March 12, 2007 12:21 PM CDT

Apprentices Show Their Skills in Orlando

By Tim O’Toole

The eighth annual International Masonry Skills Challenge at the Masonry Showcase showed off the best apprentices our industry has to offer. Contestants from across the country came to compete in first, second and third year skill levels. Apprentices showed their stuff for attendees, proving that the masonry industry's skilled workforce is alive and well.

The final projects looked great, and the apprentices should be very proud of their three hours of hard work. The judges were very impressed with the quality of the apprentices' construction, and were tasked with the tough decision of choosing the winners.

The top-placing contestants for each skill level were:


Roberto Lopez
Top Quality Masonry
Phoenix, AZ

Gaspar Wielman
Gentry & Painter
Chattanooga, TN

Jason Walker
Advanced Masonry
Hunt Valley, MD


Eric Orozco
SS Smith & Sons Masonry
Corpus Christi, TX

Sam Huhn
Adams Masonry
Chattanooga, TN

Elizabeth Cleckley
Baltimore Masonry, Inc.
Eldersburg, MD


Mark Brown
Liedel and Hart
Livonia, MI

Tony Woodson
Jenkins Masonry
Chattanooga, TN

Mark Ferreira, Jr.
Williams and Sons Masonry, Inc.
Lakeside, CA

All winners received trophies and tool bags, plus first place winners received $1,000, second place winners $500 and $250 to third-place winners.

The Mason Contractors Association of America would like to thank the judges from across the country for the donation of their expertise, and the sponsors and materials donors for their contributions including Bon Tool Co., CEMEX, EaCo Chem, Inc., EZ Grout Corporation, Inc., EZ Scaffold, FRACO, Harwood Brick, Lafarge North America, Marshalltown Company, MK Diamond Products, Inc., Mortar Net USA LTD., Non-stop Scaffolding, The QUIKRETE Companies and SPEC MIX, Inc.

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About the Author

Tim O’Toole is the Director of Marketing, Education, and Information Technology for the MCAA. He has a Masters in Business Administration from Webster University and has worked in the masonry industry since 2003.