May 01, 2003 11:38 AM CDT

MCAA and CSI Partner with Construct America

By Michael Adelizzi

Over the past year, the MCAA Board has discussed the future of Masonry Showcase. We have debated on how the Association can make the Showcase experience better for both attendees and exhibitors, adding to the value received from their attendance. At the direction of our members and Board, we entered into numerous discussions with potential industry affiliates to seek partnerships that could assist in building the success of the Masonry Showcase experience. In our search, the solution that made the most sense was a partnership with the Construction Specifications Institute and their concept of "Construct America".

On April 10, 2003 at Construct America, held at Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center, the Officers of the Mason Contractors Association of America and the Officers of the Construction Specification Institute signed a co-location agreement that will bring the Masonry Showcase into Construct America alongside of the CSI. Beginning in April 2005, Masonry Showcase's 25,000 square feet of exhibit space will add to the 150,000 square feet of exhibits already at Construct America. Masonry Showcase will represent one of the largest partners and pavilions at Construct America. More than 9,000 architects, specifiers, contractors and owners will make up the majority of the over 17,000 attendees expected in 2005.

The Construction Specifications Institute is an individual membership technical society that serves as the premier integrating force for those that create and sustain the non-residential built environment. The Construction Specifications Institute primary meeting is at the CSI Show, one of the nation's largest annual gatherings of representatives from all disciplines involved in creating and sustaining the built environment that typically draws more than 9,000 attendees and features more than 1,000 exhibit booths representing 600 participating companies.

"Construct America is quickly shaping up to be one of the largest construction shows in North America for people from all disciplines involved in creating and sustaining the non-residential built environment," said CSI Executive Director Karl Borgstrom. "This latest partnership with the Mason Contractors Association of America solidifies Construct America in the masonry contractor sector -- as well as nonresidential construction overall - as the one place, covering all phases of the facility life cycle, to discover and share leading-edge applications and technology."

Michael Adelizzi, executive director of MCAA, said, "The benefits to our members and exhibitors of co-locating The Masonry Showcase with other shows at Construct America are clear and compelling. Masonry contractors will come away from Chicago in 2005 better equipped than ever for success. We look forward to being key part of this premier event."

Attendees of any one show at Construct America get free admittance to all other co-located shows' exhibits. The ability to "cross over" is intended to boost attendance for each individual show. By co-locating their shows, participating organizations provide their members, customers, and other construction industry professionals access to more product information, continuing education offerings, and networking opportunities at one time under one roof.

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About the Author

Michael Adelizzi was the Executive Director of the Mason Contractors Association of America.