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The
Value of Membership
Midwest Block &
Brick joined the National Concrete Masonry Association in 1983. Pat
Dubbert, a Midwest co-owner, president and chairman of the board, saw
the value in being part of an association that offered technical
assistance and training.
Before joining NCMA,
Midwest used local facilities for product testing but discovered that
the test methods were poor and lacked effective guidelines. Midwest now
has their products tested by the NCMA lab according to ASTM
specifications.
Benefits of NCMA
membership go deeper than technical assistance and training. Joining
NCMA helped Midwest Block & Brick reach the stated expansion goal of
becoming a full masonry supplier. Pat mentioned that the opportunity to
meet different people in the industry and learn about other products was
a definite advantage for him.
Midwest continues to
learn about the pros and cons of competitive building materials from
information generated by NCMA. Association members join forces to
promote concrete products on a national  level. Members also ban together
to review government issues and to encourage laws that benefit the
entire concrete masonry industry. These important activities would be
impossible for one company to accomplish alone and clearly demonstrate
the old adage that "there is strength in numbers."
Pat has taken an
active role in NCMA committees and shouldered many responsibilities
before being elected to the executive board. He currently presides as
chairman-elect which has been a natural progression considering his
dedication to the association.
Pat is happy to see
NCMA and the International Concrete Paving Institute (ICPI) working
closely together to expand each association. During his tenure as
chairman, he will focus on bringing the NCMA, ICPI, American Concrete
Pipe Association (ACPA) and National Precast Association (NCPA) together
for a joint trade show in 2003. Members in all the industries
represented will benefit from the increased size of the show and the
opportunity to view other concrete products and new market segments.
The further
development of the NCMA web site is another strategic goal for Pat
during the year. The web site will be used as a tool to share current
information with members.
Pat stated, "I
am pleased to have been nominated to serve on the executive board as
chairman-elect." He has a positive attitude towards the future of
NCMA. "Mark Hogan, NCMA president, has done an outstanding job in
the past several years. The NCMA lab continues to grow as a result of
the efforts by Bob Thomas, NCMA vice president of engineering. Jerry
Harke has been hired as the marketing director and we will count on him
to further promote the industry."
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