As we continue our efforts to recover the economy and return jobs to America that have been lost to foreign lands, many politicians are pointing the finger at regulatory agencies as a hindering factor in America’s competitiveness.

The plastering trade has, for thousands of years, passed down the knowledge and skill of the trade from one generation to the next. Except for the inclusion of modern machinery, the way and manner plaster is applied to a wall really hasn’t changed much since before the time of Christ.

We’ve all watched and enjoyed the Discovery Channel television show “How It’s Made” and maybe even had a passing thought about how great it would be to have such a program showcase and explain to the general public what it is we do.

Dimitris Spiliadis’ great-grandfather once owned a hotel in Constantinople, which was lost when the Turks invaded the magnificent and historic city (now known as Istanbul).

I just returned from a few days in the hot Arizona desert where I met with lath, plaster and drywall contractors from across America. The meeting was well attended despite the so-called “down-turn” in the economy, and everyone was cautiously optimistic for a change.