Remembering John Chrysler

Words: Dan Kamys

A longtime friend of MCAA and frequent contributor to MASONRY Magazine, John shaped the trade through decades of service, scholarship, and advocacy. As Executive Director of the Masonry Institute of America and the Western States Clay Products Association, he became the voice of masonry in California, working tirelessly with the Building Standards Commission and the Division of the State Architect to advance and protect the craft. His fingerprints are on California's modern masonry landscape in ways few will ever fully appreciate.

John's influence reached far beyond the West Coast. He served as Treasurer of MACS for many years and gave countless hours to the TMS 402/602 Committee, chairing the Construction Requirements Subcommittee through multiple cycles before leading the Main Committee from 2016 to 2022. That work produced the 2022 edition of Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures, a document used daily by engineers and the trade across North America. It stands as part of his legacy.

Those who worked with John knew him as generous with his time, sharp in his thinking, and relentless in his commitment to doing right by the industry. He believed in the people who build with brick, block, and stone, and he fought to make sure the codes governing their work reflected real craft.

The MCAA extends its deepest condolences to Debbie and the entire Chrysler family. John will be dearly missed.


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