's Message: WOC 2023 Recap

Chairman's Message: A Special Night at the Museum

Chairman's Message: Winter Weather Driving Tips

Chairman's Message: December 2022

Chairman's Message: How Do Your Values Align With Others

Chairman's Message: Midyear Recap

Chairman's Message: Who Inspired You?

Chairman's Message: What You Can Expect At Midyear

Chairman's Message: Protect Your Job Sites

Chairman's Message: Staying Safe In Masonry

Chairman's Message: Masonry Is Getting Stronger

Chairman's Message: A Look Forward

Chairman's Message: World of Concrete

Chairman's Message: Starting My Journey As MCAA Chairman

Chairman's Message: Nothing is Perfect, but Compromise Has to be Done

Chairman's Message: Masonry’s Back

Chairman's Message: Coming Together As A Community of Masonry Professionals

Chairman's Message: MCAA Midyear Meeting: Memphis, Tennessee

Chairman's Message: Celebrating A Successful Annual Meeting

Chairman's Message: Examining The Big Picture

Chairman's Message: Navigating 2021 with the MCAA

Chairman's Message: Starting 2021 On the Right Foot

Chairman's Message: Overcoming Obstacles: 2020 & Beyond

Chairman's Message: Celebrating Another Successful Midyear Meeting

Chairman's Message: Supporting The CMU Check-Off Program

Chairman's Message: Looking Forward to What Comes Next

Chairman's Message: Getting the Most Out of Midyear

Chairman's Message: Moving Forward Brick By Brick

Chairman's Message: Getting to The New Normal

Chairman's Message: Staying Strong

Chairman's Message: Growing the Industry from Within

Chairman's Message: A Chairman's Introduction

A Fond Farewell: Chairman’s Message

Chairman's Message: Foresight in 2020

Chairman's Message: December Reflections

Chairman's Message: Thankful for The Little Things

Chairman's Message: Here’s to Another Successful Midyear 2019

Chairman's Message: Texas Masonry Council: The Legacy

Chairman's Message: The American Dream

Chairman's Message: Another Successful Trip to D.C.

Chairman's Message: Safety Doesn’t Happen on Accident

Chairman's Message: Doing Our Part

Chairman's Message: Preparing For D.C.

Chairman's Message: More Than a Little Luck

Chairman's Message: Show Your Love For The Industry

Chairman's Message: Looking Forward To The New Year and World Of Concrete

Chairman's Message: The Opportunities Are Endless

Chairman's Message: 2018 Mid Year Meeting Recap

Chairman's Message: Masonry's Future

Chairman's Message: Recent Updates

Chairman's Message: Masonry's Future

Chairman's Message: An Offer You Can’t Refuse

Cantarella Named MCAA Massachusetts State Chairman

Chairman's Message: A Conversation With Mike And Colleen Sutter, Act I

Chairman's Message: Sweet Tea and Grits

Chairman's Message: Spring 2017: Silica, Auctions and Policy

Chairman's Message: Things To Remember

Chairman's Message: Looking Forward

Chairman's Message: A Fresh Start

I just returned from Washington, D.C., having met with our BIM-M partners. For those who are not familiar with BIM for Masonry, known as BIM-M, it will allow those in the design community to easily include masonry in their designs. Previously, when archi

If you read my column last month, you know I reported on the success of the MCAA Midyear Meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. But since I had to write that article in the beginning of September, I was just assuming it went well. Now that it is finished, I can re

With the MCAA Midyear Meeting just completed, I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped put it all together. This was my first Midyear Meeting since becoming chairman, so I really didn’t know what to expect. There was a lot of preparat

“Movement in new direction helps find new cheese.” This is a quote from Dr. Spencer Johnson, author of “Who Moved My Cheese?” a business fable about change and opportunities. We are moving some cheese/making a change at MCAA that excites us all.

Jeff Buczkiewicz and I just left Las Vegas after a full day of reviewing venues for the World of Concrete/World of Masonry (WOC/WOM) and MCAA Convention in January. MCAA is planning some new events at new venues that I promise will be a shake-up from wha

I am writing this article on the plane from Washington, D.C., back to Phoenix — just a little five-hour jaunt. What a great time we had at the MCAA Legislative Fly-In, meeting with our legislators! Everyone was very busy on Wednesday, with meetings sched

Having just returned from the North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association (NCMCA) Convention in Hot Springs, Va., I am excited to share my experience with everyone. First of all, my wife, Colleen, and I, along with MCAA vice-chairman Paul Odom and his

Our Washington, D.C., fly-in, the 2016 MCAA Legislative Conference, is nearly here. We will be on Capitol Hill in force on May 18 and 19, telling our stories to our elected officials. They truly want to hear how they can help us grow our businesses and h

As I write, I am on my way back to Phoenix from Orlando, Fla., after attending the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) convention. Although we had just visited with the NCMA officers during the MCAA convention in Las Vegas in February, it is alw

Patrick Sauter of King’s Material Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was elected as the 2016 National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) Chairman of the Board.

After just returning from Las Vegas and the World of Concrete/World of Masonry, I can tell you I am re-energized. How could I not be after all the productive meetings, social events, and of course Masonry Madness on Wednesday — from the Apprentice Skills

It is hard to believe that my term as chairman of MCAA has come to an end, and now a new chairman with fresh ideas will step in and begin his final two-year commitment as an executive officer. I assure you that Mike Sutter and his team of executive offic

I hope all of you had a great holiday season and are excited and energized about 2016. I am sure that, in 2016, many positive things will happen within the MCAA. Let’s start with the MCAA Annual Convention, which kicks off Jan. 31.

As we approach the holiday season, or as most of us prefer to say, the Christmas season, we are busy thinking about what gifts to purchase for our families and friends. We spend countless hours deciding on the perfect gift to give, only to realize that i

So, I am on a plane heading from Key West back to Milwaukee, reflecting on our Midyear Meeting this week. The closing banquet turned out to be a social event and, due to the lay out of the restaurant, I was unable to say a few words at the end. So first,

I am writing this newsletter on my way home from attending the ICE meetings in D.C., and then going to Baltimore to attend the BAC National Apprenticeship contest. It is always good to see people like Jim Boland, president of the BAC, and Joan and Dave w

By the time you read this, we will be just a few weeks away from our Midyear Meeting in Key West. I don’t ever remember a Midyear filling up as fast as this one. I think it must have something to do with the location and all the fun activities. I am exci

I am excited because, in a month, my family and I will be in Margaretville or Key West, Fla., and I hope you and your family will be joining us. You can register online through the MCAA website. The MCAA headquarters will be the Hyatt Key West Resort and

For those of us in colder climates, there is nothing like building a fire in your fireplace. Or, perhaps, you have a fire pit in your backyard and, at night, you build a camp fire and tell old war stories. While watching the flames of a fire flicker is r

I had the pleasure of going to Baltimore for our second Regional Meeting. Not only is this beneficial for the contractors who attended, but also for MCAA. It truly gives MCAA an avenue to meet its members and non-members on a more personal level.

Last month, I said to “Be a voice, and be heard.” Well, the time is now with our Legislative Conference being held May 12-14. Do not let people in Washington decide what is best for you, your company, and your industry.

I hope everyone had a safe trip back from the MCAA Annual Convention, and I hope you are also excited about all the positive things happening in our industry. This year, we switched our main hotel from the Wynn to the Aria.

Because of the timing of this article, I will summarize the 2015 MCAA Convention in my March column. On Jan. 22, I flew to St. Louis to speak with a small group of contractors about the Masonry Foundation.