Convention in April

This issue sponsored by
The Newsletter of The North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association
March 2015
Vol. 41 No. 1
See Page Three
In this Issue:
Photographs courtesy of G. Edwin Belk and John M. Hood
Convention Speakers Adams, an Oldcastle company sponsors the convention Friday morning session
featuring speakers Durham architect Eddie Belk (left) and conservative columnist John Hood, Chairman
of the Board for the John Locke Society in Raleigh.
Convention in April
The 2015 NCMCA Convention and Annual Business Meeting is just a few weeks away! Plan to join
us for the fellowship and fun this spring at Kingston
Plantation in Myrtle Beach. Mark the dates: Thursday April 16 to Sunday April 19, 2015.
The 2015 NCMCA Convention gets underway
Thursday evening with an early-bird social featuring our own musical cement man, Donnie Howard.
Friday morning, Adams, an Oldcastle company
presents our education session, this year featuring
well-known John Locke Society columnist, John
Hood, and the designer of the American Tobacco
Campus project, architect Eddie Belk.
John Hood is president of the John William Pope
Foundation, a Raleigh-based grantmaker that
supports public policy organizations, educational
institutions, arts and cultural programs, and humanitarian relief.
Hood is also chairman of the board at the John
Locke Foundation, a North Carolina think-tank that
issues reports, hosts events, produces broadcast programs, and publishes Carolina Journal, which serves
an audience of nearly 150,000 North Carolinians
through its print, online, and radio editions. Hood
helped found JLF in 1989 and served as its president
from 1995 to 2014.
Since 1986, Hood has written a syndicated column
on politics and public policy for North Carolina
newspapers. It currently appears regularly in the
Winston-Salem Journal, Durham Herald-Sun,
Gaston Gazette, High Point Enterprise, and newspapers in 60 other communities. He also writes a
monthly column, “Free & Clear,” for Business North
Carolina magazine. Hood is a frequent guest on
talk radio and serves as a weekly panelist on “NC
SPIN,” a political talk show broadcast on 28 television and radio stations.
Hood is the author of six books. He is currently
writing the biography of former North Carolina Gov.
see “Convention” continued page nine
Message from the President
Page 2
Sponsor’s Page
Page 3
NC at LV
Page 4
New Directory Planned
Page 5
Custom Brick to Host Contest
Page 5
Thanks Convention Sponsors
Page 5
Welcome New Members
Page 5
Board Meeting Report
Page 6
2015 Founder’s Awards
Page 6
Member News
Page 8
Dates to Note
Page 8
SkillsUSA Contest Planned
Page 9
Second Annual Safety Awards
Page 9
Certifications Announced
Page 10
Murdell Golf Report
Page 10
NCMCA.com
MasonrySystems.org
Page 2 NC Masonry News March 2015
Sign of a Professional
www.ncmca.com
Ashlee K. Moore, CMP, President
Koontz Masonry, Lexington NC
Robert Gates, CME, President-Elect
Gates Construction Company, Mooresville, NC
Kent Huntley, CME, Secretary Treasurer
Huntley Brothers Company, Monroe, NC
Gary Joyner, CME, Chairman
Joyner Masonry Works, Inc., Greenville, NC
Chris Bruner, CMP, Central Vice Pres.
Gates Construction Company, Mooresville NC
Doug Burton, CME, Eastern Vice Pres.
Whitman Masonry, Benson, NC
Don Caldwell, Western Vice Pres.
C & R Masonry, Candler, NC
John Cramer AAI, Insurance Consultant
TriSure Corporation, Raleigh, NC
Pete Schantz RHU, Insurance Consultant
Mountcastle Insurance, Winston-Salem, NC
Lynn Nash, Executive Vice President
Hickory, NC
March 2015
The Quarterly Newsletter of
The North Carolina
Masonry Contractors
Association
109 11th Avenue NW
Post Office Box 3463
Hickory, NC 28603-3463
Telephone (828) 324-1564
Fax (828) 324-2179
[email protected]
Andy-the-Cat Productions
Photographs by Andy-the-Cat Productions unless otherwise noted
Service Awards NCMCA President Ashlee K. Moore, second from left, was among those honoring retiring
Metrolina Chapter officers in January. Left to right, NCMCA President Elect Bob Gates, President Ashlee,
Terry Ward who served as Chapter Treasurer for eighteen years, Chris Bruner who served as Chapter
president for eleven years, and new chapter President Brandon Hartsell. Justin Bamonte is the new Chapter Treasurer and will serve with Chapter Vice President Tracy Kiser and Chapter Secretary Carson Greif.
A Word from the President
I hope everyone is staying warm! That is about
all you can do in the weather we have had lately!
Many NC masonry and associate members
were able to attend the World of Masonry and the
MCAA convention that were held the first week in
February in Las Vegas. Thanks to all of you that
participated in the events. Congratulations to
Garrett Hood of Huntley Brothers Co., Daniel Furr
representing Koontz Masonry, Inc., Kelton McGee
of McGee Brothers Company, and Lane Mullins of
McGee Brothers Company for your wins! You guys
represented NC well!
The deadline for room reservations for our annual convention is quickly approaching. (3/17/15)
We are anticipating a fantastic convention filled
with golf, social events, classes, meetings, and
much more. Kingston Plantation is one of my
favorite venues. This is the perfect time to recon-
nect with old friends and recharge for this upcoming
year. We have record convention sponsorship this
year! Thank you to all of our sponsors for making
this a memorable convention.
SkillsUSA follows right on the heels of the convention this year at the Greensboro Coliseum on Wednesday, April 22. Volunteers are greatly appreciated for
set up, judging, and clean up. May 16 will bring
our annual masonry apprentice skills contest being
held at Custom Brick and Supply in Raleigh. For
more information on either contest, please contact
our NCMCA Apprenticeship and Training Committee
Chairman Bob Gates. Both events will be here before
you know it!
Let’s make this the best year ever for NCMCA. Here
we come 2015!
- Ashlee K. Moore, CMP
President
Enjoying The World of
Masonry Lisa Norton,
Dink Mitchell, and Chris
Bruner were among the
North Carolina contingent
attending the February
World of Masonry/World
of Concrete at the Las
Vegas Convention Center.
Dink and Chris served as
judges for the SPEC MIX
Brick Layer 500.
March 2015 NC Masonry News Page 3
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works with building developers, designers and contractors to select
the best product to lock in quality control, consistency and
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Page 4 NC Masonry News March 2015
Winning Apprentices North Carolina celebrated
success in February at the Mason Contractors Association of America’s (MCAA) International Apprentice Skills Challenge at the Las Vegas Annual World
of Masonry. Left to right, Daniel Furr representing
Koontz Masonry finished in First Place in the First
Year Division; Kelton McGee of McGee Brothers
Company finished in First Place in the Third Year
Division; Past NCMCA President and NC/MCAA State
Representative Calvin Brodie; and Lane Mullis of
McGee Brothers Company who finished in Third
Place in the Second Year Division. Kelton McGee is
a repeat winner having won the Second Year Division in the 2014 contest. First Place in the Second
Year Division was claimed by Zachary Zuidema of
Crystal Lake, Illinois. Top finishers earned trophies,
tools, and cash prizes. Furr was Champion at the
2014 NCMCA Apprentice Contest in May and won the
National SkillsUSA Post-Secondary Championship at
Kansas City in June. In August, he will be competing
in the International Skills Masonry Contest in Brazil.
rolina
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Garrett Hood Competes at Las Vegas In his fourth SPEC MIX
Bricklayer 500 Las Vegas competition, North Carolina’s Garrett Hood
(left) of Huntley Brothers Company won big by claiming Second Place
in the “World’s Best Bricklayer” contest and by winning the “Top
Craftsman” award. Hood laid 723 brick compared to the 743 laid by
winner Fred Campbell of Creative Masonry, Greeneville, Tennessee. Like
Hood, Campbell is a repeat winner of the contest. Garrett Hood won
the contest in 2008 and 2010. Above, the 2015 SPEC MIX Bricklayer
500 Winners, left to right, Brian Tuttle, “Toughest Tender;” Brian Wade,
Third Place with tender Brandy Noble; 2015 “World’s Best Bricklayer”
Fred Campbell with tender Tony Shelton; and “Top Craftsman” and
Second Place Winner Garrett Hood with coach and tender Ed Huntley.
Middle photo,L-R, webcast hosts Brian Carney and Tom Clark, event MC,
interview Hood and tender/coach Ed Huntley. The SPEC MIX Bricklayer
500 is twenty-four of the top bricklayers from the U.S., Canada, and
Australia laying as many brick as they can in sixty minutes with as
few deductions as possible, competing for a purse of over $100,000 in
cash, tools, and a 2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty truck. Visit this link for
additional details and to watch the entire webcast of the 2015 SPEC
MIX Bricklayer 500: http://www.specmixbricklayer500.com
New Directory
The 2015-2016 NCMCA Membership Directory will
be distributed in August. The directory will include
comprehensive listings for all member firms including company representatives, phone numbers, fax
numbers, mobile numbers, email addresses, website
addresses and mailing and shipping addresses.
Association bylaws are included as well as information about local chapter meetings and officers. A
directory of NC masonry vocational instruction is
included. The directory will be printed on highquality stock for the best reproduction of photos
and graphics, especially full-color advertisements.
Your project or jobsite could make the cover of the
2015-2016 NCMCA membership Directory! Submit
your NCMCA/masonry-related, professional quality,
high-resolution photos for consideration as the cover
for the directory not later than April 1, 2015. Include
details. “Portrait” orientation preferred. Final photo
selection is solely at the discretion of the editor.
Congratulations to Old North State Masonry for
providing the 2014-2015 directory cover photograph.
Advertising order forms have been distributed
and are available on the web site. Deadline for ad
copy and listing updates is May 25, 2015.
Custom Brick & Supply
to Host Annual Contest
NCMCA’s best apprentice masons will gather at
Custom Brick & Supply Company in Raleigh on
Saturday May 16 for the Annual NCMCA Apprentice
Masonry Skills Contest.
Contestants will compete for cash and tool prizes
and the “David R. Sigmon” award for top score.
Last year, Koontz Masonry took the top prize as
Daniel Furr finished first, winning $500, the Sigmon
Award and a wheelbarrow full of tools.
Everyone who competes wins prizes.
Contest Chairman Bob Gates says registration
forms and letters requesting tool and cash donations
for prizes will be mailed by early April.
Contestants must be sponsored by a contractor
member of NCMCA, must supply his or her own
tools, must have proper safety equipment, and must
not have completed more than 6000 hours of training before the competition. Complete rules will be
included with the registration blanks.
A $50.00 entry fee is required per contestant.
Chairman Gates expressed appreciation to Custom
Brick & Supply and the Raleigh Chapter for hosting the 2015 event. He invites everyone to come
to Raleigh for the friendly competition, fellowship
and fun.
Welcome New Member
iQ Power tools
Lucy Martinez & Frank Wagner (A1)
Moreno Valley, CA
Recruited by NCMCA
March 2015 NC Masonry News Page 5
2015 NCMCA Convention Sponsors*
Platinum Level Sponsors
Diamond Level Sponsors
Gold Level Sponsors
Silver Level Sponsors
Convention Golf Tournament Sponsor
Bronze Level Sponsors
Argos
Custom Brick & Supply Co.
Giant Cement
Joyner Masonry Works
Koontz Masonry
Pine Hall Brick
RBD & Associates
Roanoke Cement
* as of February 23, 2015
Page 6 NC Masonry News March 2015
January Board Report
low payrolls and increased claims activity, both of
which is indicative of a weak economy and high
The Board of Directors met January 7th Greens- play for not offering affordable coverage that meets unemployment, have fueled the fire. The “capacboro. The following is a summary of that meeting. ACA standards. The penalties commence in 2015 for ity”, i.e., the ability for an individual risk to sustain
Treasurer Kent Huntley presented the financial those with 100+ FTE’s and in 2016 for employers losses has declined, and mods will increase for most
report. Total assets as of December 31, 2014: with 50-100 FTE’s. These employers will also have to construction risks to reflect that diminished capacity.
“Currently, we have 25 participating members.
$584,236.02. (Assets end of 2013: $590,053.23) deal with the same employee recruitment/retention
The estimated premiums have decreased to 1.5 milissues as those in the small group segment.
NCMCA ended 2014 with a loss of $1,133.73.
“Our biggest task in 2015 and 2016 will no doubt lion. A significant part of the decrease in premiums
In an effort to increase revenue from investments,
the board created an investment committee. Trea- be assessing the risk/reward of offering group health over prior years is the increase in OCIPS and CCIPs.
(Owner Controlled Insurance Programs” and “Consurer Kent Huntley will chair the committee that will insurance given all the factors involved.
“We continue to manage group benefits for 11 tractor Controlled Insurance Programs”) These
also include Lynn Nash, Bob Gates, Gary Joyner, and
Doug Burton. Presently, all Association reserves are NCMCA firms and hope to grow our partnership programs are pulling substantial premium away
from our program especially with a much higher
in 2015.”
in certificates of deposit.
TriSure’s John Cramer provided a written report number of larger jobs being all Wrap-up programs
Pete Schantz provided a written report on the
Association’s health and benefits program: “With a on the Association liability and workers’ compen- and not as many mainstream jobs working right
complete year of the Affordable Care Act under our sation program: “Masonry volume seems to be now. Without those pulling from our group, we feel
belts we continue to move forward to the new way of increasing slowly through the 3rd quarter of 2014. we would show upwards of 25 to 30%.
“There are signs that the market is becoming
healthcare and health insurance system in America. We are beginning to become a little more optimistic
Signups have been brisk through the open enroll- that payroll and revenue numbers for masonry more stable and that the best in class accounts might
even experience slight decreases. We expect this
ment for 2015 coverage, which continues through contractors will increase throughout 2015.
“We are cautiously monitoring the increases trend to continue through the end of 2015.
February 15th. The process has proved fairly efficient
“In 2015, we will continue to focus our masonry
in North Carolina despite inevitable confusion on in the Experience Modification Factors for all our
subsidy renewals and billing/bank draft issues for construction clients, including masonry contractors, contractors on proper documentation of sub-conas well as our other construction related accounts. tractors including written contracts with specific
premiums due.
“Given the transitional options that many em- Increases are becoming substantial for contractors risk transfer wording, verification that insurance
ployers were granted to keep the plan designs they with even an acceptable amount of frequency. We is in place correctly, and that there is no one using
had in place last year for another 12 months, the are still just estimating, but we think the average uninsured subs.”
President-Elect and Training/Apprentice Comoverwhelming majority decided against terminating increases will be a minimum of 10% to 15%, which is
their group plans in favor of the exchange options. higher than we imagined just a few months ago. This mittee Chairman Gates reported: The 2015 NCMCA
is a combination of the new calculation increasing contest is set for Saturday May 16th, hosted by
This will most likely change going forward as:
1) It is unlikely another option to “keep what the split point from $5,000 to $15,000 starting two Custom Brick & Supply Company and the Raleigh
you have” will be given for plans renewing in 2015 years ago. Additionally, the last five years of very Chapter. The NC SkillsUSA Conference and Masonry
Contest is in Greensboro April 21-23.
and the ACA plans are simply more
The NC Masonry Instructors Association
expensive for most employers.
is conducted a contest planning meeting
2) There is no and will be no penalty
in January.
for small employers (less than 50 Full
John Cramer provided a Safety ComTime Equivalents) for not offering a
mittee report: “OSHA is continuing to
group insurance plan.
have a Silica emphasis program. If
3) Familiarity of the exchanges – did
anyone in the group is tested, please
you hear nearly the amount of expoforward the results to me so that I can
sure or complaints of the exchanges
continue to compile the results, confithis year compared to last?
dentially, and we can use this data to
“However, I am not convinced that
use as a base-line that will benefit the
the majority of small employers will
entire Association going forward. OSHA
terminate their group plans in the near
continues
to receive pressure to increase
future. It is not as simple as ending
Founders Award 2015 The Western Carolina Chapter held their Annual
your plan and you save money. The Winter Social in January at Hickory. Four individuals were honored with the the number of inspections and Serious
individual plans are expensive. If you Chapter’s “Founders’ Award.” Left to right, Past NCMCA President Larry Kirby violations they are charging against
terminate your plan and raise pay, who participated in the presentations; Dennis Rowe who received the plaque employers. We encourage all our mayou may knock some employees out on behalf of his father Howard, who passed away in July 2014; award recipi- sons to call us immediately if they have
of eligibility for a subsidy. Without the ent Warren Cochran, retired from Metromont/RMC/CEMEX; award recipient an inspection with violations to discuss
subsidy an individual plan may be un- Hugh Townsend, a past NCMCA and Chapter President; award recipient Wayne their rights and alternatives.
“Effective January 1, all Contractors
affordable to some employees despite Starr, current Chapter President and past NCMCA President; NCMCA President
the pay increase. This undoubtedly Ashlee K. Moore who participated in the presentations; and C.E. Moser, Chapter will now be required to notify OSHA
would affect your higher paid, most Vice President, who also participated in the presentations. The dinner was within eight hours if there is a work
valuable employees who may look to sponsored by associate members of the Western Carolina Chapter: Adams/ related fatality on the job and within 24
a competitor who offers benefits.
Oldcastle, Boral, Essroc Cement Corporation , Gaston Rentals, Kerr’s Hickory hours when an employee suffers a work“For employers with 50+ FTE’s it Ready-Mixed Concrete Co., Inc., Kirby Construction Services , RBD & Associates, related hospitalization, amputation or
loss of an eye. Prior to this, the rule
is not as simple as penalties will be in Southeastern Concrete Products, and Statesville Brick Company.
March 2015 NC Masonry News Page 7
stated that an employer was required to notify work Great Cathedrals borrowed from NCMCA. We also Submitted, Wayne Starr, President
related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations of had several good presentations through-out the year
CCMA President Byard Stevens provided an update
three or more employees. Employers should call by Anderson Jones, PLLC, Eddie Deaver with Holcim on the CMU association’s activities. Stevens has
1-800-321-OSHA (6742) to report these occurrences. and a few others. We look forward to a great 2015 been assisting the national association with the
“This past year we had the first Annual Safety and providing more educational presentations at CMU Check-off program. Despite a strong group
Award Presentation at the summer convention. Con- our monthly meetings. Thank you, Sabrina Beck – of co-sponsors in both the House and the Senate,
gratulations to our winners of Gates Construction, President; David Troutman – Vice President; Brent the bill did not come up for a vote in 2014. There
Joyner Masonry, LPS Enterprises, and Masonry Un- Moore – Secretary; Nick Ferrucci - Treasurer
is a promise that the bill will be reintroduced in
limited of Cherryville. We plan to repeat this again
Metrolina: The Metrolina Chapter continues to the first quarter of the new Congress. No decision
this year and applications are available by
yet by industry how to proceed. Lots of time
contacting TriSure or on the NCMCA web site.
and money spent so far with disappointing
Executive Vice President Lynn Nash providresults. Close to one million dollars spent
ed a convention report. Upcoming: Kingston
by the groups promoting the bill. The CCMA
Plantation, Myrtle Beach – Wednesday April
name will soon change to the “Southeast
15 – Sunday April 19, 2015. 2016 venues still
Concrete Masonry Association” as the asbeing studied.
sociation expands to included members in
Nash provided a Central Office Report:138
Virginia and Tennessee. The big attraction
total members, unchanged since September
to the new member companies is the “Unmeeting. (67 Associate, 2 “Life,” 2 “Courderstanding Masonry” programs CCMA does
tesy,” and 67 Regular.) Four new members
for engineers, architect and construction
since September, one reinstatement, and five
managers, recently with P.E. Christina Sub“drops.” The Sigmon Scholarship fund holds
asic. CCMA 2015 Summer Meeting is set for
$10,215.38. Profit from the September 2014
July 12th to 15th at Grand Dunes in Myrtle
State Golf tournament was $11,245.60, half of Land of the Sky Christmas Breakfast NCMCA Western Regional Beach. Their September Karting Event was a
which went into the scholarship fund. A total Vice President Don Caldwell (left) and his father, Wade, were among success. “The concrete people won.”
of 503 individuals have participated in the those attending the Land of the Sky Chapter’s Annual Christmas
Manpower and recruitment discussed:
certification classes in one form or another. Breakfast in early December at Arden. Adams, an Oldcastle company No longer supporting high school programs
Chapter pledges of $18,800 received for 2014. sponsored breakfast for everyone.
systematically. Need for a training/apprenFourteen firms voluntarily pay double-dues as meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at Long- ticeship ombudsman calling on classes, teachers,
“Distinguished*” and “Leadership” members:
horn Steakhouse in Pineville. Our attendance has school boards, superintendents and other possibiliBrodie Contractors*
remained about the same with 15-20 attendees, but ties for training and recruitment. A budget of about
Cherokee Masonry*
we are shopping new venues which we hope will $100,000 annually for such a position. Possibly
Gates Construction*
increase attendance by double each meeting. The investigate what other state associations are doing,
Joyner Masonry Works*
Metrolina Chapter also voted on new officers at the including Florida’s 501 (c) 3 training foundation,
Kirby Construction Services*
November meeting. After serving as President for 11 and MCAA’s program in Tennessee. Possible funding
Koontz Masonry*
years, Chris Bruner has retired; Brandon Hartsell from the MCAA Masonry Foundation in the future.
LPS Enterprises*
was elected to take his place as President. And after Recruitment and training is lacking for folks past
Manning Masonry*
serving over 18 years as Treasurer, Terry Ward has high school age. No training in North Carolina
McGee Brothers Company*
also decided to retire; taking his place will be Justin beyond high school. Possible adult training through
Mountcastle Insurance
Bamonte. Please make sure and thank both Chris the community colleges? Other trades are taking
Pinnacle Masonry*
& Terry for their years of service to the Metrolina advantage of such training programs available at
Rush Masonry Management*
Chapter. In lieu of a speaker / program at our Wake Tech.
Triad Masonry of Lexington*
January meeting, we will hold a special thank you
High rise wood-frame construction discussed: The
TriSure Corporation
presentation following dinner. The date is 1/13/2015. Masonry Alliance for Codes and Standards (MACS,)
Whitman Masonry*
Happy Hour starts at 5:30 with Dinner at 6:30. Please which NCMCA financially supports, is exploring how
Chapter Reports: Central Piedmont: 2014 was mark your calendars and plan to attend. Finally, I the issue can be addressed with code officials. CCMA
a great year for the Central Piedmont Chapter. We look forward to working with / getting to know more and National Concrete Masonry Association are
raised good money for our chapter by having both of you within the NCMCA in 2015 as well as helping to exploring how to raise the general public’s concern
the Gun Raffle back in April and then the annual promote the Masonry Industry. Thank you. Brandon about the fire hazard of this type construction.
Danny Koonts golf tournament in June. We cur- Hartsell, Gates Construction Co., Inc.
Owner Controlled Insurance Programs (OCIP)
rently have $7,346.18 in our checking account
Western Carolina: I am happy to report the and Contractor Controlled Insurance Programs
with $1,140.72 in a savings account. We had good Western Chapter is alive and well. We would like to (CCIP) were discussed: Possibility of addressing
participation at our monthly meetings with typical welcome back our past member Dellinger Masonry concerns with other subcontractor organizations.
attendance around 17-24 people. We had a great to our fold. Our annual winter party will be held on Schedule a seminar/workshop to educate contractor
Christmas party with attendance at 39 people includ- Saturday January 10, 2015 at Catawba Springs Club members and consider possibilities for action against
ing spouses/guests. We have offered several meet- House. Thanks to all the sponsors that are helping to this disturbing trend.
ings that allowed contractors to receive continuing make this possible. We currently have over $11,000
President Ashlee set the date for the next board
education credits such as the flashing practices in our treasury thanks to our successful gun raffle. meeting as Saturday April 18, 2015 at the Kingston
presentation by Specified Materials’ George Arnold Everyone is welcome to join our monthly meeting on Plantation Convention in Myrtle Beach.
and Scott Hauser as well as the movies regarding the the second Tuesday starting in February. Respectfully
Page 8 NC Masonry News March 2015
Member News
Wayne Coleman of Gain & Well Corporation lost
his sister on Thanksgiving Day. Vernelle Coleman
Whittington was 94 and lived in Lillington.
Sam Gillispie’s daughter passed away November
28th. Cheryl Ann Gillispie was 52 and lived in
Reidsville.
W.E. Exum passed away on December 1st. Mr.
Exum was retired as masonry instructor at Warren
County High School where he taught for many years.
Christopher Privette, a successful masonry contractor member of NCMCA, says he got his introduction
to masonry in Mr. Exum’s class from 1985 to 1987
and says, “He was the epitome of the trade. For
me, there wasn’t masonry until there was Exum.”
Calvin Brodie’s masonry instructor, David Turner,
was a student of Mr. Exum. William Eugene Exum
was 89 and lived in Warrenton.
Celebrating an annual holiday tradition, McGee
Brothers Company employees and their families
baked 48,000 cookies and then filled 800 tins on
December 9th to be distributed to company friends
and customers at Christmas.
Anthony Starr, son of Past NCMCA President
Wayne Starr, will become the Executive Director
of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments
(WPCOG) January 1st. The WPCOG is a nonprofit
association of 28 local governments that provides
long-range planning and technical assistance to
Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties.
Starr had been the assistant executive director.
Harvey Sipe passed away on December 12th. He
and his brother, Richard, were in business together
for 50 years running R&H Sipe Construction Company. Harvey Lee Edward Sipe was 86 and lived in
Conover.
Past NCMCA President Red McAdams sold the
winning ticket for the Triad Chapter’s Fall Gun Raffle
to wife Cathy’s son-in-law, Chris Rhodes.
Joe Sipe passed away December 21st. Joe coowned J & N Masonry with his younger brother
Ned who survives him. Joe Neill Sipe was 86 and
lived in Conover.
Greg Huntley of McGee Brothers Company and his
family, along with brother Kent and his family, were
guests of the Cirrus Aircraft Company for the firm’s
annual Company Christmas Dinner in Duluth,
Minnesota early in December. Greg was a featured
speaker, personally thanking over a thousand in
attendance for their part in building the airplane
that allowed him to softly crash land his plane under
a parachute with no injuries on the morning of
October 22, 2014 after the aircraft’s engine stopped
running at 5,000 feet in the dark. The airplane
itself sustained relative minor damage and is being
repaired. Use this link to see a video produced by
the aircraft’s manufacturer: http://cirrusaircraft.
com/caps/ Greg, accompanied by members of his
extended family, told his story and showed the video
Dirty Santa Gene Graham,
Steve Bell, Susan Graham and
David Troutman were among
the partiers at the Central
Piedmont Chapter’s Annual
“Dirty Santa” Christmas Social
for members and guests.
at the February meeting of the Metrolina Chapter,
who were meeting at the Hickory Tavern at I-77 and
Harris Blvd for the first time. Metrolina plans future
meetings at the restaurant.
Retired stockholder and Vice President of Master
Masonry, Jerry Beam, passed away in January. During the sixties he was a masonry instructor at Granite
Falls High School and among his many successful
students was NCMCA Past President Larry Kirby.
Jerry David Beam was 82 and a U.S. Navy veteran.
Past President Calvin Brodie celebrated his sixtieth birthday February 4th at the World of Masonry
in Las Vegas and was recognized on the SPEC MIX
Bricklayer 500 live webcast. Calvin’s comment on
camera, “Keep ‘em comin’.”
Central Cabarrus High School Masonry Instructor
Todd Hartsell recently learned he has been tapped as
the Head Masonry Coach/Instructor for the SkillsUSA
International Team. For the next few years at least,
he will train and coach the USA masonry competitor
at the biannual international competition, in which,
thus far, USA masonry has never even placed. The
Europeans have dominated the masonry competition. In 2015, the competition is in Brazil August
11th to 16th. The masonry competition includes
twenty contestants. Representing the USA in 2015
is contestant Daniel Furr from North Carolina, who
you will recall, won the NCMCA Annual Apprentice
Skills Contest at Johnson Concrete Company last May
and recently won First Place in the First Year Division in the MCAA International Skills Competition
at the World of Masonry. Daniel won the National
SkillsUSA Post-Secondary Masonry Contest in Kansas
City in June.
Dates to Note
3/17/15 DEADLINE for reservations, Kingston
Plantation convention room block
3/15/15 DEADLINE for entries in the 2014
NCMCA Safety Awards competition
3/27/15 Land of the Sky Chapter Annual High
School Masonry Contest, Blue Ridge Community
College, East Flat Rock
4/1/15 Deadline for submitting project photos
for consideration as the cover of the 2015-2016
directory
4/11/15 CCBIA Cabarrus County Masonry
Contest – details TBA
4/15-4/19/15 NCMCA Annual Convention,
Kingston Plantation – Myrtle Beach
4/21-4/23/15 NC SkillsUSA Conference (masonry contest,) Coliseum – Greensboro
5/1/15 Annual Butch Hardy Memorial High
School Masonry Contest - Goldsboro
5/7/15 Caldwell County Masonry Contest,
Lowes Home Improvement – Lenoir
5/12-5/14/15 MCAA Masonry Industry Legislative Conference – Washington D.C.
5/16/15 NCMCA Annual Masonry Apprentice
Skills Contest, Custom Brick & Supply – Raleigh
5/25/15 DEADLINE for ad orders and copy, and
listing updates for 2015-16 Membership Directory
7/12-7/15/15 CCMA Summer Meeting, Grande
Dunes –Myrtle Beach
10/7/15 NCEER Construction Career Day,
Cabarrus Arena - Concord
Additional details and registration forms are always available on
the “Calendar” page of NCMCA.com.
March 2015 NC Masonry News Page 9
Contest Planning The North Carolina Masonry Instructors Association held a meeting in early January
at McGee Brothers Company in Greensboro to plan for their projects and activities for 2015. Left to right,
West Rowan instructor Rodney Harrington; NCMIA President and Greensboro Grimsley Sr. High instructor
Nathan Degraffinreaidt; Columbus Career & College Academy instructor Fred Mason; Craig Pendergraft, NC
Department of Public Instruction; and Davie County High School instructor Matthew McKnight. NCMCA
will take responsibility for set-up, tending, judging, and clean up of the Annual North Carolina SkillsUSA
State Conference Masonry Competition at the Greensboro Coliseum April 21-23. Setup begins at 8:00 AM
on Tuesday April 21st and the competition is Wednesday morning April 22nd. Members of the Carolinas
Concrete Masonry Association and BIA-SE will also participate. NCMCA members should plan to volunteer.
“Convention” continued from page one
James G. Martin.
Hood writes and comments frequently for national media outlets, particularly National Review
and its blog “The Corner.” His articles have appeared
in both magazines — such as Readers’ Digest, The
New Republic, Military History, and Reason — and
in newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal,
USA Today, and The Chicago Tribune. He’s been
interviewed by, among others, The Washington Post,
The New York Times, CNN, CNBC, NBC, and Fox News.
Hood received his degree in journalism from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where
he founded a magazine called The Carolina Critic,
which was eventually published on six university
campuses. Hood currently serves as chairman of
the Carolina Liberty Foundation, which provides
financial support to conservative and libertarian
student groups at Chapel Hill.
Eddie Belk, FAIA, is the founder of Belk Architecture in Durham. He is a native of North Carolina
and graduated with honors from the North Carolina
State School of Design. Where some see blight, G.
Edwin Belk sees beauty. He has made a career of
rehabilitating old buildings. The Rowan County
native loves the “North Carolina-ness” of tobacco
warehouses and textile mills — their bricks fired
from local clay and the heart-pine planks that cover
their floors — and how their functionality yields
form. “You can’t economically build a building today
to match these proud details and heritage materials,”
he says. “The way you can get them is to recycle what
was built by our grandfathers.”
Early in his career, while working with Ferebee,
Walters and Associates in Charlotte, he participated
in a historical restoration project in Charleston.
This project became the catalyst for the rebirth of a
six-block, under-used industrial district of historic
Charleston, and began Mr. Belk’s love affair with
historic renovation. Since that project, he has been
involved in many of North Carolina’s most heralded
renovation projects, including Brightleaf Square,
American Tobacco and Golden Belt in Durham and
Pilot Mill, and Briggs Hardware in Raleigh.
The pinnacle of Durham’s resurgence is the
American Tobacco Historic District, where restoration and adaptive reuse have transformed a cluster of
warehouses and factories dating from 1874 to 1902.
Phase one of the restoration project was launched
in 2004 and phase two was completed in 2006. The
district now comprises one million square feet of
mixed-use space on a 16 acre campus.
Jim Goodmon of Capital Broadcasting, owner of
the Durham Bulls baseball team, brought in Belk
Architecture and together they recruited the help of
restoration architect Mitch Wilds for the acclaimed
project. Architecture firm Smallwood, Reynolds,
Stewart, Stewart joined the effort as interior and site
consultants, providing finishing touches.
Mr. Belk founded Belk Architecture in Durham
in 1982, and in 1990, he was a founding member
of the Durham City/County Historic Commission.
His firm continues its dedication to “recycling our
working architectural heritage,” on projects in North
Carolina and beyond.
The Friday evening President’s Reception is an
opportunity to meet old friends and to make new
ones. Saturday morning is the Annual Business
Meeting. Your
Convention features a Saturday Spouse Event
hosted by President Ashlee Moore and Denise Gates.
The Annual NCMCA Convention Golf Tournament, sponsored by EZG Manufacturing, is Saturday
afternoon, featuring an EZG Mud Hog MH-9 Mixer
hole-in-one-prize valued at $5,495.
Saturday evening, President Ashlee presides as
we enjoy the CEMEX closing banquet and dance the
night away with Barry Herndon & The Party Nuts.
Make your room reservations direct with Kingston
Plantation using the hotel website or call (800)
876-0010. Group Code “MCA” Hotel reservations and
deposits are handled directly with the hotel and must
be made before March 17, 2015 to ensure that you
receive our special convention room rates, subject
to room block availability.
Fill out and return the NCMCA convention form
to the NCMCA office.
Download a convention registration form: http://
www.ncmca.com/PDF/2015ConventionRegistration.
pdf
Golfers should complete the separate golf registration form and include it with their NCMCA
convention registration along with golf fees included
in the total registration fee. Practice rounds are
Friday at Pine Lakes Country Club and the EZG
Manufacturing golf tournament is Saturday at
Beachwood Country Club.
Maximize the benefit of your investment in
NCMCA! Participate in the 2015 North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association Annual Convention!
Second Annual
Safety Awards
2015 will be the second year for the annual NCMCA
Safety Awards. The awards will have two categories.
Masonry contractors with less than 100,000 annual
man hours in 2013, and masonry contractors with
over 100,000 man hours.
The purpose of the award is to recognize masonry
contractors who exemplify superior safety and loss
prevention practices and have the lowest incident
of recorded injuries and loss time accidents. This
award will help promote the awareness of Safety in
the NCMCA as well as provide the winning contractors with recognition by not only the NCMCA, but a
tool to help promote their own safety culture within
their organization as well as to General Contractors,
Owners and Architects, etc.
Application are available to all masonry contractor members of the NCMCA in January.
Applicants must be a member of the NCMCA in
order to be eligible. Completed applications will
be reviewed and scored by John Cramer and Tom
Hayes of TriSure, who will underwrite the cost of
this annual award.
Deadline for entries is March 15, 2015.
The winners will be announced and presented at
the annual NCMCA convention in April at Kingston
Plantation.
N
Newly Certified
The Certification Board of Governors announced
the following new certifications in February:
Certified Masonry Contractor Boettcher Masonry
Certified Masonry Executive (CME) Boettcher Masonry, Jason Oliver
Certified Masonry Professional (CMP) Adams, an Oldcastle company, Brandon Roberts
Boettcher Masonry, Jose Rios
Boral Building Products, Ryan Fitzgerald
CityLink Construction, Juan Vargas
Concept Masonry, Inc., Fred Palmer
Gates Construction Company, Richard Hogan
General Shale, Laura Zenns
Griffin Masonry, Kory Podgaysky
Griffin Masonry, Kyle Dustin Speight
Griffin Masonry, Mike Brown
Griffin Masonry, Terry Smith
Joyner Masonry, Works, Inc. Javier Gutierrez
Joyner Masonry, Works, Inc. Ramon Sanchez
Manning Masonry, Inc., Luis Cruz
Masonry Unlimited of Cherryville,
Gerald Robinson and Jake Morgan
Old North State Masonry, LLC, Eugene Ingram
Old North State Masonry, LLC, Kevin Smith
Old North State Masonry, LLC, Tim Wilder
Steven M Hauser, consultant, Steven M. Hauser
Whitman Masonry, Juan Sanchez
We will again substitute the MCAA’s “Masonry
Quality Institute” program for NCMCA’s Module 9
and 10 classes. We hope to provide details soon.
MQI is very much the same content as Modules
9 & 10, however, it is much more specific to the
construction and masonry industry. Also, MQI is
required to achieve certification in MCAA’s national
masonry contractor certification program. Completing MQI as part of the NCMCA program accomplishes
two goals at once. For many, completing the NCMCA
certification program and completing MQI meets
MCAA prerequisite class requirements to sit for the
MCAA certification exam.
The MQI presentation will be incorporated into
Masonry University 2015, our annual opportunity
for previously certified individuals to obtain required
continuing education credits.
Watch the events/calendar page of NCMCA.com
for continuous updates of class and event schedules
and details.
Mountain Contest
The Land of the Sky Chapter will conduct their
Annual High School Masonry Contest for western
North Carolina high schools on Friday March 27th,
2015 at Blue Ridge Community College in East Flat
Rock. Contributions to the prize fund are solicited.
Registration begins at 8:00 AM and the competition begins at 9:00. For more information, contact
Chapter President Gary Kitchen outlawmasonry@
morrisbb.net phone (828) 243-9349
Page 10 NC Masonry News March 2015
A New Name
for CCMA
Beginning April 1, 2015 the Carolinas Concrete
Masonry Association (CCMA) will become the Southeast Concrete Masonry Association (SCMA.)
CCMA/SCMA President Byrad Stevens says, “After
almost seventy years of being the Carolinas trade
association representing concrete masonry industry
and concrete construction, we have seen a need
to expand our efforts into the surrounding states
of Tennessee and Virginia. Increasing the public
awareness of load bearing masonry and masonry
systems has been a driving force in the decision
by the CCMA Board to expand our footprint and
promotional efforts.”
CCMA membership is composed of concrete block
plants and companies who supply aggregates, cement, mortar mix, equipment, admixtures, materials
and services to block producers. CCMA has a close
affiliation with the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA.)
CCMA was formed in 1981 with the consolidation
of the North Carolina Concrete Masonry Association, which began in 1946, and the South Carolina
Concrete Masonry Association, chartered in 1954.
CCMA is based in Mooresville, NC.
For more information, visit the CCMA website
http://www.ccmaonline.com
This Issue Sponsored by
See more pictures from
NCMCA events and
activities linked at the
NCMCA.com News page
Cabarrus Skills Contest
The Annual Cabarrus County Building IndustryAssociation (CCBIA) Construction Skills Contest is
Saturday April 11th. Winners from previous CCBIAmasonry competitions have gone on to be state and
national champions.
Details: Saturday, April 11, 2015, Lowe’s Parking Lot, 8670 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord 28027.
Registration begins at 8:00 and the competition
begins at 9:00.
Sponsors are solicited. Contact Ann at ann@
ccbia.org (704) 792-1133.
Raleigh Golf Tournament Once again, everyone not only survived, but in fact enjoyed the Annual Raleigh
Chapter Three-Day Murdell Golf Tournament & Bus Tour to South Carolina’s Grand Strand. Some sixty
individuals participated the weekend of January 17th in mostly very pleasant weather conditions. 2015
marks the 27th year of the Raleigh Golf Tournament and the 16th year for the Myrtle Beach trip. Since its
inception, the beach tournament has raised more than $52,000, all devoted to the cause of promoting masonry. The 2015 champion team set a new tournament record for low score. Pictured left to right, Raleigh
Chapter President Ron Williams presents the traveling trophy; team members Steve Frazier and Lee Amick;
Golf Co-Chair Doug Burton; team member Sheryle Crocker; Golf Co-Chair Danks Burton; and team member
Greg Hicks. Sponsors: Author & Burton Amalgamated, P & D Precast, White Cap Supply, Oldcastle, Brodie
Contractors, Crocker & Reed LLC, Tucker-Kirby Company, Essroc Cement, Brady Hurley, Dick Moehring,
Triangle Brick, Argos Cement, Roanoke Cement, Custom Brick & Supply Company, and Thomas Concrete.