Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today announced the finalists for its 2017 Craft Professional of the Year and Craft Instructor of the Year awards. Winners of both awards will be announced March 3 during ABC’s Workforce Week ’17 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“It’s quite an achievement to be named a finalist for Associated Builders and Contractors’ Craft Professional and Craft Instructor of the Year,” said 2017 ABC National Chair Chuck Goodrich, president of Gaylor Electric Inc., Indianapolis. “These member firm employees embody the commitment to world-class craftsmanship, training and leadership that we celebrate in the merit shop construction industry. Having employed past winners of and finalists in these awards, I know the competition is stiff. 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 2017 Craft Professional of the Year finalists are:

• Christopher Allison, Sentry Electric Inc., Lincoln, Neb., ABC Cornhusker Chapter
• Terry Buschert, Architectural Metals Inc., Comstock Park, Mich., ABC Western Michigan Chapter
• Adam Ruff, Price Electric, Ely, Iowa, ABC Iowa Chapter
• Dan VanRee, Dan Vos Construction, Grand Rapids, Mich., ABC Western Michigan Chapter

The 2017 Craft Instructor of the Year finalists are:

• James Davis, Hardeman County Schools, Middleton, Tenn., ABC West Tennessee Chapter
• Alvin Pardo-Monell, APM Vocational Institute, Alexandria, Va., ABC Virginia Chapter
• Lowell Reith, Interstates, Salina, Kan., ABC Iowa Chapter
• Roger E. Thompson, Jesse Stutts Inc., Huntsville, Ala., ABC North Alabama 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 2017 winner will receive a brand-new 2017 Ram Tradesman Crew Cab truck from the award’s exclusive sponsor, Tradesmen International, with custom upgrades donated by ABC business partner Ram Commercial. In addition, each of the finalists received a tool kit from Bosch.

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 NCCER and the Trimmer Construction Education Foundation. In addition, finalists will receive a $1,000 cash prize from NCCER.