The Fourth of July is a time for celebration and reflection. We celebrate our freedom and reflect on the sacrifices made in the name of freedom. No symbol encapsulates the strength of our nation, quite like the flag. And every Fourth, a few local WVCA members come together to raise the great flag in West Terre Haute.

Every year Misco Crane Services, a family-owned and operated business, plays host to the flag, purchased from Earl C. Rodgers and Associates. The flag sits proudly atop a 1966 Lima 500 T crane 156’ in the air behind the Vigo County Courthouse. When Misco owner, Steve Durham, began his work, the 66’ Lima was the biggest he owned.
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“The business and fleet have come a long way since then,” explained Steve. “When we started, our cranes used to be 50 tons. Now, we have a 300 ton.”

A crane with that much sentimental value and size was befitting of our great flag.

“The Misco Flag is visible to anybody crossing the river,” said Linda Shaw of Earl C. Rodgers and Associates. “It always makes me feel good to see it out there. It speaks of patriotism and the west side.”

Linda and her son, Michael Shaw, began selling American flags to accompany their flagpole sales several years ago. And each flag sold, comes with a story.

“We’ve learned from selling flags, getting to meet the veterans and patriots and hear their stories, you realize what the flag actually means to them,” explained Michael. “To the men and women who have served under it, you realize it is more than a piece of fabric. It really is something special, something to be revered.”

Linda and Michael feel honored to work with Misco Enterprises and provide their community with a lasting symbol of freedom and unity.
“Many people look forward to seeing it every day as it represents our country,” said Steve.
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“We’re just really proud to see it,” said Michael. “There’s a lot of great things happening on the west side of the river.”

The Wabash Valley Contractor’s Association was happy to welcome the Indiana State University Men’s Basketball Coach to the June dinner meeting. Josh Schertz will be starting his first season with the Sycamores later this year. Thank you to each member who came out and made this quarter’s dinner meeting a success.

Save the date!  

The WVCA Annual Scholarship Golf Outing will take place on September 10th at the Hulman Links Golf Course. Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more information.

Congratulations to WVCA member Anna Wetnight on her recent grand opening and ribbon cutting of her Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Agency location. Anna was joined by friends and family alongside the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Duke Bennett as she cut the ribbon on her new business location. ​

The Wabash Valley Contractors Association (WVCA), in partnership with the Terre Haute Children’s Museum, continues to showcase a unique exhibit, Under Construction. The exhibit, made possible by WVCA members and the Museum’s dedication to educational experiences, originally opened in January of 2020. Overlooking the site of the coming Terre Haute Convention Center, the exhibit has a unique bird’s-eye view of the progress taking place downtown.

Under Construction encourages children of all ages to explore drawing, lifting, welding and assembling much like the Wabash Valley’s trade experts. With the convention center’s construction directly across the street, visitors can apply the skills they are learning with tangible projects within the community.

“Our hope is to show kids that there are opportunities beyond traditional routes and career paths, understanding that workforce has been a huge topic of conversation lately,” states Bill Hann, Jr., President of WVCA. “Educating on the importance of the trade industry and allowing them to start thinking about occupations in general will help establish a foundational understanding for finding skilled and reliable employees for the future. We are grateful for the Children’s Museum and for all of those who believe in the importance of this and for continuing to make it a reality.”

The Terre Haute Children’s Museum and the exhibit is open Friday and Saturday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and Sundays from 12:00 – 5:00 pm.

On behalf of the WVCA membership, we would like to thank Sgt. Matt Rains and Officer Anthony Mazzon from the Terre Haute Police Department, who spoke about the Special Response Training courses at our last dinner meeting. Concluding their presentation, the WVCA presented a check donation to their program. In addition, WVCA member companies Garmong Construction Services and Anna Wetnight, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, also presented donations to the program.

The Wabash Valley Contractors Association celebrated their members at the annual awards night dedicated to recognizing excellence within the industry and the association. 

“Every year, we have the opportunity to reflect on the excellent work of our members, and every year we recognize how every single member is truly making a difference and working for the betterment of the Wabash Valley,” states Bill Hann, Jr., President of WVCA. “The members recognized tonight are true leaders within our trades.” 

Rick Harruff of CDI, Inc., received the prestigious President’s Award. The President’s Award is the highest honor within the association. Harruff was recognized for his outstanding support and dedication to the construction industry, commitment to the trades, and support of the association.  

John Hamblin of Garmong Construction Services was awarded the Honorary Member Award. Hamblin’s many years of service are recognized through this award along with his passion and pledge to the industry.  
 
Mike Waldbieser of Michael R. Waldbieser Engineering & Consulting, Inc., was the recipient of the Cornerstone Award. The Cornerstone Award recognizes a progressive company for their contributions within the construction industry. 

The annual awards night also recognized students who have shown exceptional academic excellence over their college careers by awarding seven scholarships. Recipients include Emma Crossley of Indiana State University, Levi Herb of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, George Hosking of University of Southern Indiana, Derrek Miller of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Stacy Payton of Ball State University, Amanda Waldbieser of Purdue University and Alex Waugh of Indiana State University.  

WVCA began their scholarship program in 1999 to encourage higher education for students of the Wabash Valley. Every year, the scholarship funds are supported by membership fees, the annual golf outing held in September and the Christmas party. WVCA has awarded over $65,000 dollars to eligible recipients since 2013 alone.  

The next round of scholarship applications is due on June 1, 2021. 

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The 2021 member event schedule is now available on our website.
We are kicking off this year with the annual awards night, highlighting the scholarship recipients. As a reminder, please RSVP to sjulbert@ohdth.com if you plan on attending.

FEBRUARY 18: Dinner Meeting- Awards Night

APRIL 15: Dinner Meeting

JUNE 17: Dinner Meeting

AUGUST 19: Dinner Meeting

SEPTEMBER 10: Golf Outing

OCTOBER 21: Dinner Meeting

DECEMBER 3: Christmas Party

Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch met with board members of the Wabash Valley Contractors Association (WVCA) to tour Terre Haute Children’s Museum exhibit, Under Construction, and visit the nearby Terre Haute Convention Center construction project. The Lt. Governor had the opportunity to speak with board members of the WVCA to highlight the impact of these major projects. According to the WVCA, half a billion dollars in construction investment is currently taking place in West Central Indiana. 

“I’m excited to see the type of collaboration that West Central Indiana is exhibiting between local and state elected officials, construction industry and community leadership,” states Senator Jon Ford. “It is collaborative efforts that make these investments possible. 
These projects represent growth and showcase the hard work of the Wabash Valley Contractors Association and the individuals continuing to move their communities forward.” 

With so many upcoming construction projects in the Wabash Valley, WVCA took the opportunity to highlight the positive momentum surrounding their members and their projects. Current construction projects include the Terre Haute Convention Center, the Terre Haute Veterans Affairs clinic as well as higher education institutions, municipalities and private investment projects in the Wabash Valley. 

“The Terre Haute Children’s Museum has a front row seat to the collaborative effort of the construction of the Terre Haute Convention Center,” states Susan Turner, the Terre Haute Children’s Museum Executive Director. “Our region is home to so many valuable trades that are a pivotal part in construction projects like the Terre Haute Convention Center. Our Under Construction Exhibit presents an amazing opportunity to teach and allow children to explore these trades and how to accomplish them all while having fun.” 

The Under Construction Exhibit at the Terre Haute Children’s Museum has a 3rd story view of the construction of the Terre Haute Convention Center. As children watch the construction, they too can interact with the different trades that take part in construction projects including masonry building, playing with excavators and bulldozers, learning about electricity and so much more. This exhibit was made possible thanks to the WVCA sponsorship. 

“On behalf of the Wabash Valley Contractors Association, I want to express my gratitude to Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch for taking the time to visit and have conversations around the development of the construction projects happening here in the Wabash Valley,” states Bill Hann Jr., Board President of the Wabash Valley Contractors Association. “We are thankful for all of our WVCA members who make these projects possible. It’s an exciting time to be in West Central Indiana.” 
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The WVCA represents numerous contracts across West Central Indiana. These discussions promoted the development and showcased the museum and new construction investments throughout our region.