City Masonry has assembled and groomed a team of the industry’s most outstanding individuals. From the top of the organization to the tip of the trowel, every member of the City team makes an invaluable contribution to each project.

Paul R. McCurdy, President

As City Masonry president, Paul McCurdy works closely with clients to help them plan a masonry construction project that will achieve their greatest ambitions while meeting practical considerations as well. Whatever a client needs, Paul is the go-to guy who can make it happen.

Paul is a native of Houston, Texas who has never strayed far from his roots. Rather, he has built upon the legacy of his father, City founder Kenneth McCurdy, to achieve his own vision of growing the family business into one of the nation’s largest masonry companies.

Paul began his informal apprenticeship in the industry as a small child under Ken's watch. Everything about masonry fascinated him. He followed after his father from project to project, asking endless questions and working earnestly at “helper” tasks sometimes invented just to keep him safely out of the way.

In 1986, Paul formally entered the family business as assistant superintendent. Meanwhile, he attended nearby North Harris County College. For the next several years, Paul “went to school” throughout the company, becoming project estimator and handling every job, from ordering materials to managing projects, for the small-staffed but rapidly-growing company. For years, Paul seldom took a day off. In 1998, he became vice president. Then, when Ken retired from active duty in 2004, he confidently placed the company entirely in Paul’s hands.

Today, Paul’s passion for the business and its clients burns brighter than ever. He continues to pour himself into building City Masonry into the industry-leading company that he has always envisioned. To him, this is hardly work; rather, it is life as he chooses to live it– with a dedication that shows in the quality of every project and a concern for clients that satisfies every project owner.

The motto on his desk explains. “Success is simple: Do what’s right in the right way at the right time.” This, Paul believes, is the path toward achieving his vision.

Kenneth W. McCurdy, Founder and Past President

When Kenneth founded City Masonry as McCurdy Masonry in 1968, he would have been surprised to know the company would become one of the largest in the industry. Born in 1935, Ken adopted Houston as his home in 1951 at the age of 15. Almost immediately, he went to work as a construction laborer under his brother-in-law and mentor, a carpenter superintendent. This opportunity provided him a three-year apprenticeship as a carpenter. Ken’s passion, however, was masonry – a fact he discovered by watching and working with bricklayers during idle moments on the construction site. He followed this inclination to work as a bricklayer and masonry foreman over the next 14 years.

In 1968, banking on seventeen years of experience in the construction industry, he borrowed a friend’s truck and equipment to start his own company. McCurdy Masonry underwent many changes over the years, always fueled by Ken’s optimism and determination to succeed. Today that company is known as City Masonry.

Ken is widely acknowledged as a leader in the industry. He has served as trustee and chairman of the Masonry Institute of Houston/Galveston board of directors, president and secretary of Associated Masonry Contractors of Texas, president of Associated Masonry Contractors of Houston, and a member of the Employers Council board of directors.

Ken retired in 2004 , but he continues to participate in the business. His original philosophy of putting clients first and delivering excellent craftsmanship that would endure for generations continues to drive the company today.

Jo McCurdy, Co-owner and Secretary/Treasurer

As City Masonry’s co-owner and secretary/treasurer with primary fiscal responsibility, Jo McCurdy is the reason why the company’s vendors get paid on time, employees never worry about their paychecks, and clients are confident in City’s financial ability to provide for such massive projects, regardless of the economy.

Jo has been with City Masonry longer than any other employee. She began working with the company when it was founded by her husband, Kenneth McCurdy, in 1968. At first, it was a one man shop – and she was the one “man” who ran it while Ken worked in the field. Since then, she has managed many millions of dollars in masonry contracts, built a well-trained office staff, established smoothly-functioning administrative processes and a job cost accounting system, and handled all insurance, employee benefits, bonding and other financial affairs.

Jo has nursed the company through lean times and built on its strength in prosperous years, always maintaining the company’s strong financial health.

William (Billy) Cox, Jr., Vice President

Billy Cox has been a key member of City Masonry since 1996. Having gone into business with his own father at a young age, Billy understands the value of a family-owned business, and why excellent craftsmanship and client service are so important to its success. His role as City Masonry’s vice president is to ensure that the company delivers on both counts.

Billy meets that mandate by applying more than 32 years of broad industry experience and expertise as a mason, foreman and estimator to every project. Some say Billy has forgotten more about the masonry business than most of his peers ever knew. Younger workers suspect that he knows everything. Maybe not, but one thing is clear: Billy’s knowledge is an enormous asset to a project.

His frequent presence on the job site is always welcome to colleagues and clients alike. Clients appreciate Billy for his old-fashioned ethics and straightforward answers. Colleagues know him as a knowledgeable leader they can trust to make the right decisions. But what Billy knows is this: His word is his bond… Good work speaks for itself… And truth is seldom improved by any type of varnish.

Darren West, Project Manager

Darren West is the wizard behind City Masonry’s massive logistics and project management capabilities. From ordering materials to coordinating schedules, Darren choreographs and directs every step of the complex mega-production that is a City Masonry project.

Darren is a relative newcomer to the industry with 8 years of working experience in the construction business and five in masonry. Yet these facts belie his true knowledge and experience. As a youth, Darren often helped around the job site under the tutelage of his grandfather, City Masonry founder Kenneth McCurdy. After landing his first “real” job with another construction company, Darren quickly progressed into project management through diligence and a passion for learning the industry. Today, Darren continues City’s three-generation tradition of excellence. Whether it’s for a small addition or a multi-million dollar institutional facility, City clients would be hard-pressed to find anyone more capable of managing their project.

Robert Cox, Field Superintendent

Robert Cox is directly responsible for the success of all City Masonry projects, sometimes including numerous multi-million dollar jobs all occurring simultaneously. As field superintendent, Robert spends his days visiting each City job site. He typically works with the project foreman and general contractor to answer questions, clarify directions, coordinate timing, move people between sites – whatever is necessary to complete each project on time and according to expectations. In Robert’s world, no job is done until Robert says it’s done – and that means it has passed his rigorous standards of craftsmanship.

Robert joined City Masonry in 1999. His no-nonsense approach makes him ideally suited for this position. He is a fair but demanding taskmaster; crews respect his 30 years of experience as a bricklayer, masonry foreman and supervisor. Colleagues respect his gutsy, straight-shooting communications style. And clients respect his results.

Glenn Whitehead, Safety Director

As the company’s chief safety officer, Glenn Whitehead is one of City Masonry’s most important leaders. He is responsible for keeping everyone safe on the job site, including clients, employees, other contractors and members of the public. In addition, he ensures that every job site is compliant with all OSHA standards and that each employee has the proper certification and training to provide clients with safe, competent, high-quality work. Glenn’s diligence helps the company and its clients to avoid fines and keep insurance rates low. Even more important, it saves lives.

Glenn’s goal is to teach employees how to think about safety – how to anticipate, recognize and avoid hazardous conditions in order to prevent accidents. To accomplish this daunting task, Glen conducts a never-ending series of workshops, classes, safety meetings, site inspections and other programs, including some of the most advanced in the industry. Glenn has developed many of these himself as a supplement to industry resources. This has helped City Masonry to improve performance beyond normal standards.

None of these initiatives would work without a strong leader to launch them into practice. With more than 30 years experience in construction – including many years as owner./operator of his own company – Glenn is deeply respected by everyone on the team for his knowledge and leadership abilities. A life-long resident of Houston, he has special expertise in the regional regulations and safety issues that could potentially affect City workers and clients the most.

Rachel Diaz, Office Manager, Accountant

Rachel Diaz is City Masonry’s bookkeeper and office manager. A Houston native with 36 years of accounting experience, Rachel joined City in 2002. Clients as well as employees know they can turn to Rachel for an understanding ear and fast solution to any bookkeeping or accounting issue.

Although Rachel ensures that the books are balanced and all invoices are paid in a timely manner, her most important role may be unofficial: She is the glue that holds the company together. Rachel is the one who remembers everyone’s birthday, bakes the cakes, and makes sure that the office “vibes” always feel positive and productive. When employees or clients arrive early for a meeting on a rainy morning, they may open the office door to the inviting whiff of fresh coffee and donuts – all because Rachel arrived even earlier to prepare for their needs.

Vanessa Rojas, Payroll Executive

As payroll manager, Vanessa Rojas ensures that all city employees receive timely, accurate pay for their work. While invisible to the client, competently managing this complex function is essential to a well-run company.

Like all key City Masonry employees, Vanessa was born and raised in the Houston/Gulf Coast area. She worked as a client service representative, junior accountant and office manager for various companies before joining City in 2007. This range of experience makes her a helpful addition to City’s administrative staff.