Masonry: the Intersection of Art, Innovation and Endurance.


2017 Masonry Association of Florida Masonry Excellence Award Winners
 
Fort Lauderdale, Florida. October 1, 2017:   Art, Innovation and Endurance: the projects submitted for the 2017 MAF Masonry Excellence Awards are the embodiments of these qualities.  The Masonry Excellence Awards are the celebration of the art and craftsmanship of the mason, the innovation of the contractor and architect and the endurance of masonry materials produced here in Florida. 


Projects submitted were reviewed and judged anonymously by a distinguished jury of masonry and design professionals.  Consideration was given to the overall design and use of masonry, as well as the technical aspects of each project.  The winning projects listed showed superiority in technical design and craftsmanship.
17 Masonry Excellence Award Winners: 
Architectural Block – Commercial/Institutional:
 
St. Anthony’s Parochial School – Doug McCall, Coastal, an Oldcastle company.
 
Brick – Commercial/Institutional (Contractors):
 
Portillos Restaurant – Bill Parsons, Pyramid Masonry
 
Brick – Commercial/Institutional (Suppliers):
 
Sigma Kappa Sorority – Steve Bischke, Coastal, an Oldcastle company.
 
Brick – Residential (TIE):
 
Private Residence – David Nelson, David Nelson Masonry
Studer Residence – James Bradley, Bradley Masonry
 
Architectural Block Project of the Year:
 
St. Anthony’s Parochial School – Doug McCall, Coastal, an Oldcastle company.
 
Brick Project of The Year:
 
Private Residence – David Nelson, David Nelson Masonry
 
For more Information and pictures of all submissions is available on www.masonryawards.com
Winners will be honored at the MAF Masonry Excellence Awards Reception being held on October 22, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort in Bonita Springs, Florida.  Additionally, winning projects will be featured in the MAF Masonry Excellence Awards publication.
 
The Masonry Association of Florida, Inc. (MAF) is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1987.  Our mission is to promote masonry construction and support the mason contractors in Florida.  Additional information is available on our website: www.floridamasonryawards.com  or by contacting, Deb Bartolucci, 954-295-9926 or deb@floridamasonry.com.
 
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 Get ready for the MAF 30th Anniversary Annual Convention @ the beautiful Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort!  ​Details to follow.  For more information, contact Deb Bartolucci deb@floridamasonry.com

Have you ever had someone or something encroach on your personal space so badly that you wanted to scream “Back Off!”? So how close is too close?

When my daughters were in high school, they went to a school that had a “Six Inch Rule”. Boys and girls had a 6” rule of separation. Now, as most of you fathers of daughters know, six inches is simply not enough!

A distance that can be critical for a masonry contractor is the distance from which masonry should be viewed to determine its acceptability. If we have reached the point of trying to view the masonry from a certain distance, we already have a problem. 

​Read the whole story here: https://www.masonrymagazine.com/blog/2017/06/01/painters-corner-mcaa-magazine-2/
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Submitted by Al Herndon, FMAEF

On April 25, 2017 in Lakeland at the Florida Skills State Conference, Olivia Bruening, a Senior at River Oak Technical College in Live Oak Florida, won 1st place in the Masonry Contest. Olivia competed with 14 of the best secondary masonry students in Florida and won 1st Place!  Olivia will represent Florida at Skills USA In Louisville on June 22nd.
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Olivia has been competing in the FMAEF Masonry Showcase in Starke Florida for the last two years. In February, Olivia was part of the River Oak Technical College Masonry Team that finished 3rd out of seven schools competing. Olivia scored the highest points for her team and advanced to the Florida Skills State Masonry Contest. Olivia has outstanding masonry skills and she has been recognized by her school and the school board, as well as the masonry industry in Florida, for her hard work in masonry.
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Congratulation Olivia, and best of luck in Louisville!

The categories for the 2017 Masonry Excellence Awards Program will follow the same format as last year, as part of our partnership with the AIA of Florida, we are awarding honors in three main categories:

• Brick
• Block and Stucco
• Architectural Units

Each category is represented well in the construction industry in Florida, from traditional Mediterranean stucco and block, exposed ground face and split face architectural units to traditional brick and block cavity wall construction. 

An overall winner from each of the main categories, as well as one Project of the Year will be featured in a supplemental publication going to all 4400 AIA Florida member architects in the state.
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Deadline for entries is July 1, 2017.  Please submit your entry online at: www.masonryawards.com
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If you have questions, please contact Masonry Excellence Awards Chairman Chris Bettinger chris.bettinger@oldcastle.com  or MAF Marketing Director, Deb Bartolucci deb@floridamasonry.com.