The 2014 Craft Professional of the Year award was presented to Robert Stuart, superintendent at Stronghold Engineering in Menifee, Calif., May 2 during ABC’s National Craft Championships and Workforce Development Conference in Birmingham, Ala. The award recognizes Stuart’s work in the industry including his commitment to safety, training and the merit shop philosophy.

Local media outlets welcomed this year’s National Craft Championships (NCC) by covering several individual competitors trips to NCC. Newspapers from Alabama, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Texas published stories on competitors in the Welding-Structural, Sheet Metal, HVAC, and Electrical: Commercial-Industrial competitions.

The ABC New Orleans/Bayou Chapter broke ground April 11 in St. Rose, La. on Phase Two of their training campus master plan expansion, which includes an additional 18,000 square feet of classrooms, laboratories and welding booths for its apprenticeship and craft training program, as well as its safety and management education program.

The ABC student chapter at Montgomery College, Rockville, Md., was named the 2014 Student Chapter of the Year, which recognized them for their outstanding and extensive programming, community service and involvement with ABC during the past year. The student chapter will be honored at the Careers in Construction Awards ceremony May 2 in Birmingham, Ala.

ABC awarded Lloyd Evans, hiring and training administrator for Watson Electrical Construction Co. LLC, Wilson, N.C., as its 2014 Craft Instructor of the Year. Evans will be honored during ABC’s Workforce Development Conference May 2 in Birmingham, Ala.

ABC is seeking volunteers with recognized experience and expertise in a craft to judge the 2014 National Craft Championships on May 1 in Birmingham, Ala. ABC members who are interested in participating should submit a judge’s form, found on the NCC website, to [email protected] indicating which craft competitions they would like to judge.

Registration is still open for the 2014 Workforce Development Conference being held April 29-May 2 in Birmingham, Ala. which will feature education sessions spanning six topics, keynote speakers, networking receptions and the National Craft Championships. Members interested in learning more can view the agenda and plan their week in Alabama by visiting wdc.abc.org.

In an effort to raise funds for the Trimmer Construction Education Foundation and ABC’s National Craft Championships, Construction Executive magazine is donating $1 for every new “like” on its Facebook page throughout the month of April.

ABC is looking for members to help judge the 2014 National Craft Championships on May 1 in Birmingham, Ala. Members with demonstrated expertise in a craft who are interested in participating should submit a judge’s form to [email protected] indicating one of the craft competitions they would like to judge by April 11.

ABC’s annual Workforce Development Conference is bringing construction professionals education, networking and careers in construction April 29-May 2 in Birmingham, Ala. Choose from more than 40 educational sessions, keynote speakers and our many networking receptions to increase your professional development.