In the Mix is a podcast dedicated to the people, projects, and innovations shaping the masonry industry—block by block, brick by brick. Hosted by Adam Hutchinson, Executive Director and professional engineer, this show brings together architects, engineers, contractors, and industry leaders to explore how masonry drives resilient, sustainable, and high-performance building design. Each episode breaks down real-world applications of masonry construction, from structural integrity and fire resistance to long-term durability and environmental impact. You’ll hear behind-the-scenes insights, industry challenges, and practical conversations that matter to those designing, building, and specifying with masonry. If you’re passionate about stronger buildings, smarter construction, and advancing masonry in modern design—this is your place to get in the mix. Join us in supporting the Masonry Industry mission: https://masonryinstitute.com/in-the-mix
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Episode #18
18. Seven Buildings Stood, the Rest Got Demolished: Why URM Retrofits Actually Work | Mason Moritz
Aug 18, 202620 min
After the 2003 Paso Robles earthquake, seven retrofitted unreinforced masonry buildings walked away nearly untouched. The ones that hadn't been strengthened? Torn down. Mason Moritz, once a structural engineer at Holmes in San Francisco, now a field engineer for Python Fasteners, joins the podcast to explain why that story keeps repeating, and why most engineers never hear it. Python manufactures the first ICC-certified, seismically rated anchor for existing masonry, born out of the Christchurch earthquake's real-world stress test on New Zealand's historic buildings. Mason's job now is closing the gap he used to sit on the other side of: most engineering programs teach little to no masonry design, so URM gets written off as a liability instead of understood as an asset. In this episode: The Paso Robles case study: retrofitted URM buildings vs. the ones that got demolished How the Christchurch earthquake shaped Python's anchor research Why URM has a bad reputation engineers haven't been taught to question Mason's path from Holmes Structural Engineers to studying historic buildings in Portugal and the Czech Republic Closing the education gap: Berkeley, Cal Poly SLO, and Trento research partnerships Stabilize-in-place vs. rip-out-and-replace, and what's at stake for historic building stock Why reuse is the ultimate sustainability move: "the greenest building is the one that's already there" Learn more about the Northwest Masonry Institute: https://masonryinstitute.com/in-the-mix
17. How a PR Graduate and Pilot Ended Up Championing the Masonry Industry | William Sundquist
Aug 11, 202616 min
Recorded live at the California Masonry Council's Design and Expo Day, host Adam Hutchinson sits down with William Sundquist of General Shale and the National Construction Specification Institute (CSI) to explore why brick continues to be one of the most authentic, durable, and sustainable building materials available today. William shares his unexpected path into the masonry industry, explains why performance—not aesthetics—should always drive specifications, and makes the case for preserving historic masonry while helping designers better understand brick's long-term value. From thermal mass and lifecycle costs to sustainability and craftsmanship, this conversation highlights why masonry has a powerful story to tell—and why the industry needs to do a better job telling it. In this episode: How a PR graduate with a pilot's license found a lifelong career in the masonry industry Why great masonry specifications start with performance—not appearance The costly mistakes that happen when restoration projects use the wrong mortar Why preserving historic masonry buildings protects both communities and culture How brick's thermal mass and longevity make it a naturally sustainable building material The overlooked sustainability story the masonry industry needs to tell Why authenticity and craftsmanship continue to set masonry apart from other building systems How General Shale is helping provide building envelope solutions across North America Why architects, builders, and owners should be thinking more about lifecycle cost—not just upfront price The importance of inspiring the next generation of designers through industry events and education Connect with William: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-sundquist-fcsi-9352522b Website: https://generalshale.com/ Learn more about the Northwest Masonry Institute: https://masonryinstitute.com/in-the-mix
16. How Contractors, Architects & Manufacturers Are Teaming Up to Grow Masonry | Ken Tejeda
Aug 4, 202619 min
Live from the California Masonry Council Design & Expo, Adam sits down with Ken Tejeda of R&R Masonry to explore the power of collaboration, legacy, and advocacy in the masonry industry. As a second-generation contractor, Ken shares how his family's business has evolved over six decades and why the future of masonry depends on contractors, manufacturers, architects, and industry organizations working together with a shared vision. Ken also discusses the growing role of the California Masonry Council in promoting masonry across the state, the importance of educating architects and owners about the material's long-term value, and why durability, fire resilience, seismic performance, and timeless design continue to make masonry one of the strongest building solutions available. Whether you're a contractor, designer, or industry advocate, this conversation is packed with practical insights on protecting and growing the future of masonry. In This Episode: How family businesses continue to shape the masonry industry Why collaboration is the key to growing masonry's market share The role of the California Masonry Council in promoting the industry Masonry's biggest advantages: durability, fire resilience, seismic performance, and design flexibility Why architects and building owners need a better understanding of masonry's long-term value How education, outreach, and hands-on experiences can increase masonry adoption Why the next generation should get involved and help shape the future of the industry Connect with Ken: LinkedIn: Linkedinlinkedin.com/in/ken-tejeda-72470a1a9
15. Training the Next Generation of the Concrete Industry with Jon Huddleston
Jul 28, 202627 min
Engineering enrollment nationally has dropped 14% in the last couple of years. One concrete program is growing 5-10% a year — and 85% of its students graduate with zero college debt. How? In this episode, Adam sits down with Jon Huddleston, Director of the Concrete Industry Management Program at Middle Tennessee State University, to talk about where the next generation of the concrete and masonry industry is actually going to come from. Jon breaks down the scholarship model behind that debt-free graduation rate (hint: giving students a completely free ride might be the worst thing you can do for them), why hands-on competitions like the concrete canoe are non-negotiable for getting students to actually care, and the pitch he's making to the masonry industry specifically — get in the room with these students before someone else does. If you've ever wondered where your next generation of masons, engineers, and estimators is coming from, this one's for you. Topics covered: The scholarship strategy behind an 85% debt-free graduation rate — and why full rides don't work Why masonry needs its own version of the concrete canoe or bowling ball competition How a program with no household name is growing against a national enrollment decline The case for industry-funded student travel to conferences and symposiums Why 95% of students need to see and touch it before it clicks Jon's advice to every prospective student on networking, internships, and staying off their phones A NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center project that hints at where the material is headed next Connect with Jon Huddleston: Concrete Industry Management Program at Middle Tennessee State University: https://www.mtsu.edu/program/concrete-industry-management-concrete-contracting-concentration-b-s/ Learn more about the Northwest Masonry Institute: https://masonryinstitute.com/in-the-mix
14. How a Broken Church Window Launched a 20-Year Masonry Career | Daniel "Mr. Jamez" Trippel
Jul 21, 202632 min
Daniel "Mr. Jamez" Trippel's masonry career started with a rock through a church window. His buddy threw it and a couple at that church happened to own a masonry supply yard that needed a yard guy. Twenty-some years later, that accidental first job has become a career spanning hands-on craftsmanship, business ownership, and now commercial architectural sales with Mutual Materials, where he's just 30 days in and already calling himself "the tip of the spear" for getting masonry specced on projects. In this episode, Daniel tells Adam the whole unlikely story: starting as a laborer loading trucks, launching his own masonry company at 23, building it for five years — and walking away when the 2008 crash took his builders down with it. Now, after two decades installing the end product, he's on the other side of the process, putting samples in front of architects and designers so that somewhere down the line, a mason has a job to go to. Adam and Daniel also run the masonry industry through a SWOT analysis: why durability is masonry's biggest sustainability advantage, why the industry's segmentation is its own worst weakness, and why the biggest threat isn't competing materials — it's misinformation about what modern masonry can do. Plus, the story behind the "Mr. Jamez" persona, and why a made-up name might be the smartest career move in the trades. In This Episode: How a rock through a church window accidentally launched a masonry career Starting a company at 23 — and why hiring his dad was the whole point What the 2008 crash taught Daniel about surviving in the trades Why tilt-up isn't actually faster: the 28 curing days nobody counts "The most green building is the one that's already built" — masonry's real sustainability case Why post-1997 masonry buildings meet seismic standards (and the misconception that won't die) What 1,000-year-old buildings in Munich and Prague can teach Northwest architects Why showrooms beat spec sheets: getting materials into designers' hands 78 masonry associations pulling in different directions — and the push to unite them The origin of "Mr. Jamez," and why building a persona can change your career trajectory Connect with Mr. Jamez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_jamez_/ Website: https://www.mutualmaterials.com / Learn more about the Northwest Masonry Institute: https://masonryinstitute.com/in-the-mix
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