Masonry Magazine October 2001 Page. 46
masonry news
NCMA CHAIRMAN ROACH REPORTS AT MIDYEAR MEETING
"As an association we've accomplished a lot, but I believe there is a downside. We haven't done the best job of telling the world about it! We can develop the best design software, simpler installations and the great code advantages, but if we don't develop the best marketing to promote these advances to the marketplace, we'll never fully benefit from our work. Without stronger marketing we've only done half the job!" said NCMA Chairman Rick Roach during NCMA's annual Midyear Meeting in Hilton Head, South Carolina, August 15-19. During the NCMA business luncheon, Roach emphasized the importance of marketing the association's programs, products and messages to further the growth of the industry. With this in mind, NCMA focused on several marketing programs during the Midyear Meeting.
The Midyear Meeting provides NCMA members and State Association Alliance members the opportunity to come together to discuss current trends in the industry and begin developing programs for 2002. Through the committee structure, programs and activities are formulated and brought to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for approval. These programs will be further developed over the next several months in planning for 2002.
The following are some of the committee activities that took place during the Midyear Meeting.
Commercial Markets
Noteworthy among the actions taken by the NCMA Board of Directors was the decision to strengthen the commitment of the association to the schools marketplace, which is projected as the strongest sustained segment of growth among all commercial building segments for the next five years. A program of editorial and advertising coverage in the leading publications of this industry will communicate the benefits of concrete masonry to the facility planners, school administrators and local, state and federal officials.
Recognizing the wide range of benefits that accrue from the Design Awards of Excellence program, the Board elected to include this in the core programs budget and extend the scope to include recognition for all market segments where concrete masonry is used-residential, commercial and landscape.
In consultation with the contract team from Washington University in St. Louis, the Board determined that the emphasis and direction of the Integrated Design Build initiative should be redirected toward the development of demonstration projects. Current work plans will focus on supporting these specific building projects with technical and commercial guidance for their success.
Technical Developments
In the technical area, the NCMA Board of Directors joined with the Masonry Industry Council (MIC) and called for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to require accountability among federal agencies in their development of standards for seismic design. MIC has warned that standards under consideration will shift the balance of costs and benefit in some buildings that are incorporating concrete masonry in the design.
The NCMA research laboratories have been charged with the task of developing a test method which will reliably establish water repellency in concrete masonry units. The test will be designed for use in field environments and construction sites.
Technical literature continues moving into the modern age with the Board's decision to continue the electronic distribution of NCMA TEKS. These materials will be available through sponsoring member web sites in September 2001.
These are just some of the many topics discussed during the Midyear Meeting. For a complete copy of meeting minutes, please contact NCMA. In addition, anyone interested in participating on a committee should contact NCMA. The next NCMA committee meetings will be held during the Annual Convention in Kansas City, MO, being held February 8-10, 2002.
ANNOUNCEMENT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NAMED FOR MASON CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF ST. LOUIS
David A. Gillick has been named executive director of the Mason Contractors Association of St. Louis, one of the oldest construction industry trade associations in the St. Louis area. He succeeds Carl J. Heumann, who had served as executive director since 1997.
Gillick has been involved in the industry for nearly 20 years and previously worked at Gillick Brickwork, a family-owned and operated mason contracting company. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with emphasis in Marketing and Management from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
In addition to running the organization's operations, public relations and educational programs, Gillick says his priorities include expanding both the membership base and the scope of membership participation.
The Mason Contractors Association serves as an educational and informational resource for anyone interested in masonry design and construction, focusing on maintaining a minimum standard of professionalism among their membership with masonry as the premiere building material.