Words and Photos: Don Foster, Co-Founder & President of Masonry Cosmetics Inc.
Here is a story about Wyatt Karaway, the son of Nathan and Casey Karaway. Wyatt happens to be the newest Brickman in an industry where we are all Brickmen.
Wyatt, at four years of age, has an amazing story. At such a young age, he already has such a fondness for brick. One great example is when Casey, Wyatt’s mother, and Wyatt were driving down the road, and they saw a house that burned down. Wyatt noticed the house had been made of wood and said if that house was made of brick, it would not have started on fire.
We as an industry have been working hard to promote #masonrystrong and at the same time continue with the benefits of brick, only to find this young man already touting the benefits of safety and understanding brick has such a great fire rating that saves lives. Just one talking point we want everyone to have.
Wyatt’s Dad, Nathan, is the Vice President at Brickworks and oversees the Supply Centers across North America. Nathan also is connected to sales and has a host of close architects, builders, and masons that are also true friends that he has developed over the past 20 years. Part of the life in Brick Sales is samples going in and out of your car. Family members will find themselves assisting in loading and unloading brick samples as a family. Pictured is one day Wyatt out of the blue, started helping dad load the car:
But Wyatt’s passion was more than loading or unloading samples out of the car. One day not long ago, Wyatt had the opportunity to go call on an architect with dad in the city of Chicago one snowy day. Here is Wyatt carrying two samples to his very first architectural call:
The goal of that visit was to try and see if the architect would change the brick specification to a brick that Nathan carried vs. Nathan’s competition. No easy feat to do. There is a lot that goes into specifying brick, and once an architect and owner lock down the color they want, it is hard to go back and change that. But the day that Wyatt Karaway walked into that architect’s office, the architect was touched as he saw Wyatt walking in carrying the two samples, and not only was a salesman born, but the newest Brickman adding to the many Brickmen that are out there. Young Wyatt walked out of that architect’s office with a specification that would turn into a brick order. Well done, Wyatt!
To be Brickman, all you have to do is have a love and passion for our industry and be one of the many Brickmen that promote the benefits of brick while at the same time protecting the integrity of our industry. Men, women, boys and girls of all ages can be Brickmen. Brick is one of the greatest building materials to build with and has thousands of years to support that claim.
The Brick Industry looks bright with Wyatts as our future, and a special shout out to great parents like Nathan and Casey.
Take a look at “The Karaway’s Our First Brickman Family Feat Nathan and Wyatt Karaway”