Apprentices Show Their Skills
By Mason Contractors Association of America
On March 15th, the fourth annual International Masonry Skills Challenge took place inside the Tampa Convention Center during the Masonry Showcase Exhibition. Twenty-two apprentices from the U.S. and Canada showed off their capabilities for three hours of intensive work constructing a project appropriate to their skill level.
After close scrutiny by the panel of judges using ten different criteria including plumb, level, square and range, and measurements, the winners were announced by the Chairman of the event, Don Attfield (Canadian Masonry Contractors Association, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), for first-, second- and third-year apprentice skill levels.
The winners were:
1st year apprentices
First Place
Darryl McNeil, E.G.S. Inc., Md.
Second Place
John Nero, Frank Brown and Sons Masonry, Ohio
Third Place
Cruz Cervantes, Bickey Construction, Fla.
2nd year apprentices
First Place
Steve Koontz, Crest Masonry, Ohio
Second Place
Kevin Willis, L.F. Jennings, Va.
Third Place
Luke Balsingh, Masonry Builders, Fla.
3rd year apprentices
First Place
Chris Sutherland, Red Brookshire of Florida, Fla.
Second Place
Chris Coljohn, Medhurst Mason Contractors, Inc., Ohio
Third Place
Ryan Winkler, Canadian Mason Contractors Association, Ontario
The event was made possible by donations of materials and prizes from:
Spec Mix
Marshalltown Trowel
Hanson Brick
CSR Rinker
For more information about the competition, contact Melissa Polivka, MCAA Director of Workforce Development, at (800) 536-2225 or mpolivka@masoncontractors.com.
About the Author
he Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is the national trade association representing mason contractors. The MCAA is committed to preserving and promoting the masonry industry by providing continuing education, advocating fair codes and standards, fostering a safe work environment, recruiting future manpower, and marketing the benefits of masonry materials. Visit www.masoncontractors.org to learn more.
