ABC announces 2018 Craft Professional of the Year and Craft Instructor of the Year finalists

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Washington, has announced the finalists for its 2018 Craft Professional of the Year and Craft Instructor of the Year awards. Winners of both awards will be announced at the Careers in Construction Awards ceremony March 22 during ABC Convention 2018 in Long Beach, California.

“It’s quite an achievement to be named a finalist for ABC’s Craft Professional and Craft Instructor of the Year awards,” 2018 ABC National Chair George R. Nash Jr., director of preconstruction at Branch & Associates in Herndon, Virginia, says. “These member firm employees embody the commitment to world class craftsmanship, training and leadership that we celebrate in the merit shop construction industry. ABC members are fortunate to work with a group of talented leaders so dedicated to their craft and the development of our skilled workforce.”

The 2018 Craft Professional of the Year finalists are:

• Richard Brown, Gaylor Electric Inc., Noblesville, Indiana, ABC Indiana/Kentucky Chapter
• Jeff Dickman, Van Dyken Mechanical, Middleville, Michigan, ABC Western Michigan Chapter
• Troy Clinger, Kent Cos. Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan, ABC Western Michigan Chapter
• Jaime Ramos, Marek, Houston, ABC Houston Chapter

The 2018 Craft Instructor of the Year finalists are:

• Jason Ashlaw, Demco New York Corp., East Syracuse, New York, ABC Empire State Chapter
• David Clements, Red D Plumbing, Omaha, Nebraska, ABC Cornhusker Chapter
• William Fuller, ABC Greater Houston Chapter, La Porte, Texas
• Roosevelt Norwood, Zachry Industrial, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ABC Pelican Chapter
• Eugene Senter, Facility Solutions Group, Indianapolis, ABC Indiana/Kentucky Chapter

ABC presents the Craft Professional of the Year award to a construction craft professional who excels in his or her field while also demonstrating a commitment to safety, training and the merit shop philosophy. The 2018 winner will receive a 2018 Ram Tradesman truck from the award’s founding sponsor Tradesmen International, Macedonia, Ohio. The winner will also receive a ReaXX table saw from award sponsor Bosch, Irvine, California. Each of the finalists receive a tool kit from Bosch. Ram Commercial, Auburn Hills, Michigan, is also an award sponsor.

ABC presents the Craft Instructor of the Year award to an instructor with outstanding creativity, a positive attitude and the ability to transfer knowledge through communications skills and innovative teaching to promote lifelong learning to the construction industry’s future workforce. The recipient of this award best embodies the merit shop ideals through superior effort and talent and will receive a $10,000 cash prize from the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), Alachua, Florida, and ABC’s Trimmer Construction Education Fund. In addition, finalists will receive a $1,000 cash prize from NCCER.