The 69th Annual State Fair Apprenticeship Contest was held on October 16, 2023, in Raleigh, NC. Congratulations to Cade Huntley from Huntley Brothers on his win! Congratulations to all the contestants for your hard work, your craftmanship is amazing! There were 32 contestants representing 11 companies across NC. Many thanks go out to all the sponsors and all of the many volunteers. There were lots of behind the scenes help to make this contest very successful and it truly shows how strong NCMCA is.

The 22nd annual NCMCA Sigmon Memorial Scholarship was awarded yesterday at NC State University College of Design, School of Architecture. There were 12 teams of 4 students each competing in the design project and they were tasked with use of modular coordination, innovation, technical performance, and presentation clarity and quality for a masonry facade design. We are extremely excited to announce the winners pictured who earned a semester paid tuition scholarship for their masonry design project! Special Thanks to Professor Dana Gulling for all your outstanding work with your students!!

Pictured left to right: Doug Burton, Whitman Masonry, Kiley Blades, Harrison Kaufmann, Madelyn Klubert, Jori Durham, Professor Pat Rand, Ryan Shaver, NCMCA

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The 7th Annual Masonry Education Day in Gold Hill, NC was a huge success!Thanks to all of the vendors and SPEC MIX for making this day successful. Masonry Education Day was held on October 5 at Ben Ketchie Park in Gold Hill, NC.  With a total of 762 brick laid in one hour, the team of mason Grant Helms of Helms Masonry Inc. and Michael Ridenhour won the October Carolina Qualifier for the upcoming 2024 Las Vegas SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 World Championship. Grant will be making a return trip to Las Vegas having also qualified in 2023 with the “Wild Card.” The regional qualifier was part of the Seventh Annual Masonry Education Day at Stalite’s Ben Ketchie Park in Gold Hill. Over seven hundred students from across North Carolina participated in hands-on exhibits and competitions, met potential employers, and enjoyed a hotdog lunch provided by Johnson Concrete Products. In the qualifier, the team of David Kelly with tender Nick Campbell placed 2^nd and took home Top Craftsman.  Keith Helms with tender Scott Helms (both of Helms Masonry Inc.) placed third.  The East Rowan High School team of Mason Ridenhour with tender Braxton Smith won the Jr. SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500  with a brick count of 315, followed by mason Corbin Nations and tender Mark Truman of West Rowan High School in second place and the North Stanly High School team of mason Coleson Palmer and tender Jesse Thompson in third place.

Palmetto Brick team with Scott Wilson, Nick Barnes, DJ Stout and Alex Hunter are the winners of the 2023 Metrolina Chapter Golf Tournament on November 7, 2023 at Mooresville Golf Club.  Finishing in second place was Triangle Brick team with Kyle Holland, Kevin Hallman, Bruce Hallman and Clint Little.  Third place went to L & D Investments with Larry Kirby, Ron Sanders, Mark Nelson and Brian Nelson.  “Closest to the Pin” recognitions went to Bill Marsh.  Alex Hunter won the “Longest Drive” contest.  Thanks to the following sponsors:  Adams, Old Castle, Johnson Concrete, Carolina Firestop, P&D Precast, Tucker-Kirby, General Shale, Morrison Brothers, Wet-O-Wash, Metrolina Chapter, Carolina Masonry & Concrete, Lynn Ladder & Scaffold, Pyramid Masonry and Taylor Clay

McART Masonry Team (Matt Cable, Brad Moore, Kevin Neuschaeger, Erik Steuck) is the winner of the 2023 NCMCA 33^rd Annual Fall Golf Tournament in September at the Mill Creek Golf & Country Club in Mebane.   Finishing in second place, the G.E. Masonry team of Rob Haas, Bryan Smith, Bill Brooks and Jason Riddle. Third Place went to the Whitman Masonry team of Doug Burton, Bill Reed, Jimmy Wall, and Lynn Nash. “Closest to the Pin” recognitions went to Brad Moore and Chris Bruner.  Watson Snider won the “Longest Drive” contest. Mike Cook won the “Longest Putt” contest.  Brian Coleman won the “Putting at the Turn” contest.  Chairman McQueen expressed appreciation to all the sponsors including Argos USA for the barbecue chicken dinner and EZG Manufacturing for arranging the EZG Mudhog Mixer hole-in-one prize (that once again went unclaimed.) Proceeds from the tournament fund the NCMCA Sigmon Memorial Design Scholarships at NC State and Appalachian State universities.  Photo by Jodi Helms.