Chairman's Message: Navigating 2021 with the MCAA

Words: Paul Oldham

Paul Oldham, MCAA Chairman

  Spring is around the corner here in the Midwest and where will 2021 take us all? The year for us is starting a lot slower than we have seen in many years, but there seems to be work in the pipeline. December and January our company has experienced more COVID cases so far during the Pandemic combined. It doesn’t make much sense but it is what it is. If there was a time for us to have more hardship with the pandemic this is the time with our work being slower than any point in 2020. As I write this article in the first week of January, the MCAA is preparing for our Annual Meeting to be held at Captiva Island, FL. This is a change this year with the World of Concrete/ World of Masonry moving to June. The MCAA Board and staff felt it was important to hold our Annual Meeting at the normal time of year rather than waiting until June. We held a successful and safe event back in September so we felt we could do it again.  So hopefully since this article will be published after the February event, everyone that wanted to attend was able to and the event was a success. I’m looking forward to it. It's always nice to get away from the business for a few days and talk business with fellow contractors. As I have said before, it provides me with a reset and has me step back and evaluate our business and how we can improve what and how we do it. As always, I encourage fellow contractors to come and experience these meetings and opportunities. If anyone ever has any questions or wants to ask why should I attend events, please give me a call or send me an email. At the Annual Meeting, you likely received some information regarding our new branded apparel. We are excited to have a new MCAA Apparel Store where you can order items. You can find this on the website under “Shop” in the drop-down menu and then click on Apparel. The kick-off of this store is branded items with MCAA or Masonry Strong logos on them. The Masonry Strong initiative is going to be tied to many aspects of MCAA over the coming years, so support the MCAA and get some merch to show your involvement. Well, this is number 12 of 24 Chairman’s Messages. My first year as Chairman of the Mason Contractors Association of America has not been as I had imagined but the ride continues and I value the opportunity more every day.   
About: Chairman’s Message
A Practical Guide to Modern Masonry Restoration
February 2026

THE MYTH: Masonry Lasts Forever It’s strong, yes, but movement, moisture, and time still take their toll. Common Causes Why Masonry Fails: - Differential movement - Thermal expansion & contraction - Moisture intrusion & freeze–thaw - Corrosion of steel

MAP Partner
Read More
CMU Partitions: How Much Reinforcement Is Actually Required?
February 2026

Walk onto almost any job site and you’ll find masons laying out interior partitions much the same way they did decades ago. The work looks straightforward: stack the units, strike clean joints, and keep the wall plumb. And the function of these partitions

Technical Talks
Read More
MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Episode 37 Recap: Starling Johnson, VP of Sales at STALITE Lightweight Aggregate
February 2026

On this episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Starling Johnson joins the set in Indianapolis to talk about her path within masonry, sales in this industry, and life outside of work.

Justin Stengel
The MASONRY STRONG Podcast
Read More
Masonry Restoration: Why Walls Fail and How We Fix Them
February 2026

Masonry doesn’t crack. Old brick never has issues. Every masonry wall lasts 100 years or more… right? If only that were true. Masonry is one of the most durable building materials ever used, but like all construction, it responds to time, movement, mo

MAP Partner
Read More
Interested in working with us? Learn about and join the Masonry Alliance Program →