Last Wednesday, I was part of a panel discussion at the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute (RMMI). We discussed “Specifying Masonry.”
I was there to be the “put the info in the right place” person on the panel, and I learned a lot from the other panel members: Diane Travis of the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute, David Eatherton of Eatherton Masonry, Jay Retzko of Boral Best Block, and Brad Olson of Acme Brick.
Here’s the link to download a copy of my “Specifying Masonry” reminders hand out: http://www.lizosullivanarch.com/uploads/LizOSullivanSpecifyingMasonry.pdf
One of the things that I stressed in this panel discussion is that when architects need information on the masonry products that they’re designing with, they should contact the technical reps for those products. The reps know more about their products than anyone else could be expected to know.
And for technical assistance beyond the masonry products themselves, architects can contact RMMI’s technical director Diane Travis at dianet@rmmi.org.
Architects can get AIA continuing education credits for attending the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute Take-Out Talks, which are at 11:30 a.m. on the first and second Wednesday of each month, at RMMI, 686 Mariposa Street, in Denver. Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute’s website is www.rmmi.org.
Comments From a Spec Writer 
Generally I would agree with you that product reps are good folks to call for technical information about their product. They SHOULD be the ones with the best information. However, they are bound by by their employment to be somewhat biased. If one considers that fact, it will help evaluate the decision. For an unbiased, third-party opinion, also contact the International Masonry Institute, 1-800-IMI-0988. They don’t either condemn nor endorse any individual product, but rather, will try to present all the options from which you can choose.