Masonry Magazine April 1983 Page. 15
The masonry industry today is gripped by the deepest, most prolonged depression of building markets since the 1930s. For most members of our Association, this is an event without parallel-our fathers lived through a worse depression, but the majority of mason contractors now in business have not had to cope with such a severe, extended economic downturn.
Obviously, the members of our Association-and the Association itself-are heavily impacted by the over-riding fact of the current construction industry depression. There is no way that we as businessmen, or MCAA as an association, could escape the consequences of the present economic slump. Those consequences have included drastically reduced volumes of business for most of us. They have also included a drop in membership in our Association.
And yet, as we gather in San Diego for our Association's 1983 Masonry Conference, we must look ahead to the future in the knowledge that the masonry industry will revive, that our businesses will regain their strength, and that our Association once again will grow and prosper.
Construction Revival Foreseen
We cannot know when the revival-the resumption of growth-will begin, although there are some tentative signs that it will begin by the middle of this year. But we can be sure that it will occur because our two nations need new buildings, because the building industry needs the managerial skills and resources of mason contractors, and because mason contractors need the unity and programs of the Mason Contractors Association of America.
Over the past year, MCAA has acted in many ways and areas, on its own and in collaboration with others, to advance the interests of its members. I am proud of what has been accomplished, and I am grateful for the assistance that I and Executive Vice President George Miller have had from other officers, the Board of Directors, committee chairmen and members, and, indeed, from all our members.
Dedicated Committee Work
There is no better example of the generosity and dedication of our members to their Association than the work of MCAA's committees. Throughout 1982 we have had 10 committees at work developing and guiding the Association's programs in a broad and varied range.
The Constitution and By-laws Committee, Charles Velardo, Chairman, has completed its revision of the MCAA Constitution and Bylaws, and the revised documents are now in print.
A project to make available to our members the 1982 version of the "Contract Documents Manual," which is produced by the Associated Specialty Contractors Association, has been successfully performed by the Contract Research Committee under its Co-Chairmen, Gene Lee and Brad Procter.
Our Education Committee, with Carl Schiesser as Chairman, continues to develop and execute programs that help all our members. The most recent example: MCAA's "Estimating for A Profit" seminar was held in New York City this month. The Committee hopes to develop a full schedule of workshops for the remainder of the year.
The Masonry Panels Committee currently is surveying members to gather information on all types of masonry panel structures in order to create a databank from which "datasheets" may be drawn. The Committee, Chaired by Fred Daues, has now completed a "recommended practice" guide which will be published in the near future.
Co-Chairmen Dick Felice and Jim Cope of the Masonry Systems Committee report that their Committee is continuing to develop a program that can be used by MCAA members to combat competition from metal structures, tilt-up and other wall systems. The work of this Committee is off to an excellent start and is expected to produce shortly new tools for our members to use in marketing masonry systems.
Material Handling, one of MCAA's most active committees, is Chaired by Tony Luczynski. It meets as often as once a month.
LOOKING TO
THE FUTURE
By DONALD O. LEONARD
President, Mason Contractors Association
of America
This article represents the text of Donald O. Leonard's annual President's address delivered at the February 22, 1983 Opening Session of MCAA's 33rd International Masonry Conference in San Diego, Calif., at the Town & Country Hotel.
MASONRY-MARCH/APRIL, 1983 15