Apprentices Rise to the Challenge
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Winners of the 2009 International Masonry Skills Challenge.
The tenth annual International Masonry Skills Challenge at the 2009 MCAA Convention in Las Vegas, Nev. at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry on February 3, 2009 showed off the best apprentices our industry has to offer. Contestants in first, second and third year skill levels throughout the country came to compete.
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 were tasked with the tough decision of choosing the winners.
The top-placing contestants for each skill level were:
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Yuvini Funes Ramero, 2009 International Masonry Skills Challenge First Year winner.
First Year Apprentices
First Place
Yuvini Funes Ramero
United Masonry, Inc.
Alexandria, VA
Second Place
Juan Cazares
P & S Masonry, Inc.
Hamilton, TX
Third Place
Jesus Castaneda
R & R Masonry, Inc.
Hollywood, CA
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Mike Momeyer, 2009 International Masonry Skills Challenge Second Year winner.
Second Year Apprentices
First Place
Mike Momeyer
Huff & Sons Construction
Scottsdale, AZ
Second Place
Nick Sapp
Adams Masonry
Chattanooga, TN
Third Place
Marcelo Lopez
Pengilly Masonry, Inc.
Stockton, CA
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Alvaro Landaverde, 2009 International Masonry Skills Challenge Third Year winner.
Third Year Apprentices
First Place
Alvaro Landaverde
Sutter Masonry
El Mirage, AZ
Second Place
Wielman Gasper
Gentry & Painter, Inc.
Chattanooga, TN
Third Place
Ryan R. Stone
Rick Stone Masonry, Inc.
Helotes, TX
All winners were presented with trophies, plus first place winners took home $1,000, second place winners received $500 and $250 was awarded to third-place winners. All contestants were provided with a Marshalltown tool bag.
The Mason Contractors Association of America would like to thank the judges from across the country for donating their time and expertise and the sponsors and service/material donors for their contributions including:
Convention Partners
- Hydro Mobile, Inc.
- Mortar Net USA, Ltd.
- QUIKRETE
Competition Gold Sponsors
- EZ Scaffold
- Non-Stop Scaffolding
- SPEC MIX
Skills Challenge Sponsor
- Lafarge North America, Inc.
Competition Donor Sponsors
- Tradesmen's Software, Inc.
- South Atlantic Lintels
Material and Service Sponsors
- Angelus Block Co.
- Crick Tool
- EZ Grout Corporation
- GATORBACK
- Marshalltown
- MK Diamond Products, Inc.
- Wasco, Inc.