Masonry Magazine April 1998 Page. 7
FROM THE PRESIDENT
New Leadership...
Same Vision
Donald Larsen
President, Mason Contractors
Association of America
Unlike political changes brought about by elections for Federal Office, the recent MCAA elections won't find drastic changes in the association's direction. A tremendous amount of time and resources have gone into the development of the Mason Contractors Association of America Long Range Plan. The course set by the plan remains steady and unaltered.
However, each new MCAA President seeks to leave their mark by focusing on various aspects of our long range vision, challenging members of the MCAA, and industry leaders to achieve new heights for masonry. I shall be no different. For several years now, the MCAA, under the leadership of Past Presidents Donald Grant, Lenny Pardue and Dick Matthews has been built to a vital and influential national association. We have carved out our rightful place at the industry table.
During the next two years, we will not only continue to earn our right at the masonry table, but we will seek to expand our influence on the direction that the masonry industry embarks on. We will also provide the leadership to achieve this new vision.
One critical area in which the mason contractor and the MCAA will play a pivotal role will be to unify the industry's promotional efforts and expand our market share against strong competitors such as tilt-up.
Historically, our industry has been splintered over promotion. Both national as well as local groups have resisted attempts to unify their promotional efforts. Union groups against non-union groups. Non-union contractors against union contractors. The industry has been bogged down in a "dog chasing its tail" syndrome. In the past, we have had opportunities to work together, but we watched them slip away. It is too important to our industry to let such opportunities pass us by any longer. I call on the leaders of the NCMA, BIA, ESCSI, NLA, PCA, TMS, and the IMI to work together with the MCAA, in a cooperative partnership, for the good of the entire industry. We must seek to do what is right for the entire industry, not just what is perceived to be most beneficial for the bottom line of a particular segment.
The MCAA will take a stronger stand toward unifying the masonry industry. We will provide the leadership to focus all resources of the industry to combat the real competition. Competition such as tilt-up. We can no longer sit by and let years of inaction or squandered resources put the masonry industry further behind and in an increasingly less competitive position. We must not be lulled into a false sense of action. Instead, we must make the hard choices, we must put egos aside and work together, unified: union and non-union contractor, national and local association, manufacturer and contractor. We must work together toward the common goal of a stronger masonry industry, or we may not have work at all.
MASONRY MARCH/APRIL, 1995 7