Contact: Kristi Pronovost
Director of Marketing & Communications
(717) 653-8106 or kristi@abckeystone.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 4, 2022
Contact: Kristi Pronovost, Director of Marketing & Communications
(717) 653-8106 or kristi@abckeystone.org
(MANHEIM, Pa.) Three ABC Keystone apprentices received top scores at the Keystone Chapter’s Individual Local Craft Competition on Saturday, October 1, 2022, held at the Chapter’s state-of-the-art training facility in Manheim. This year, the competition also featured the Chapter’s first-ever Team Competition designed to demonstrate safety along with craft interdependency and teamwork; simulate working conditions where planning is critical to success; highlight individual leadership and workmanship skills as the project was assembled and completed; and work through problems as a team.
The top scorers who demonstrated their superior skills, training and safe work practices will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the upcoming 2023 ABC National Craft Competition (NCC) to be held March 16, 2023, in Kissimmee, Florida. At the National Craft Competition, they will compete against craftspeople from ABC’s 68 chapters nationwide. The local craft competition is made possible through support of ABC Keystone Chapter members.
The craft competition was open to the public and attended by family and friends of the apprentices and Keystone Chapter members which provided the competitors the opportunity to compete in an energized and busy environment replicating the experience of competing at ABC’s National Competition. Competitors kept their diligent focus to their craft and maintained strict attention to safety while working on projects which had been carefully designed to test the apprentices’ practical and problem-solving skills. This hands-on portion of the individual competition contributed to 75% of their total score and was judged by construction industry professionals. Individual competitors are not given details of their project build prior to the event. Ahead of the practical trade skills competition, the apprentices were required to take a written test contributing to the remaining 25% of their total score. During the written test, they proved their academic understanding and knowledge gained throughout their education program. To earn a spot at ABC Keystone’s individual local craft competition, apprentices must rank within the top five of their trade class.
During the team competition, four craft journey-level professionals work as a team to complete a series of craft-specific tasks focused on electrical, plumbing, sheet metal/HVAC and carpentry in a six-hour period.
Team competitors are not required to take a written assessment. Teams are provided craft specifications and drawings no more than 24 hours ahead of the event.
ABC Keystone commends all who earned the opportunity to compete. “The Keystone Chapter is proud of the accomplishments of all who competed in the competition. Their commitment to excellence as they represented their companies and the Chapter was exemplary and a true testament to the focus on quality and safety shown by ABC members,” said ABC Keystone’s Director of Apprenticeship, Cindy DeWire.
In appreciation of the competitors’ hard work and dedicated efforts training for this event, they each received a $50 Home Depot card for their participation. The 1st place winner in each trade was given a $75 Home Depot card and a full-expenses-paid trip to the National Craft Competition in Kissimmee, FL, March 15 – 17, 2023.
Congratulations to the 2022 ABC Keystone Individual Local Craft Competition
Top Scorers:
- Plumbing: Richard Barnhart (Millersville), Frey Lutz Corp.
- Carpentry: Matthew Flores (Ronks), Benchmark Construction Company, Inc.
- Electrical: Evan Williams (Lancaster), Haller Enterprises
Congratulations to all apprentices having earned the opportunity to compete at the ABC Keystone Individual Local Craft Competition:
Carpentry
- Brandon Anchant (East Petersburg), Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown)
- Matthew Flores (Ronks), Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown)
- Charles Miller (Elizabethtown), Wickersham Construction and Engineering, Inc. (Wickersham)
- Brett Travis (Annville), Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown)
Electrical
- Cory Clites (York), Cyprium Solutions, Inc. (East Petersburg)
- Cayden Heiselman (Quarryville), D&T Electric, LLC (Lancaster)
- Evan Williams (Lancaster), Haller Enterprises (Lititz)
Plumbing
- Richard Barnhart (Millersville), Frey Lutz Corp. (Lancaster)
- David Barth, Inc. (Harrisburg), James Craft & Son, Inc. (Manchester)
- Leah Hoptak (Wrightsville), James Craft & Son, Inc. (Manchester)
- Lucas Teare (York Haven), James Craft & Son, Inc. (Manchester)
Congratulations to the 2022 ABC Keystone Local Team Craft Competition Winner, Benchmark Construction Co., Inc.
Winning Team members:
- Carpentry: Jason Birdwell, Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown)
- Electrical: Gavin Sangrey, Meadow Valley Electric, Inc. (Ephrata)
- Plumbing: Ryan Eberly, Flow Mechanical (Manheim)
- Sheet Metal: Phillip Gregg, James Craft & Son, Inc. (Manchester)
Congratulations to all companies competing in the ABC Keystone Local Team Craft Competition:
- Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown)
- Pyramid Construction Services, Inc., a Quandel Company (Wormleysburg)
- Wagman Construction, Inc. (York)
- Wohlsen Construction Company (Lancaster)
The Keystone Chapter’s PA-registered apprenticeship program offers education in ten trades and focuses on hands-on education under the guidance of experienced instructors. To learn more, please visit https://abckeystone.orgapprenticeship
Jarrell Jackson, Director of National Craft Championships, ABC National, with the top scorers of the individual competition: Matthew Flores, Benchmark Construction Co., Inc.; Evan Williams, Haller Enterprises; and Richard Barnhart, Frey Lutz Corp.
The winners of the Team Competition, Benchmark Construction Co., Inc:
Carpentry: Jason Birdwell, Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. (Brownstown), Electrical: Gavin Sangrey, Meadow Valley Electric, Inc. (Ephrata), Plumbing: Ryan Eberly, Flow Mechanical (Manheim), Sheet Metal: Phillip Gregg, James Craft & Son, Inc. (Manchester)
*high resolution photos available upon request
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ABC Keystone Leads, Champions and Serves the Construction Industry
The Keystone Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors is a construction trade association with headquarters based in Manheim, Pennsylvania, representing over 637 construction-related firms and nearly 25,000 employees in 33 counties across Central PA. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 68 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 abckeystone.org.
