Apprentices show their skills during MASONRY MADNESS

Words: Calvin Brodie, Danks Burton, John Jacob, Doug Burton, Jim Zuidema, Jose Hernandez, Al Herndon, Curtis Hoover, Eugene Johnson, Gary Porter, Alonza Lewis, Milton Young, Zachary Zuidema, Kelton McGee, Miguel Gonzalez, Daniel Furr, Joshua Bourne, Lane Mullis, Kevin Kidd, Derrick WilliamsThe sixteenth annual Masonry Skills Challenge, held February 4, 2015 during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas, showed off the best apprentices our industry has to offer.

The Masonry Skills Challenge is a competition of masonry apprentices in first, second and third year skill levels. The contest is a showcase for skills training in the masonry industry, challenging winning apprentices from regional U.S. and foreign competitions to determine the top masonry apprentice at each level. This exciting competition spotlights our industry’s finest young masons and focuses attention on careers in the masonry industry.

Each contestant was presented with a project drawing appropriate to their skill level just moments before the competition began. Contestants only had three hours to construct the project based on the materials provided. The final projects looked great; the apprentices should be very proud of their three hours of hard work. The judges were impressed with the quality of the apprentices’ construction, and had the tough decision of choosing the winners.

The top-placing contestants for each skill level were:

Daniel Furr, 2015 Masonry Skills Challenge First Year winner
Daniel Furr, 2015 Masonry Skills Challenge First Year winner

First Year Apprentices

First Place

Daniel Furr
Koontz Masonry, Inc.
Lexington, N.C.

Second Place

Joshua Bourne
Foti Construction, Inc.
Wickliffe, Ohio

Third Place

Derrick Williams, Jr.
Williams & Sons Masonry, Inc.
El Cajon, Calif.

Zachary Zuidema, 2015 Masonry Skills Challenge Second Year winner
Zachary Zuidema, 2015 Masonry Skills Challenge Second Year winner

Second Year Apprentices

First Place

Zachary Zuidema
Jimmy’Z Masonry
Crystal Lake, Ill.

Second Place

Jose Hernandez
Brothers Masonry
Phoenix, Ariz.

Third Place

Lane Mullis
McGee Brothers, Co.
Monroe, N.C.

Kelton McGee, 2015 Masonry Skills Challenge Third Year winner
Kelton McGee, 2015 Masonry Skills Challenge Third Year winner

Third Year Apprentices

First Place

Kelton McGee
McGee Brothers, Co.
Monroe, N.C.

Second Place

Miguel Angel Gonzalez
NuWay, Inc.
Riverside, Calif.

Third Place

Kevin Kidd
PCC Masonry
Wapakoneta, Ohio

All winners received trophies, cash prizes, Marshalltown Company tool bags and tools, and safety kits from Beeline Purchasing, LLC. First place winners also received engraved trowels from Marshalltown Company and concrete calculators from Calculated Industries. All contestants received grout scoops from GROUT GRUNT, a mason’s pack from SPEC MIX, Inc., and additional prizes.

The Mason Contractors Association of America would like to thank the judges from across the country for donating their time and expertise:
  • Al Herndon, Florida Masonry Apprentice and Educational Foundation; Green Cove Springs, Fla.
  • Calvin Brodie, Brodie Contractors, Inc.; Raleigh, N.C.
  • Danks Burton, Pinnacle Masonry; Cary, N.C.
  • Doug Burton, Whitman Masonry, Inc.; Raleigh, N.C.
  • Curtis Hoover, Anne Arundel County Public Schools; Severn, Md.
  • John Jacob, J. Construction Co. Inc.; Cleves, Ohio
  • Eugene Johnson, Lake Marion High School; Santee, S.C.
  • Alonza Lewis, Masonry’s Best; Columbia, S.C.
  • Gary Porter, Masonry Advisory Council; Park Ridge, Ill.
  • Milton Young, National Masonry Instructors Association; Eutaw, Al.
  • Jim Zuidema, Jimmy’Z Masonry Corp.; Crystal Lake, Ill.
The MCAA would also like to thank the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC), the International Masonry Institute (IMI), and the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) for sponsoring the 2015 Masonry Skills Challenge, and give a special thank you to the sponsors and service/material donors for their contributions including:

Competition Sponsors

  • International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC)
  • International Masonry Institute (IMI)
  • Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA)

Contributors

  • AZ Best Block
  • The Belden Brick Company
  • GATORBACK, Inc.
  • QUIKRETE
  • SPEC MIX, Inc.

Prize Donations

  • Beeline Purchasing, LLC
  • Calculated Industries, Inc.
  • EZ Twig
  • GROUT GRUNT
  • Marshalltown Company
  • SPEC MIX, Inc.

MCAA Strategic Partners

  • Airplaco Equipment Company
  • Big River Industries, Inc.
  • Dow Building Solutions
  • EZ Grout Corporation
  • iQ Power Tools
  • Kennison Forest Products, Inc.
  • Mortar Net Solutions
  • Non-Stop Scaffolding
  • Oldcastle Building Products
  • QUIKRETE
  • SPEC MIX, Inc.
  • Trademen’s Software, Inc.

About the MCAA’s Masonry Skills Challenge

The Masonry Skills Challenge is hosted annually by the MCAA as part of MASONRY MADNESS™ during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas. This exciting competition highlights our industry’s finest young masons and focuses attention on careers in the masonry industry.

The 2016 MCAA Masonry Skills Challenge will be held Wednesday, February 3, 2016 during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas.

For more information about the competition, please visit www.masoncontractors.org/masonry-skills-challenge.
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