Contact: Gerry Fritz, (703) 812-2062                           For Immediate Release  
                                                                             February 16, 2010   

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today announced the winners of its 2010 National Craft Championships competition, held at the association’s National Convention Feb. 4-5 in San Diego.

A field of 97 craft professionals competed in 11 craft competitions representing 10 trades during this year’s contest. Competitors first took an intense, two-hour written exam and then competed in daylong hands-on practical performance tests.

“The National Craft Championships is the highlight of ABC’s annual National Convention, and this year was no exception,” said 2010 ABC National Chairman Jim Elmer, president of James W. Elmer Construction Co., Spokane, Wash. “Once again, we are honored to provide these craft professionals with the opportunity to demonstrate their high-quality workmanship, technical knowledge and safe work practices. These craft professionals are the best-of-the-best and show us that there is a bright future ahead for ABC and the U.S. construction industry.”

Participants proved their expertise in carpentry, electrical, fire sprinkler, HVAC, insulation, millwright, pipefitting, plumbing, sheet metal, pipe welding and structural welding. A portion of each participant's score was based on his or her good safety practices and procedures. The winners are listed below:  

Carpentry
Gold Medalist: Walter E. Farrell
Employer: University of Akron
Training Sponsor: ABC Northern Ohio Chapter  

Silver Medalist: Matthew Archer
Employer: Shiel Sexton Company, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Indiana Chapter  

Bronze Medalist: Dustin Pagel
Employer: Radtke Contractors, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Wisconsin Chapter  

Electrical
Gold Medalist: John Riley
Employer: DenTech, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Keystone Chapter  

Silver Medalist: Percy LaRoy Manuel
Employer: Watson Electrical Construction Co., LLC
Training Sponsor: ABC Carolinas Chapter  

Bronze Medalist: Matthew Otto Bednarik
Employer: Durlam Electric, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Iowa Chapter  

Fire Sprinkler
Gold Medalist: Joseph Giguere
Employer: Rustic Fire Protection
Training Sponsor: American Fire Sprinkler Association  

Silver Medalist: James Michael Maye
Employer: RoDan Fire Sprinklers, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Florida Gulf Coast Chapter  

Bronze Medalist: Jeffrey Alan Tressler, Jr.
Employer: VSC Fire & Security
Training Sponsor: ABC Baltimore Metro Chapter  

HVAC
Gold Medalist: Tyler Kratz
Employer: Central Temperature Equipment
Training Sponsor: ABC Wisconsin Chapter  

Silver Medalist: Tyler C. Holdgreve
Employer: A&A Mechanical, LLC
Training Sponsor: ABC Indiana Chapter  

Bronze Medalist: James Christopher Coughlin
Employer: Harford Refrigeration Co., Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Baltimore Metro Chapter  

Insulation
Gold Medalist: Justin Allen Brooks
Employer: G.E. Insulation Co.
Training Sponsor: ABC Saginaw Valley Chapter  

Silver Medalist: Andrew J. Nelson
Employer: Iowa Insulation, Inc.
Training Sponsor: Iowa Insulation, Inc.  

Bronze Medalist: Charles Cameron Clendenin
Employer: STARCON International, Inc.
Training Sponsor: STARCON International, Inc.  

Millwright
Gold Medalist: Cody Clay Barnard
Employer: McGill Maintenance Partnership, Ltd.
Training Sponsor: ABC Texas Gulf Coast Chapter  

Silver Medalist: Daniel E. Atwood
Employer: Turner Industries Group, LLC
Training Sponsor: ABC Pelican Chapter  

Bronze Medalist: James Dungan
Employer: Cianbro Corporation
Training Sponsor: ABC Maine Chapter/Cianbro Corporation  

Pipefitting
Gold Medalist: George Mobley III
Employer: M.W. Mielke, Inc.
Training Sponsor: M.W. Mielke, Inc.  

Silver Medalist: Cristie Morand
Employer: DECCO, Inc.
Training Sponsor: Gould Construction Institute  

Bronze Medalist: Ethan Wayne Muske
Employer: KBR Services, Inc.
Training Sponsor: KBR Services, Inc.  

Plumbing
Gold Medalist: Coleman Oster
Employer: Haller Enterprises, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Keystone Chapter  

Silver Medalist: Gary E. Stalter
Employer: Three River Corporation
Training Sponsor: ABC Saginaw Valley Chapter  

Bronze Medalist: Christopher Joseph Sbrocco
Employer: J.R. Sbrocco Plumbing, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Northern Ohio Chapter  

Sheet Metal
Gold Medalist: Bradley T. Sydnes
Employer: Converse Conditioned Air, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Iowa Chapter  

Silver Medalist: David Zeller
Employer: Capitol Mechanical, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Wisconsin Chapter  

Bronze Medalist: Gervasius Brown III
Employer: James Craft & Son, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Keystone Chapter  

Welding: Pipe
Gold Medalist: Seth Webber
Employer: Cianbro Corporation
Training Sponsor: Cianbro Corporation  

Silver Medalist: Zachery Nicholas Anthony
Employer: STARCON International, Inc.
Training Sponsor: STARCON International, Inc.  

Bronze Medalist: Ethan Beaugh
Employer: Performance Contractors, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC Pelican Chapter  

Welding: Structural
Gold Medalist: Holley Beth Thomas
Employer: KBR Services, Inc.
Training Sponsor: KBR Services, Inc.  

Silver Medalist: Aaron Michael Poole
Employer: Cianbro Corporation
Training Sponsor: Cianbro Corporation  

Bronze Medalist: Wade LaRose
Employer: John Deere Thibodaux, Inc.
Training Sponsor: ABC New Orleans/Bayou Chapter  

The National Craft Championships was developed in 1987 to help celebrate and recognize craft training in construction careers. Each year, the competition draws some of the nation’s most talented craftspeople and highlights the important role that craft skills training plays in the construction industry. The National Craft Championships Committee, which is composed of leading merit shop construction firms, plans all year for the two-day competition.   

                                                                ###  

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national trade association with 77 chapters representing 25,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms with 2 million employees. Visit us at www.abc.org. 

 PDF Format