Since 1912, Thomas A. Mason Co., Inc. has helped to shape some of the most recognizable structures in Wisconsin and continues to leave their mark far beyond the Midwest. Now into its fourth generation, the family-owned contractor has built a reputation for exceptional painting, specialty coatings, and floor covering services, delivered by a highly skilled union workforce across Wisconsin and Colorado.

From iconic projects like the Milwaukee Art Museum (Calatrava), American Family Field, Fiserv Forum, Baird Center, Lambeau Field, Northwestern Mutual, and the Milwaukee County Courthouse, Thomas A. Mason’s craftsmanship is woven into the region’s built environment. Each project reflects the company’s commitment to quality, safety, and long-standing client relationships.

Building Advantage recently sat down with Tom Mason, Steve Macaione and Domenic Macaione to talk about their company’s competitive advantage, commitment to safety, and successful expansion into the western states.

Chris Mambu Rasch: Tell us a little bit about Thomas A. Mason and the services your company provides.

Steve Macaione: My grandfather, Thomas Macaione, came to Milwaukee from Sicily, and founded a painting company in 1912 by utilizing his old-world painting skills and experience with fine finishes. The business was named Thomas A Mason after he changed the family name to Mason, from its Italian pronunciation. My brother, Tom, and I joined the business in the 1980’s. I handle the Milwaukee operations and Tom oversees our projects in Colorado, where we expanded in 1997.

Domenic Macaione: We provide painting, specialty coatings, and floor covering services, and we’re signatory to the Painters, Carpenters (Floor Coverers), and Tile Setters Unions. I help oversee and support the management of painting and floor covering projects, ensuring quality execution across the many different markets we serve, including but not limited to healthcare, hospitality, industrial, and retail banking markets.

Chris: Your portfolio includes some of Wisconsin’s most recognizable landmarks. What stands out about those projects?

Steve: We’ve been fortunate to work on some incredible structures, including the Milwaukee Art Museum (Calatrava), American Family Field, Fiserv Forum, Baird Center, Lambeau Field, Northwestern Mutual, the Milwaukee County Courthouse and many others. These projects demand precision, coordination, and trust, and they reflect the level of craftsmanship our clients expect from us. The Calatrava was a unique and special project is it required a crane for us to be able to paint the tallest portion of the structure. It’s exciting for us to take on projects that require creative solutions.

Chris: Is there anything unique about how Thomas A. Mason approaches its work?

Steve: One thing that sets us apart is our ability to perform coating work year-round, even during Wisconsin winters. We use specialized products and processes that allow us to keep projects moving, regardless of the season, to protect client budgets and minimize downtime without compromising quality.

Chris: What has been the key to your long-term success?

Steve: We have a highly trained, experienced workforce that takes pride in doing the job right. Many of our tradespeople have been with us for a majority of their careers, and that consistency and experience shows in our work. Our EMR rating of 0.62 is a direct reflection of our strong safety culture, ongoing training, and commitment to responsible jobsite practices.

Tom Mason: Strong client relationships have also been critical. We’ve been fortunate to have long-standing partnerships with clients like Aurora Health Care, GE, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Summerfest, Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers and multiple homeowners in the western slopes of Colorado where we’ve completed many projects over the years. When we expanded into Colorado, we were able to continue working with partners that operate nationally, which allowed us to establish ourselves quickly in a new market. In 2025 alone, we completed 115 bank painting projects across multiple states, a testament to the trust our clients place in our team and our ability to deliver consistently, no matter the location.

Chris: How does your workforce give you a competitive advantage?

Tom: Operating in both Wisconsin and Colorado allows us to utilize a traveling team when needed. For example, we have Wisconsin-based crews assisting with painting at the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch near Vail. That flexibility helps us meet aggressive schedules and deliver consistent quality. Plus, staying at the Ritz while you work is a pretty great perk for our crew! We also recently had our Colorado crew working at the Milwaukee County Medical Examiners Facility installing custom graphic wallcoverings.

Domenic: Partnering with local unions allows us to select from the most highly trained and skilled tradespeople, providing our projects with experience and education that extend far beyond field training alone.

Chris: How does Thomas A. Mason stay connected to the community?

Steve: Community investment has always been important to us, especially in Milwaukee. We’ve been located on MLK Drive since 1991 and are deeply committed to economic development and RPP certification. Many of our RPP workers become long-term employees, and a large portion of our workforce lives in the city and work close to home. For our company, RPP isn’t a flash in the pan, it’s a commitment we’ve made. It’s worked well for us as we have many RPP employees who stay on and work on all of our jobs. Supporting the community isn’t just something we do, it’s part of who we are and our legacy.

To learn more about Thomas A Mason, visit their website: https://www.tamason.com/