For more information, contact Kristi Pronovost

717.653.8106 or kristi@abckeystone.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 31, 2017

(MANHEIM, PA) The ABC Keystone Center for Construction Careers graduated fifty-four apprentices and announced winners of the Craft Professionals of the Year and Instructor of the Year Awards on May 24, 2017, at the Columbia Fire Hall, Columbia.2016-2017 Craft Instructor of the Year:

Each year, ABC Keystone recognizes an Instructor of The Year. Selection of the Instructor of the Year is based upon four main criteria:

  1. Classroom observations by staff and committee members.
  2. Instructor evaluations from our apprentices.
  3. Timeliness of weekly reports, grades and other required paperwork.
  4. General attitude of the instructor toward the apprentices and the apprenticeship program.

The 2016-2017 Craft Instructor of the Year recipient was Carpentry Level 2 Instructor Ralph Kautz, Wohlsen Construction Company (Lancaster).

Ralph has taught carpentry at ABC Keystone for four years, and he has a true passion for his trade. This passion shines through in his classroom experience and in passing his knowledge on to others.

The following individuals received the Craft Professionals of the Year Award for 2017:

Full Name  Category  Company
 Charles P. Bowman  Exterior Veneers  The Witmer Group (Mount Joy)
 Larry Woodfin  Carpentry  Wohlsen Construction Company (Lancaster)

Award criteria for the Craft Professionals of the Year Awards is based on the nominee’s mastery of skills; safety performance; jobsite performance and productivity; leadership; and his or her on-the-job body of work. Approximately 90% of the award recipient’s daily job duties must include daily use of the tools or equipment, and the recipient must currently possess a journey level designation. This was the inaugural year for this award at ABC Keystone.
The following apprentices achieved the High Achiever Award, for earning the highest grade point average in their trades (with a minimum GPA of 93%)

 Full Name
 Trade Company
 David Beitman (Halifax)  Plumbing  H.B. McClure Company (Harrisburg)
 Harry J. Feltenberger (Wrightsville)  Sheet Metal  Frey Lutz Corp. (Lancaster)
 Jonathan Leaman (Lancaster)  Carpentry  Benchmark Construction Co., Inc (Brownstown)
 Jared McCoy (Lancaster)  Electrical  Haller Enterprises, Inc. (Lititz)
 David J. Strawser-Ortiz (Quarryville)  HEO  J.D. Eckman, Inc. (Atglen)
 Robert C. Ulrich (Lancaster)  HVAC  Haller Enterprises, Inc. (Lititz)

Keynote Speaker Chuck Goodrich, ABC National Chairman, Gaylor Electric, Noblesville, IN, spoke at the event and shared, “This industry can take you anywhere you want to go. Be gritty and present; do what you say you will do, and be loyal and faithful. All of these points will help carry you a long way to a rewarding future in the construction industry.” – Chuck Goodrich, ABC National Chair

Chuck Goodrich, president of Gaylor Electric Inc., a 200 million dollar company in Noblesville, IN, began his term as 2017 Chair for Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) on Jan. 1, 2017. Goodrich also served as Secretary in 2015 and as the Mid-America Region Vice Chair in 2015 and 2014.

The graduating apprentices earned a certificate of completion celebrating four years of classroom training and on-the-job training hours. The graduates were also recognized for their career accomplishments, as well as their personal commitment, in the form of such awards as perfect attendance, a straight “A” average, and others. Apprenticeship, with its combination of classroom training and on-the-job experience, provides the upcoming craft professional opportunities to develop the skills for a career in the construction industry.

The Keystone Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors wishes the following 2017 talented and gifted apprentices a future filled with success and fulfillment:

Full Name Trade Company
Zachary R. Beard (Annville) Carpentry Arthur Funk & Sons, Inc. (Lebanon)
Clifford W. Brinkman (Mechanicsburg) Carpentry Easy Does It Drywall (Mechanicsburg)
Declan A. Byrne (Lancaster) Carpentry Wohlsen Construction Company (Lancaster)
Justin Cramer (York) Carpentry Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown)
Caleb E. Kover (Manheim) Carpentry Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown)
Jonathan Leaman (Lancaster) Carpentry Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown)
Brandon R. Pabon (Lancaster) Carpentry Warfel Construction Company (East Petersburg)
Zachariah D. Rhoads (Willow Street) Carpentry Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown)
Michael S. Roten (Lancaster) Carpentry Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown)
James M. Seefeldt, Jr (Parkesburg) Carpentry Wohlsen Construction Company (Lancaster)
Tyler D. Strunk (Shillington) Carpentry Dolan Construction, Inc. (Reading)
Kyle Baylor (Lancaster) Electrical R.S. Reidenbaugh Corp. (Lititz)
Kyle D. Canning (Leola) Electrical Clark Mechanical Services, Inc. (Lancaster)
Michael A. DeJesus (Lititz) Electrical Lancaster Electric, Inc. (Lancaster)
John Donegan (Lancaster) Electrical Meadow Valley Electric, Inc. (Ephrata)
Chad J. Foor (Manheim) Electrical Foor Home Services (Manheim)
Todd M. Harnish (Pequea) Electrical Lancaster City WWTP (Lancaster)
Read A. Ingold (Manheim) Electrical Wilco Electric, Inc. (Columbia)
Austin Kilgore (Peach Bottom) Electrical CCS Building Group (Willow Street)
Christopher Lee (Camp Hill) Electrical Cheran, Inc. (Camp Hill)
Jared McCoy (Lancaster) Electrical Haller Enterprises, Inc. (Lititz)
Connor R. McGinn (Willow Street) Electrical Edwards Electric & Telecom, Inc. (Stevens)
Nathan A. Maughan (Columbia) Electrical Legacy Electrical Services, Inc. (Manheim)
Brenden R. Mearig (Lititz) Electrical McCarty & Son, Inc. (Ephrata)
Brandon A. Mireles (Lititz) Electrical Lancaster Electric, Inc. (Lancaster)
James L. Rankin (Conestoga) Electrical Wilco Electric, Inc. (Columbia)
Daniel R. Richards (Lancaster) Electrical Wilco Electric, Inc. (Columbia)
Derek Rudy (Quarryville) Electrical Cyprium Solutions, Inc. (East Petersburg)
Jared A. Smith (York) Electrical Lancaster Electric, Inc. (Lancaster)
Connor R. Stoehr (Lancaster) Electrical Wilco Electric, Inc. (Columbia)
Joseph P. Wallick (Red Lion) Electrical Lancaster Electric, Inc. (Lancaster)
Jeremy Weaver (Reinholds) Electrical The Farfield Company (Lititz)
Andrew Wilson (York) Electrical IETC (York)
Hunter W. Zeigler (Dover) Electrical Engles & Fahs, Inc. (York)
Garrett J. Behrendt (Harrisburg) HVAC W.C. Eshenaur and Son, Inc. (Harrisburg)
Brice M. Crawford (Annville) HVAC Remco, Inc. (Mechanicsburg)
Cody A. Feaser (Mechanicsburg) HVAC H.B. McClure Company (Harrisburg)
Robert C. Ulrich (Lancaster) HVAC Haller Enterprises, Inc. (Lititz)
Austin R. Wertz (Thomasville) HVAC H.B. McClure Company (Harrisburg)
Aaron Bloszinsky (Northampton) HEO J.D. Eckman, Inc. (Atglen)
Pamela C. Sheets (Mifflintown) HEO J.D. Eckman, Inc. (Atglen)
David J. Strawser-Ortiz (Quarryville) HEO J.D. Eckman, Inc. (Atglen)
David Beitman (Halifax) Plumbing H.B. McClure Company (Harrisburg)
Mark C. Cassel (Manheim) Plumbing Garden Spot Mechanical, Inc. (Manheim)
William L. Diehl (Wrightsville) Plumbing Frey Lutz Corp. (Lancaster)
John H. Guerrero (Lancaster) Plumbing The Farfield Company (Lititz)
Adam T. Irvin (Denver) Plumbing Ames Construction, Inc. (Ephrata)
Larrian C. Payne (Elizabethtown) Plumbing Brubaker, Inc. (Lancaster)
Mark S. Reisinger, Jr (Columbia) Plumbing Haller Enterprises, Inc. (Lititz)
Andrew M. Shertzer (Landisville) Plumbing Vision Mechanical, Inc. (Reading)
Joel Siegrist (Columbia) Plumbing Frey Lutz Corp. (Lancaster)
Zachary Snyder (Denver) Plumbing Ames Construction, Inc. (Ephrata)
Harry J. Feltenberger (Wrightsville) Sheet Metal Frey Lutz Corp. (Lancaster)
Skyler A. Hoffman (Manchester) Sheet Metal Sheet Metal Specialists, LLC (Harrisburg)

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The Keystone Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) is a construction trade association based in Manheim, Pennsylvania, representing nearly 600 construction-related firms. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 70 chapters nation-wide help members win work and deliver that work safely, ethically, and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work. Visit us at www.abckeystone.org.