ABC is now accepting nominations for the 2017 Craft Professional of the Year and Craft Instructor of the Year awards. ABC members, employees and chapter staff may submit a nomination by the Jan. 6, 2017 deadline. If you know of someone who works hard, makes a difference in the industry and embodies the merit shop philosophy, enter them into the competition and they could walk away with the top title and a hefty grand prize.

During the Careers in Construction Awards Ceremony March 6, ABC recognized Holley Thomas, a foreman for KBR, Houston, Texas, as its 2015 Craft Professional of the Year and Jonathan Sacks, transmission and distribution training manager for Cianbro, Pittsfield, Maine, as its 2015 Craft Instructor of the Year. The awards were presented during ABC’s Workforce Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 

The votes are in and the four finalists for the 2015 Craft Instructor of the Year Award have been announced. The finalists will join ABC at the Workforce Conference March 3-6 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where they will be interviewed and narrowed down to one winner. The winning instructor will be announced during the Careers in Construction Awards ceremony and will walk away with a $10,000 cash prize.

Our craft instructors have a huge impact on how well-prepared the nation’s future construction workers are and their dedication to building a skilled workforce should not go unnoticed. To thank our instructors across the country for their hard work, ABC will award an instructor that teaches at an ABC Chapter, training affiliate or member company with $10,000 and the title of Craft Instructor of the Year.

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 chapters and members can honor a Craft Professional or Craft Instructor by submitting a nomination for the 2014 Craft Professional of the Year (CPOY) and Craft Instructor of the Year (CIOY) Awards by March 7. The CPOY winner will receive a brand-new truck and the CIOY winner will receive a cash prize May 2 at ABC’s Careers in Construction Awards Ceremony.

ABC May 3 recognized Michael Arledge, a journeyman electrician for Greiner Electric, Littleton, Colo., as its 2013 Craft Professional of the Year. ABC also announced Anthony Ayotte, craft training manager for the Cianbro Institute, Pittsfield, Maine, as its 2013 Craft Instructor of the Year. The awards were presented during ABC’s 21st Century Workforce Development Conference in Birmingham, Ala.