Masonry Magazine May 2003 Page. 46
MCAA - 2003 Masonry Showcase
Review
On Capitol Hill, Marshall has been active with the Association Health Plan Coalition that is promoting Association Health Plans (AHPs) that will allow associations to pool resources to create Fortune 500-style health plans for members and employees.
The MCAA's Political Action Committee (MACPAC) was also active in a number of Senate races last year.
Training
Doug Nichols, chairman of the committee, first welcomed Melissa Polivka, MCAA's new Director of Workforce Development since November 2002, and went on to note a number of initiatives in this area.
The High School Career Initiative will be implemented this spring and will involve a direct mail campaign to more than 17,000 high schools. The aim will be to place MCAA's "Check Out a Career in Masonry" information kit in every school's career library and to follow-up with career day presentations.
Polivka will also be contacting the roughly 3,500 schools that offer SkillsUSA-VICA programs and provide MCAA's assistance in establishing a masonry program. The aim will be to increase the number of programs from 225 to 500.
The committee is also evaluating a possible partnership with The Center for Military Recruitment, Assessment, and Veterans Employment in an initiative called "Helmets to Hard Hats." The aim is to offer, over the next five years, quality career opportunities to approximately 700,000 men and women from the military who are transitioning to civilian life and to veterans' communities.
Economic Climate
The reports from the regions presented a mixed picture of construction activity. Weather has been a major factor in the northern states for most of the winter. There were also some concerns expressed about the general slowdown in the economy, particularly at the state level given the budgetary restraints on state governments. School and other institutional work was seen as a growing area in the coming year for most regions, though industrial and manufacturing sectors are likely to be lower than in the past. Residential markets were reported to have also slowed in some areas.
Competing systems, such as tilt-up construction, are still favored for larger commercial buildings. However, mold and moisture problems in precast has reduced its use except in the warmer climates.
Awards
Two distinguished members of the MCAA received this year's C. DeWitt Brown Lead Man Award: Carl J. Heumann for long service to the Mason Contractor's Association of St. Louis and Richard M. (Mike) Johnston, the immediate past president of the MCAA.
The next MCAA midyear meeting will take place in San Diego in September.
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