2004 International Masonry Skills Challenge

The stage was set in Las Vegas at the Masonry Showcase on March 23rd for the fifth annual International Masonry Skills Challenge to be an exciting day of competition and apprentice excellence, and it delivered!

Nineteen contestants in their first, second, and third years of apprenticeship began the contest at 10am, and built their projects from the ground up in three hours. The biggest challenge for these young men was building a project that they had never practiced or prepared for, and building it under the precise criteria of the judges. These men met that challenge, and nine of them prevailed as the winners. MCAA congratulates:

Rey David Flores, 2004 International Masonry Skills Challenge First Year winner.

First Year Apprentices

First Place

Rey David Flores
Pioneer Masonry
Glendale, AZ

Second Place

Antonio Hamilton
Masonry Arts
Pensacola, FL

Third Place

Troy Holmes
Foti Construction
Cleveland, OH

John Nero, 2004 International Masonry Skills Challenge First Year winner.

John Nero, 2004 International Masonry Skills Challenge Second Year winner.

Second Year Apprentices

First Place

John Nero
FB&S Masonry, Inc.
Stow, OH

Second Place

Conrado Ramierez
L.F. Jennings
Falls Church, VA

Third Place

Chris Pruitt
Masonry Specialist
Chattanooga, TN

Matthew Botts, 2004 International Masonry Skills Challenge Third Year winner.

Third Year Apprentices

First Place

Matthew Botts
Masonry Unlimited
Cherryville, NC

Second Place

Jason Rentfrow
Rentfrow Masonry
Miami, OK

Third Place

Robert McGalliards
JB McGalliard
North Hollywood, CA

The help of volunteers and donations from many industry supporters made this Skills Challenge a great success. MCAA sincerely thanks:

Co-Sponsors: Lafarge North America, Marshalltown Trowel, Non-Stop Scaffolding, E-Z Grout Corporation, ACME Brick Company, Quikcrete

Contest Judges: Doug Nichols- Contest Chairman, Merritt Johnson, Lawrence Johnson, Milton Young, Scott Hitchens, Curtis Hoover, Alonza Lewis, Adam Slattery, Eugene Johnson

Materials and Manpower: SPEC MIX, Inc.; Steven Fechino of WASCO, Inc.; ACME Brick Company; Rinker Materials Corporation; Marshalltown Trowel; Kraft Tool Company