Obituary: Marion Cochran
Mar ion Coch ran
died April 30, after a
lengthy battle with
pulmonary fibrosis.
Cochran, 84, spent
more than 60 years
in the brick indus-
try. First retiring as Marion Cochran
Executive Director
of the Brick Association of North Car-
olina, Cochran soon stepped out of
retirement to pursue the Senior Engi-
neering Consultant position at Boren
Brick Co.
A North Carolina State graduate, Co-
chran is also a celebrated veteran. He
served his country in WWII and was
awarded the Bronze Star, the Combat
Infantry Badge, and other medals.
Next Generation Design Competition
Recognizes Masonry Developments
A biomanufactured brick won top
honors in Metropolis magazine’s Next
Generation Design Prize Challenge.
This year’s contest was aptly themed
“One Design for the Future.”
American architect, Ginger Krieg
Dosier, formulated a biomanufactured
brick from bacteria and sand. Dosier,
32, designed the bio-brick that replaces
the baking process with simple mixing
and chemical reactions.
The process combines sand, com-
mon bacteria, calcium chloride, and
urea in a process called microbial-in-
duced calcite precipitation (MICP) and
yields bricks with sandstone-like prop-
erties. Depending on how it’s made, the
bio-brick can reproduce the strength
of clay-fired brick or even marble. The
bio-brick can take up to two weeks to
grow while clay bricks can be produced
in two days.
If Dosier’s biomanufactured masonry
replaced each new brick on the planet, it
would reduce carbon-dioxide emissions
by at least 800 million tons a year.
Alexander Keller, a 23-year-old
graduate student at the Rhode Island
School of Design, was a runner-up in
the competition with his design for a
www.masonryconstruction.com
solar masonry unit. Each artificial brick segment of affiliated Oshkosh Corp.
is dotted with 32 or 128 solar cells, de- since 2007.
pending on size, and packs an inverter Paylor started his career at JLG in
and a battery into its recycled plastic 1978, as a district sales manager. In 1999,
shell. The interlocking bricks also con- he was named senior vice president of
tain strategically placed outlets. sales and market development.
The annual competition promotes Wilson Jones succeeds Paylor as
activism, social involvement, and en- president of JLG. Jones will also take
trepreneurship in young designers. over executive vice president and
Submissions range from urban plan- president roles of the Oshkosh Access
ning and community building proj- Equipment segment.
ects to environmental management. Jones has been in the specialty ve-
Winners receive $10,000 to further hicle manufacturing industry for more
their efforts. than 20 years, including positions as
Visit www.metropolismag.com for vice president and general manager of
more information. the airport products business unit and
vice president of the fire and emergen-
cy group sales and marketing depart-
JLG President Retires ment for Oshkosh Corp.
JLG Industries president, Craig Paylor
retired July 1, after 30 years of service. —Compiled by editorial intern Josh Krol.
He served as executive vice president Send your company and association news
and president of the Access Equipment to mceditor@hanleywood.com.
2010 NCMCA Apprentice Skills Winners
NCMCA
Winners of the May 22, 2010 Annual North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association
Apprentice Masonry Skills Contest are shown here.
Bottom left to right: Ramiro Perez, Fred’s Masonry, 8th; Dylan Ennis, Custom Masonry Con-
cepts, 7th; Scott Emig, Alward Masonry, 9th; Lamal O’Neal, Brodie Contractors, 6th; and Wriston
McGee, McGee Brothers Co., 10th place. Top left to right: Padro Ramirez, Fred’s Masonry, 3rd;
Chris Charles, Gates Construction Co., 5th; Cory Huneycutt, Alward Masonry, First Place “David
R. Sigmon Award 2010” winner; Brett Hallman, McGee Brothers Co., 2nd; and Paldo Ramirez,
Fred’s Masonry, 4th place; joined by NCMCA state president Larry Kirby, right.
The new NCMCA Champion is 18-year-old Cory Huneycutt, of Mount Pleasant, N.C. He
will study Construction Management at Western Carolina University when he graduates Mount
Pleasant High School in spring 2010. Twenty-five vocational students and apprentices from
eight NCMCA member firms participated in the contest, hosted by McGee Brothers Co.,
Midland, N.C.
Masonry CONSTRUCTION • June/July 2010 11