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OUR SPONSORS

Columbia Machine, Inc.

Concrete Block Insulating Systems, Inc.

Ideal Concrete Block Co., Inc.

Medway Block Company

Norlite Corporation

Sandell^âManufacturing Co., Inc.

Golf Outing Registration — LAST CALL!

This years NECMA Annual Golf Outing will take place on Wednesday, June 23^rd at Wentworth Hills Golf Club in Plainville, MA.  Join us for this great event.  With the move to Wentworth this year we will also be changing to a morning start so plan your day accordingly.  More information and a registration form can be found here.

This event also offers a great opportunity to promote your products and services to our members and other attendees.  If you would like more information on sponsorship opportunities, click here.

Fall Exposition & Education Day Being Planned for October 14, 2010

As mentioned above, we’re busy.  One of the projects on the table right now is a Fall 2010 Exposition & Education Day.  This event will include opportunities to exhibit for our members and others and will focus on attracting an audience of architects, hardscape architects, and engineers and will offer continuing education credits.  We have finalized the site selection (Holiday Inn. Taunton, MA & speaker recruitment and are pleased to announce this exciting event will take place on Thursday, October 14, 2010.  More information will be available soon but members will want to act quickly when contacted about exhibiting opportunities as they are sure to go quickly.

Permeable Paver Research Project Moving Forward

Another project on our check list is the installation of a permeable paver research lot at the Stormwater Research Center of the University of New Hampshire.  Work on this important effort began in earnest a year or so ago and recently accelerated with the coordination of multiple funding sources.  Work by the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute & its Foundation to bring together additional supporters has been successful and installation is now expected to take place in mid-summer.  NECMA member Larry Nicolai of Ideal has been very active in helping to move this project forward and we look forward to both the installation and the opportunities this research will offer in the way of promotion of permeable pavers.  Stay tuned for more updates coming soon.

Park Ave. Cement Block Hosts Education Day

More than 45 architects & building officials gathered for breakfast and education sessions at Chelos Restaurant in Warwick, RI on April 6^th.  Sponsored by Park Ave., this program included informative, AIA-accredited courses presented by NECMA member companies. 

Leading off the morning was Larry Nicolai, Senior Vice President at Ideal Concrete Block / Pavers by Ideal, discussing the use and installation of permeable pavers.  Mr. Nicolai, a founding member of the Interlocking Concrete Paver Institute,

Dave Nickerson, CEO of CBIS Korfil, detailed the benefits

of concrete masonry with regards to energy performance.

detailed the design and critical importance of base preparation.  He also illustrated potential applications for permeable pavers and discussed the on-going research effort at Jordan Cove in Connecticut.  The upcoming permeable paver installation and research project being planned at the University of New Hampshire Stormwater Research Center was also previewed (see related story above).  

Wrapping up the morning was Dave Nickerson of Concrete Block Insulating Systems discussing the thermal performance of concrete block walls and the related energy benefits available from this type of construction.  Included in this informative and interactive presentation was discussion of the COMcheck™ software which can be used to perform energy and R-value analysis during the design process for masonry buildings and to meeting the current building code requirements.  COMcheck™ is a free software program available from the U.S. Department of Energy and can be downloaded from:  http://www.energycodes.gov/comcheck/download.stm. 

 In addition to the presentations listed, attendees enjoyed an opportunity review products and information exhibited by Park Ave. Ideal Concrete Block and the New England Concrete Masonry Association. 

Joe Parisi of Park Ave. Cement Block Retires

Tony Pezza, President of Park Ave. recently announced the retirement of Mr. Parisi effective June 1, 2010.  In making the announcement Mr. Pezza commented: “Joe has been a devoted and loyal salesman for our company for the past 19 years.  We all will miss Joe, who has always acted professionally in representing Park Ave. Cement Block., Inc, and has been an important part of our corporation.  We wish Joe and his wife, Linda, the very best in their retirement.”  NECMA members and staff echo those wishes.  

San Antonio Hosts ICON Expo

This year’s annual NCMA Conference & ICON Expo took place in mid-March in San Antonio, Texas and featured a full schedule of committee meetings and educational sessions.  Of primary importance at this event was discussion of the VISION 2020 program launched last year to encourage local promotion teams to work for changes in local ordinances as a way to encourage use of masonry products.  A joint program developed with the Mason Contractors Association of American, VISION 2020 is gaining support from national, regional and local organizations.  Leaders from MCAA participated in the training programs held in San Antonio as well as the Town Hall discussions of the program.

On the local front, NECMA is undertaking a pilot program under the VISION 2020 banner.  For a number of years state funding for school construction in Massachusetts has been difficult to come by.  That situation has recently changed a bit and a number of new schools are in various stages of development and funding approval.  One of those projects is located in the home town of NECMA Corporate Headquarters.  The resources of NECMA have been offered to the design team and school building committee in an effort to encourage the use of concrete masonry and hardscape products.  Watch for more updates on this effort in coming issues of NECMA ENews.  

Jeff McCarroll, D & M Welding Company, at  ICON Expo. 

D&M has been a member of NECMA for more then 15 years.

Members Join NECMA & NE/NY FSCAC in Exhibiting Before Building Officials

The recent Eastern States Building Officials Federation 61^st Annual Conference held in Newport, RI in early April offered a multitude of opportunities for promotion of our products.  Sponsored jointly by NEMCA and the New England/New York Fire Safety Construction Advisory Council our display area featured a variety of materials promoting concrete masonry and fire safe concrete construction.  In addition, CBIS Korfil & Ideal Concrete Block participated in this event and helped to man the booth throughout the day.  More than 100 building officials from throughout New England and New York took part in this 4 day educational event.  As is often the case, much was learned by the attendees as they visited the booth but even more was learned by those manning the booth, including a great conversation over lunch about pending and upcoming building projects that might just end up using concrete blocks and/or pavers!  Thanks to Jeff Nickerson of CBIS & Wally Card of Ideal for supporting this promotional effort.

IMI Masonry Day Attracts Over 300

On April 12^th more than 300 architects, designers, building officials and engineers attended the Masonry Day Educational Conference and Trade Show sponsored by the International Masonry Institute at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cromwell, CT.  This full day event featured AIA-CES certified courses on masonry construction and design.  In addition, more than 40 firms were on display on the exhibit floor, including the following NECMA members:

A.Jandris & Sons

Ideal Concrete Block Company

Seacoast Masonry Supply

W.R. Grace & Co.

York Manufacturing

MTTA Competition Dominated by Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School!

More than 60 students from 7 vocational schools in Massachusetts journeyed to Whittier Regional Vocational High School in Haverhill, MA to participate in the annual masonry & hardscapes competition sponsored by the Massachusetts Trowel Trades Association on May 12^th.  The weather cooperated again and the event went off without a hitch.  Students competed within their grade level by constructing a cavity wall project and were judged by masons and instructors from non-competing schools.  Competition also took place for 3 person teams building small hardscape projects featuring pavers and segmental retaining wall block. 

In a remarkable display, students from Montachusett swept 8 out of 12 of the masonry prizes awarded and 2 of 3 of the top positions in the hardscape teams competition.  Students from this school also won the top three spots at the recently completed state SkillsUSA competition held at the end of April.  The team from Monty also placed first in the Team Build event at SkillsUSA this year. 

Schools competing this year at the MTTA event included:

Bay Path Vocational Technical High School

Greater Lowell Technical High School

Montachusett Reg. Vocational Technical School

North Shore Technical High School

Shawsheen Valley Vocational Technical

Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School

Whittier Regional Vocational

Congratulations to Mike Rohr, John Totten & Beverly DeSalvo of Whittier for a great job hosting this year’s event and to Dave Collins of North Shore and the rest of the MTTA Board for all their efforts on behalf of their students and the masonry industry.

This year's competition included hardscape projects featuring

segmental retaining wall blocks and pavers.

Passages

NECMA extends our sympathies to family and friends on the passing of the following individuals:

Angela Potter passed away March 29^th at the age of 57.  She was the daughter of Paul Iannazzi, former owner of Watertown Cement Block, Co. and sister-in-law of Frank Sheehan of Medway Block.

Jane Marchand, mother of Dave Marchand of UNILOCK and Russell Marchand of Medway Block, died at the age of 66 on March 12, 2010.

Maria Ferreguto, wife of Paul Ferraguto of The Quikrete Companies passed away on February 13, 2010 following a long battle with diabetes.

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