Masonry Magazine October 1972 Page. 15
1973 MCAA Convention News
Atlanta, Ga.
February 23-28, 1973
Marriott
Hear "Know Your Competition-It Knows You"
One of the highlights of the '73 MCAA Annual Convention will be a major
address by Charles W. Miller, head of the construction consulting and appraising
firm of Miller & Associates, Inc., Atlanta, Ga. Mr. Miller will make an in-depth
presentation on "Your Competition,"
analyzing various methods of con
struction available to the market with
factual advice to members on their
competitive position as well as what
they must do to recapture markets.
The MCAA Convention will be held
in the Marriott Hotel, Atlanta, Febru-
ary 23-28. in conjunction with a
three-day Educational Trade Show
running from February 24-26.
Mr. Miller is a construction cost
engineer having attended Case Insti-
tute of Technology and Ohio State
University majoring in civil engineer-
ing. He has seventeen years' experi
ence in the construction industry in
positions ranging from field engineer
and estimator to manager of construc-
tion for a commercial developer. For
the past six years he has headed his
own consulting firm whose annual
volume represents more than $200
million worth of construction.
Mr. Miller's experience includes a
full range of projects from single and
multi-family housing through all types
of commercial, industrial and insti-
tutional buildings. Although based in
Atlanta and primarily dealing with
projects in the Southeast, he has
worked on projects in most areas of
Convention Tips
Members come to conventions year
after year and derive many benefits
from attending. But the advantages
don't accrue to them alone: attendance
is a two-way street that helps your
association as much as it does the
registrants. In fact, few organizations
could survive without them. Here are
some of the reasons:
Meetings are the lifeblood of an
association the only activity in which
all, or most, of the members can
share. They make belonging a sort of
family affair, illuminating the common
interests and the sense of identity that
enrich the bonds of membership.
Much of the association's essential
business takes place at the conven-
tion, in board and committee meet-
ings, as well as at impromptu con-
ferences and consultations. Many
Charles W. Miller
the country.
Currently Mr. Miller is technical
chairman of the Atlanta Chapter of
the Construction Specifications Insti-
tute; member of the Cost Consultants
Committee, Private Practice Section
of the National Society of Profes-
sional Engineers, and a member of
the American Association of Cost
Engineers.
worthwhile activities and innovations
got their start when a handful of mem-
bers "brainstormed" between sessions.
A convention also pays its way by
bringing new talent to the surface.
It is the proving ground where poten-
tial officers and directors engage the
interest of the nominating committee
and where future chairmen and com-
mittee members are spotted and en-
listed. Without meetings and confer-
ences, elections and appointments
would be so much Eeny-Meeny-
Miney-Mo.
Those who come regularly to meet-
ings form the hard corps, the basic
nucleus, the purposeful elite. They
are the thinkers and the doers, whose
participation and loyalty ensure con-
tinued value and effectiveness in re-
turn for the dues. But their ranks are
open, and anyone can play. The only
pass required is your registration.
MCAA SHOW TIME PAYS DIVIDENDS
Exhibits are important for their
own sake, not just something tacked
on to your convention. For best re-
turns from your attendance invest-
ment, be sure to plan your booth
inspection well ahead. Otherwise you
may be strapped for time and unable
to take full advantage of the oppor-
tunity.
Don't let other business encroach on
your attendance, so you won't wear
yourself out trying to be in two places
at once. Make the convention and
technical exhibits the sole purpose of
your journey.
You can also save time in other
ways. One is by registering as soon
as you reach the hotel. Avoid engage-
ments and appointments during show
hours except, of course, with ex-
hibitors. If someone else comes with
you, agree on which sessions and
booths each should handle to save du-
plication. The exhibitors' listings and
ads will help you decide what to do.
Here are some other tips to follow:
1. Wear your badge at the show.
Then booth personnel will know who
you are and do their best to help you.
2. If you have something special
to discuss, such as a problem involv-
ing the exhibitor's product or one
which his product seems likely to
solve, mention it immediately. Then
the booth attendant who knows most
about it will be assigned to you.
3. A portfolio with alphabetical
tabs is better than a briefcase or clasp
envelope for collecting literature. You
can file folders, catalogs, price lists,
etc., as fast as you pick them up-
and also find them faster when you get
home. Everything thus will be orga
nized for transfer to your regular
files.
4. If you take notes, don't just
write them hodge-podge on a pad. Use
a notebook divided alphabetically or
by product interest, and take pains to
jot down each note where it belongs.
The time this takes will be repaid
when you need the information.
5. Bring a supply of 3x5 cards with
your name and address rubber stamped
on each. They will come in handy for
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masonry • October, 1972