Congratulations to NCMCA Past President Calvin Brodie
Congratulations to NCMCA Past President Calvin Brodie who was inducted into the MCAA Masonry Hall of Fame in Hershey, PA on September 20, 2023
On September 20, 2023, Calvin Brodie was inducted into MCAA Masonry Hall of Fame in Hershey, PA. Prior to his induction, Lynn Nash submitted a nomination for Calvin Brodie with the help of Debra Brodie and family, Danks Burton, Doug Burton, Ryan Shaver and Macy Williams. Mr. Brodie is the founder and president of Brodie Contractors in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has, and continues to be, a major figure and influencer in the masonry community both in the Carolina and across the country. Mr. Brodie will make a worthy addition to the honor roll of Hall-of-Fame members. In preparing this nomination, I invited Calvin’s wife Debra to send me information I could incorporate into this submittal. As it happens, what Debra sent to me thoroughly summarizes Calvin’s biological and career résumé. It follows.
The Beginning: An idea that started with two bricklayer, high school buddies has become one of the largest black-owned masonry companies in North Carolina. Calvin R. Brodie, graduated from Bunn High School (BHS) in the class of 1973. He was a member of the football team, ran track and was a participant in the trades program. In trades he was taught to lay bricks by instructor Mr. David Turner, whom he is still in contact with today. While in high school he and a classmate built the school’s name sign that remained until recent renovation of the campus. Without funds to attend college, he knew he would have to use those skills and his hands to make a living for himself and a future family. After graduation, he worked as a bricklayer in the industry but in 1978 he and that classmate, Aubry Vines formed Brodie and Vines Masonry. Their first project was the K-Mart on Capital Blvd. in Raleigh. Calvin became a general contractor in 1985, but in 1989, Brodie and Vines partnership dissolved and Brodie Construction was formed. During those early years, Calvin’s office was his home basement and his secretary was his wife. He managed time to take a blueprint reading class through Wake Tech. Other than the class at Wake Tech, he has not received any other post high school education. Calvin performed in every facet of his company; bricklayer, estimator, project manager, mechanic, superintendent, but his most daunting task was making financial decisions and facing bankers, vendors and creditors on behalf of his company. He often said “Brodie Construction was a baby” and it needed his attention daily. Often he would leave a project after laying brick, go into the nearest men’s room, change into business attire to meet with a banker or vendor to transact business. He credits Tick Clancy for giving him those early opportunities that undoubtedly was a key to the success of his company. Clancy & Theys General Contractors continues to be one of his most sought after GC’s for projects today. In 1992, Brodie Construction became Brodie Contractors, Inc., (BCI) and currently has over 300 employees, including masons, laborers, estimators, project managers, safety inspector, construction office staff, truck drivers, welders, and mechanics.
Masonry projects completed throughout NC:
Beltline sound barriers on US-64 in Raleigh
Sound barriers on I-85 Durham
Wake Medical Center
City of Raleigh Parking Deck
several dormitories at NC State University
St. Matthew Baptist Church
Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, Bunn, NC
Mitchell Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, Louisburg, NC
Central Prison Medical Center
NCSU Engineering Building
University of North Carolina Parking Deck
UNC Wilmington Hospital Addition
Nash General Hospital Addition
North Carolina A&T University Science Building
Cape Fear Regional Hospital
Camp Lejeune Military Base
Fort Bragg Military Base
Garner Senior High School
Pine Holly Middle School
Abbott Creek Elementary School
Scott Ridge Elementary School
Veterans Administration Medical Center Fayetteville
UNC Charlotte dormitories
UNC Greensboro Student Recreation Center
NC A&T Football Stadium press box
Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh
Bryan Rd. Elementary School
Beaver Dam Elementary School
River Bend Middle School
Green Level High School
and many other Wake County Public Schools
Professional Life: Through the years, Calvin has used the resources of his company to help with the building of the current Bunn High School (BHS) football field complex, BHS baseball field wall; and Bunn Elementary School concession stand for the recreation league. He has employed many young men, given advice and opportunities, paid tuition to truck driving school, and college tuition to deserving young people, with only one request “go make us proud!” Calvin became a member of the Raleigh Chapter of the North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association in 1985, serving as the Chapter President in 1990. He then served as the State Vice-President, Regional Vice-President, State Secretary-Treasurer, and the NCMCA President 1993-1995. He is also a member of the Association General Contractors of America (AGC) and the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA.) He has served as North Carolina MCAA state representative. Calvin has been recognized by Engineer News and Record, Masonry, and Black Enterprise magazines. He has Co-Chaired the Annual Masonry Apprenticeship Skills Contest at the NC State Fair for more some thirty-five years and has sponsored many top journeyman masons as apprentice participants. In 2008, Calvin was among the first to earn Certified Masonry Executive (CME) status in the NCMCA Masonry Contractor Certification Program. BCI was among the first firms to become a Certified Masonry Contractor in the NCMCA Certification Program. He is a member of the National Masonry Instructors Association’s“Hall-of-Fame.” In 2017 he began serving on the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&TSU) Board of Trustees and the University of North Carolina – Greensboro (UNCG) Governance Board. In 2019 he was inducted into Bunn High School Hall of Fame. Calvin has served on the NCMCA Certification Board of Governors. BCI is among the firms that have produced and maintained the most NCMCA certified employees. He was instrumental in creating the Workforce Development Initiative that NCMCA Executive Vice President Ryan Shaver conducts today, and was on the 1997 committee that hired NCMCA’s previous and first Executive Vice President, Lynn Nash. In 2021, and in other years, BCI was ranked “First” by number of employees on the list of minority-owned businesses in the Triangle area by The Triangle Business Journal. In 2022, Business North Carolina magazine, BCI was among the twenty-five excelling minority owned companies in the state.
Family Life: Calvin is the fourth of ten children of the late Granderson and Martha Brodie. He married his wife Debra, a NCA&TSU, graduate in 1985. They are the parents of: Toby (Kim) Brodie; Imani (Chris) Surratt; Ilicia Brodie; Jasmine (Reggie) Washington and “CB” Calvin Brodie; seven grandchildren, Alexandria, Jordan, Josh, Kendall, Hope, Tre’ and Hazel. In his spare time Calvin enjoys caring for his cows, chickens, hunting, a collection of deer, elk and duck displays, ocean fishing, bike riding, watching sports, traveling to a NFL Dallas Cowboys game, and playing golf, which now that he is slowly, slowing down working in the business, he plays frequently. But his most favorite time of golfing is the annual “Murdell” golf trip to Myrtle Beach, SC with about forty of his closest friends in the business. They are his competitors and colleagues, but more importantly, his friends. In recent years he has participated in several American Heart Association bike rides, but the most challenging was the “Double Bypass Bike Ride” 68 miles over two passes in the Colorado mountains in 2022. He is a life member Mt. Moriah Baptist Church where he serves as deacon, church treasurer and usher. “We are contractors, not minority contractors. I want to compete, and if my stuff isn’t any good, I’m out of here. The fact that I’m a minority, I don’t want to live on that. Legislation brought that in and legislature can take it out. But if I show up with a good product, a good crew of men, and my company performs well, the market is going to reward me. ‘Always has.” – Calvin Brodie, quoted in theFebruary 2022 issue of North Carolina Business Journal
(From Debra Brodie, April 21, 2023)
In addition to Mrs. Brodie’s detailed introduction of our nominee, I invited several of Calvin’s business associates to provide quotes and thoughts for this nomination: “Calvin Brodie came from humble beginnings. Growing up plowing farm ground with a hand plow behind a mule with his father, he took a liking to the outdoors and hard work.
“After deciding to leave the farm to start his masonry contracting business, he was denied by the banks to provide seed money for his start up as they never believed in him. That never stopped Brodie as he had his own beliefs. Those beliefs were in himself, so he started a masonry business anyway on a shoestring budget.
“Working day and night, Brodie was adamant that he would not fail. In fact, when his former partner thought he was crazy going all-in on big masonry projects, he ask Brodie, ‘What if your big plan does not work?’ In his famous one-line way he replied, ‘What if it does?’
“Against all odds, Brodie grew the little masonry business into one of the largest masonry contracting firms in the country and still is today.
“If there is anyone deserving to be inducted into the Masonry Hall-of-Fame, it is Calvin Brodie.” – Damian L. Lang, CEO, Lang Masonry Contractors, Inc., EZG Manufacturing, a division of EZ Grout Corporation
“Calvin Brodie has been a profound leader and mentor to many in the masonry industry. I will be forever grateful for the positive impact that he has made in my life.” – Macy Williams, Executive Vice President, Brodie Contractors, Inc.
“It was my great honor and privilege to be asked by friends and colleagues to prepare Calvin’s Hall-of-Fame nomination on their behalf. Calvin is a valued and trusted personal friend. He is a gentleman’s gentleman. We believe Calvin Brodie exemplifies what the Mason Contractors Association of America Masonry Hall-of-Fame is all about.”
Thanks to Lynn Nash for a wonderful nomination letter he submitted to MCAA. Much credit to you for a wonderful letter.
