Masonry Magazine April 2002 Page. 26
MCAA BOARD
BROADENS
FOCUS ON
MARKETING
By Michael Adelizzi
Executive Director
Mason Contractors Association of America
A larger than expected turnout of members of the Mason Contractors Association of America met at their annual meeting in the Hyatt Regency Phoenix on Thursday, February 7th. The MCAA is the national association representing the industry's mason contractors. It is the associations board meetings, such as this annual meeting, where the MCAA continues its ongoing work at expanding it's long range strategic plan which has governed the association's actions for the past two years. Roughly two years ago, the MCAA board began developing its long range 30 year plan and new management style of "strategic governance". In this new association management style, board members work closely with association professional staff to develop long range goals and strategies to reach those goals. Board meetings have become virtual on-going planning sessions on how the MCAA will impact everything from expanding our labor force, changing building codes, challenging legislation and government regulation and even how to expand the use of masonry.
During the MCAA annual meeting, members were asked to break into numerous discussion groups and to develop strategies to help the MCAA reach its ultimate marketing goal of maintain, develop and expand market share. Each group then presented recommendations on what the association should do to impact the greater use of masonry. As ideas were presented, the entire meeting accepts or rejects ideas. Those ideas that are accepted make up the association's action plan.
"I've been to board meetings for many years and frankly many of the meetings were boring. These new meetings are exciting and I believe that our larger turnouts directly reflect member's feelings that they are actually having an impact on their future through their participation at these meetings." Said MCAA Regional Vice President Ed Boettcher.
Some of the strategies that came out of the discussion groups directed the MCAA to develop a design manual for architects & engineers, greater representation at construction industry trade shows and meetings, educate customers on masonry, become more proactive during natural disasters to highlight the success of masonry structures, expand the association's website to be more promotion minded, promote masonry's advantages over competitive systems such as tilt-up and