September 01, 2010 8:39 AM CDT

Get Involved on All Levels

President’s Message

By Mackie Bounds

I know we are all busy trying to get busy, and times are tough. At the same time, there are so many positive things happening, and it gives me great hope for the future. Each of us have already or are now making adjustments in our businesses, so we can better handle the current conditions. This also will enable us to do better when the good times come back. In addition, our association is working for us in a manner that will make the good times even better! That is all exciting!

After attending a great Mid-Year Meeting in Chicago and returning from our State Convention for the Texas Masonry Council, we still have work to do to get our message out. This is a huge task, but I am determined to continue speaking about the value that the MCAA brings to the contractor. Some of you may think you don’t need the MCAA. I have asked many of you what makes the AGC so strong. You answered that there is a local, state and national association, and they all work together.

We, the Mason Contractors, can do the same. The local and state associations are equally as important as the MCAA. Each one is able to do for us what the other cannot. The MCAA is working with the federal government on legislation to increase our market share. We are working on safety issues with OSHA, technical issues, through ASTM, workforce development, certification programs, and the list continues to grow. Our partner, NCMA, and we have information that can be used by teams around the country as we call on our city councilmen and local school board members as we grow our market share.

There is no need for local or state associations to reinvent the wheel when the information is already there. Now, if we could get every region of the Brick Industry Association to participate with Vision 20/20, things will get even better. I must say I am disappointed with the lack of participation on the national level, but, hopefully, they will decide soon to be a part of a united industry working together for the same cause.

I want to encourage every mason contractor in the country to join at every level: local, state and the MCAA, and we will be successful. Even though we do great things through the MCAA, your local and state associations can give you things that we can’t. Until we are members of all three, we will be missing valuable information. I say from my own experience here at home, the Central Texas Mason Contractors and Texas Masonry Council bring great value to us, along with the MCAA. Until next time, this old cowboy says, “Shoot for the moon and, even if you miss, you will land among the stars!”

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About the Author

Mackie Bounds is Owner of Brazos Masonry, Inc., in Waco, Texas, and has served as Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President and President of the MCAA. In 1989, Bounds started Brazos Masonry, and his first act of business was to join MCAA. He has always been active in the masonry industry. He became the first subcontractor to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Central Texas AGC and subsequently was elected to the National AGC Board of Directors. In 1995, he was elected as the first President of the Central Texas Mason Contractors Association.