Southeast Concrete Masonry Association

08/28/2026

This week marked solid progress for CMU Checkoff Region Two University Program in Alabama.

On Monday, the SCMA proudly presented the inaugural Construction Management School Scholarship

to Ben Alberstadt, a third­year student at Auburn University.

Also on Monday, Acme Block & Brick delivered a Masonry 101 presentation to Professor Jonathan Tucker’s 4420 Superintendent Class

at Auburn University. The session was led by Greg Capps and Christy McCormick, with Tim Ayers, John Sorrell, and James Cain addressing

questions from Professor Tucker and his students. Sincere appreciation goes to Greg and Christy for their outstanding engagement and for

building a strong relationship with Professor Tucker.

On Tuesday, Tim Ayers with ACIA and James Cain, representing the Concrete Masonry Checkoff Program, met with Ryan Misner, Head of the

Samford University Architecture Program, and Aaron Brakke, Assistant Professor in Architecture & Interior Design. Both expressed enthusiasm

for incorporating Checkoff resources into their curriculum and practically interested in the new R2 Architectural Design and Detailing Curse.

Plans are underway for a Pelham block plant tour on September 4 and hands­on masonry training later in September.

The CMU Checkoff university outreach concluded with a very productive meeting at the University of Alabama with Dr. Sriram Aaleti and Dr. Armen Amirkhanian.

James introduced Masonry in a Box and other Region 2 university initiatives. With masonry instruction having been inactive for several years, faculty welcomed

the opportunity to reintegrate masonry through Checkoff-supported tools. James will connect them with Mr. Kevin Walsh with Frost Engineering who is the

CMU Checkoff National University Relations Coordinator

Special thanks to Tim Ayers and John Sorrell for their time and collaboration with the SCMA in advancing masonry education across Alabama.

Region 2 partnerships continue to strengthen the Checkoff’s impact in our eight states!

08/26/2026

08/11/2026

Last week, SCMA President James Cain presented the first-ever Region 2 $2500 CMU Checkoff Architecture Scholarship to Jonathan Turner at the University of Memphis. Jonathan was selected from a competitive pool of students across eight states.

During the visit, James met with Michael Hagge, Chair of the Department of Architecture; Marika Snider, PhD, AIA, NCARB, NCIDQ, Assistant Professor;

and Jennifer Barker, Assistant Professor, to explore opportunities for expanding the CMU Checkoff University Program within the Architecture & Engineering curriculum.

James also met with Melchor Olguin and Olivia Olguin, owners of Aztec Masonry Inc., to thank them for their longstanding support of the school and to discuss additional ways to strengthen their engagement with the University of Memphis from future Masonry Day activities to a potential Block fest collaboration with the Engineering Department.

(pictured left to right)

Michael Hagge - Chair of the Department of Architecture
Melchor Olguin – Owner of Aztec Masonry
James Cain – SCMA President
Jonathan Turner – Architecture Scholarship Recipient
Marika Snider, PhD, AIA, Assistant Professor
Jennifer Barker, Assistant Professor
Olivia Olguin – Vice President of Aztec Masonry

07/15/2026

It’s been a great time in Georgia this week! SCMA and MAG were fortunate enough to host 27 pre-engineering students from around the world at the Georgia Tech Summer Camp. The students came from as far away as India and Japan to attend this year.

On Tuesday, we provided them a block tour at the Oldcastle APG Tyrone, GA Plant. Special thanks to Kevin Torok and Chad Ellis, as well as the entire Tyrone, Georgia Plant crew.

On Wednesday, we had the students at the construction management lab doing a 3-hour hands on CMU activity where they built five reinforced, fully grouted walls.

Special thanks to James Cain with SCMA, Greg Capps and Ryne Thackston with ACME Block and Brick, Jollay Masonry team, and the Pyramid Masonry Contractors team for providing hands on activities for the students.

Special thanks to Professor Steven Kassinger with Georgia Tech. His students were blown away, not only by the production side of CMU, but also by the opportunity to build their own walls. This was their first time ever being exposed to CMU!

07/01/2026

As America celebrates 250 years of freedom, courage, and possibility, I’m reminded of the powerful role masonry has

played in building this nation. Masonry is woven into the very fabric of America from our courthouses, our schools, our monuments, our homes. From quiet rural towns to the shining skylines of our greatest cities, masonry has provided the strength and stability that support the 349 million people who proudly call this country home.

In the coming days, Americans from coast to coast will gather to honor our nation’s birthday. Amid the fireworks, parades, and
celebrations, let’s take a moment to recognize the generations of dedicated men and women in the masonry industry.

Their craftsmanship helped build the structures where Americans learn, worship, govern, and dream. Their world ­class dedication to the craft has shaped the character of our nation.

America 250 is more than an anniversary. It is a patriotic call to remember our history, honor those who laid the foundation of this
great nation and look forward with pride to the future we will build together. God Bless the USA!

06/22/2026

What a week we had in Hilton Head. Still trying to take in all the great moments from this year's Southeast Concrete Masonry Association Annual Conference. Thank you to all of our speakers, sponsors, and attendees for bringing the energy to SCMA's main event. We will be highlighting all of our award winners in the next couple of weeks.

Save the Date for 2027: June 16-20, 2027 at Wild Dunes Resort in Isle of Palms, SC.

06/22/2026

06/04/2026

EastWest Products will be hosting an introduction to the Block Design Collective (BDC) on Tuesday, June 9 from 10AM-2PM at EastWest Products LLC in Kinston, NC. Come learn more about the Block Design Collective — a collaborative resource dedicated to helping architects, engineers, contractors, and owners confidently integrate concrete masonry units (CMU) into their projects.

RSVP via email to Brett Hardy by June 5.

05/08/2026

EastWest Products is hosting an introduction to the Block Design Collective (BDC) — a collaborative resource dedicated to helping architects, engineers, contractors, and owners confidently integrate concrete masonry units (CMU) into their projects. Event is Tuesday, June 9 10AM - 2PM at EastWest Products LLC in Kinston, NC and Lunch will be provided. RSVP via email to Brett Hardy

05/05/2026

We’re now accepting nominations for the SCMA Rising Leader Award 🌟

This award celebrates the next generation of leaders within SCMA’s producer and associate membership—individuals who are making an impact through strong performance, leadership potential, and a deep commitment to both their organizations and the masonry industry as a whole.

Know someone who’s going above and beyond? Now’s the time to recognize them.

Nominations are due to James Cain by May 25.
Click the link below to learn more about the criteria and submit your nomination.

https://lnkd.in/ecjuJEGQ