Starting 2021 On the Right Foot

Words: Paul Oldham

Paul Oldham, MCAA Chairman

  We hope everyone was able to enjoy the Christmas Holiday, even though I’m sure it was a little different than in the past. This year our holiday was really just focused on our family.  I know we get caught up in all the activities like most do today, but 2020 definitely provided a reset.    In our office, we have been focusing on bidding work, as well as balancing the backlogged work, which was definitely a challenge for us in 2020 and now heading into 2021. From talking to competitors and other trades, that seems to be a common issue the construction industry is facing in our area. Mid 2021 is looking up due to all the hard work we have put in with the design professionals this December. In these changing times, the MCAA is continuing to look for new ways to provide benefits and resources for our membership. One example is the rebuilding of the Foreman Development Course. In 2021, the first phase of the new Foreman Development Course is coming your way. Thank you to members Tom Vacala, Danks Burton, Donnie Williams, and Jameel Ervin. This group has worked closely with the MCAA staff to develop a new version of the course that has roots directly tied to actual in-field experiences. I have all the confidence that this team has added even more real-world information to adapt and cover the new challenges we have faced in the field. We are also looking into how we can offer this course along with others remotely. The Check-Off program is a big topic for our Industry in 2021. I’m not sure as I write this when the vote is happening but the goal is for it to happen. There are many different views on this program and whether or not a program should be mandatory or voluntary. The jury is still out on that. We have seen Florida lead the idea of a voluntary program and Arizona soon after that put theirs together and are seeing success. The MCAA has supported this from the beginning and continues to support the big picture idea that our Industry needs a Check-Off program. It is our hope that if the vote should fail that the producers can come together and find a common ground on making something work. We as contractors support something being put in place. I would like to remind everyone of our Annual Meeting that is coming up February 7th thru 10th in Captiva, Florida. The rebuilt Foreman Development Course will be offered, Committees will meet, we will hold our Annual Business Meeting, and Masonry Strong Live will be debuted. Additionally, there will be golfing, networking with fellow mason contractors and manufacturers, and great weather. So if you have not registered or booked your room, please do so and we will see you in just a few weeks.
About: Chairman’s Message
PPE That Workers Actually Wear: Building Buy-In Through Education and Smart Selection
August 2026

In masonry construction, personal protective equipment (PPE) is often the last line of defense between a worker and an injury. Yet despite its importance, PPE compliance remains one of the most common challenges on jobsites across the country. The realit

Greg Brown
Safety Library
Read More
Zero Laydown: Navigating the Logistics of Tight Urban Job Sites
August 2026

In modern commercial construction, spatial real estate has become just as valuable as the materials themselves. The industry shift toward high-density, urban projects means that the sprawling job sites of the past have been replaced by tight footprints wh

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Read More
Why "The Software Can't Track That" Is Finally Going Away
August 2026

For as long as specialty contractors have used field software, most of them have kept a workaround somewhere: a spreadsheet on a foreman's laptop, a whiteboard in the trailer, or a text thread where crew leads send block counts at the end of the day becau

Erin Koets
Build Smart
MAP Partner
Read More
Monadnock Building
August 2026

Chicago’s Monadnock Building doesn’t dominate the skyline the way it once did. Surrounded by steel-and-glass towers, the dark brick structure can seem almost understated. But for anyone in the masonry industry, it remains one of the most important buildin

Cass Stern
American Treasure
Brick Clay Brick
Read More
Interested in working with us? Learn about and join the Masonry Alliance Program →