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Yesterday was a day of celebration, as two local WVCA members came together to break ground on a new construction site in northern Terre Haute. Both First Financial Bank and CDI, Inc. were in attendance as plans for a modern new bank location were unveiled. This project will bring valued jobs to our community, and will include many more WVCA members as the project kicks off. We look forward to seeing this project come to life.  Congratulations to Wabash Valley Contractors Association member, Misco, for their new Grove Hydraulic Crane. This impressive, 5-axel addition was put to use during its first job last week. Misco Crane Services will be using this for custom crane work. Thanks, Misco, for your dedication to providing the best quality service for the Wabash Valley!  The Wabash Valley Contractors Association (WVCA) presented their annual scholarship awards during Thursday evenings bi-monthly member dinner. Five awards were presented to students who have shown exceptional academia over their college curriculum so far.
The scholarship recipients include Christian Biddle and Katherine Winning from Indiana State University, Stacy L. Payton from Ivy Tech Community College, Derrek Miller from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Logan T. Grim from Indiana University. Each student was selected for their outstanding academic performance and extracurriculars. “We look forward to this evening every semester,” states Bill Hann, WVCA President. “WVCA’s mission is to increase the development of local companies and their labor force in the Wabash Valley and that begins with education on any level. We will continue to encourage younger generations to seek out these opportunities.” 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 end-of-the-year Christmas party. WVCA has awarded over $63,000 dollars to eligible recipients since 2013 alone. The next round of scholarship applications are due on June 1, 2020. For applicant qualifications and the full application, visit www.wabashvalleycontractorsassociation.com/awards. Photo caption from left to right: Mike Waldbieser, WVCA Board Member; Bill Hann, WVCA President, Derrek Miller, scholarship recipient; Christian Biddle, scholarship recipient; John Hamblin, WVCA Board Member Wabash Valley Contractors Association (WVCA) started Thursday evening’s VIP Open House with a check presentation to welcome the new Under Construction Exhibit to the Terre Haute Children’s Museum. WVCA partnered with the museum for the exhibit as the title sponsor. The exhibit welcomes children of all ages to explore drawing, driving, lifting, welding and assembling much like the Wabash Valley’s electricians, operators, plumbers, architects, bricklayers and the many tradespeople who make up our region. Not only that, but the exhibit has been strategically scheduled to reflect the coming construction of the Terre Haute Convention Center with a birds-eye view of the site. As the region’s unified coalition for the construction industry throughout the Wabash Valley, WVCA’s sponsorship for the exhibit simply made sense. A focus of WVCA is ensuring individuals are educated and aware of the endless career opportunities within the trade union industries. In turn, the Under Construction Exhibit offers visitors insight into the career paths available in the construction industry amongst many hands-on learning opportunities. “We hope that our involvement adds an extra kick to the exhibit,” states WVCA President, Bill Hann. “Navigating the many career options is challenging and over-whelming. This is an opportunity for kids to think beyond traditional routes and we are here to answer questions and help navigate the many routes and opportunities of the trade union industry.” The Under Construction Exhibit officially opens on Friday, January 24, 2020 at 9 a.m. and is included with admission to the Terre Haute Children’s Museum.  (l to r) Bill Hann, Jr., WVCA Presenent; Susan Turner, THCM Executive Director; Katelynn Moats Libermann, THCM Board of Directors Vice Present; John Collett, WVCA Board of Directors Member.
Wabash Valley Contractors Association rings in the new year with local partnerships and projects1/14/2020
The Wabash Valley Contractors Association’s New Year was met with an energized excitement and anticipation for 2020 while the end of 2019 was closed with the same matched energy. In December, Wabash Valley Contractors Association (WVCA) hosted their annual Christmas dinner where over 300 people gathered to reflect on the year and anticipate the coming projects and partnerships of 2020.
At the dinner, WVCA announced their partnership with the Terre Haute Children’s Museum for the Under Construction Exhibit. The exhibit will provide kids of all ages learning opportunities on how buildings are built, careers in construction and how to use the tools needed on the job site. “Our collaboration with the Children’s Museum is an opportunity to introduce the trade union industry to kids. It also provides hands-on learning using equipment and tools that they will see throughout the community with the many projects set to take off in the coming year,” states WVCA President, Bill Hann. The Under Construction Exhibit will be located on the third floor of the Terre Haute Children’s Museum while providing a unique view for the coming construction site for the new Terre Haute Convention Center. “The support from the Wabash Valley Contractors Association has been instrumental in making this exhibit a reality,” states Terre Haute Children’s Museum Executive Director, Susan Turner. “We are on the cusp of a building boom in Terre Haute so having the opportunity to open this exhibit right now is wonderful. This exhibit will help the museum offer an incredible learning experience for children and families.” The exhibit is scheduled to open later this month. Blue skies and perfect weather weren’t the only factors that made this year’s Wabash Valley Contractors Association (WVCA) 2019 Annual Scholarship Golf Outing a success, but the momentum of support and number of teams certainly contributed to the light-hearted day of friendly play. The WVCA Annual Scholarship Golf Outing has become a tradition in the Wabash Valley, and this year many teams were able to experience it. With a record number of 30 teams that participated and 120 golfers, the event raised funds for college students with parents involved in the association. The success of the scholarship program is largely impacted from the golf outing’s sponsors. MacAllister Rentals, Top Notch and Terre Haute Chevrolet have been major sponsors of the event for many years, this year included. “We certainly appreciate all those who participated in this year’s golf outing. It’s enjoyable to see so many teams come together for a friendly game of golf, but more so to witness the impact their participation will have on students and our future workforce," states Bill Hann Jr., Board President, WVCA. Scholarship recipients must have a parent currently working for Membership Company of the WVCA. Additionally, they must have a GPA of at least 2.50 and be entering their junior or senior year at a four-year college or entering their senior year at a junior or vocational college. Scholarship applications are due by June 1st for the fall semesters and December 1st for the spring semesters. Scholarship recipients are announced prior to the start of the semesters and an award dinner is held every February to honor recipients.
As the president of an organization created to promote union labor in the Wabash Valley, I’ve seen the landscape of the community evolve. No doubt, Terre Haute has suffered from lost jobs and stalled growth times. In fact, there were times when a union worker would have to drive a significant distance to a job to secure work. The Wabash Valley Contractors Association watches the economic trends and how what is happening at the national, state and local levels impacts our ability to keep good men and women working. Our mission is focused on supporting economic development and jobs growth that gives labor members and their families an opportunity to live a reputable quality of life in the Wabash Valley.
We’re at an interesting place in time worth noting. Recently, the Tribune-Star published a list of current and upcoming projects, setting a historical precedent for our time. As a reminder, some of those projects include the Terre Haute Convention Center, two new downtown parking garages, remodel of Hulman Center, potential casino, new police department, the build-out of Wabash Valley Resources (old energy plant), a new overpass and much more. In order to take advantage of such an important place in time, the Wabash Valley Contractors Association wants people to know that the trades are alive and well, skilled and ready to serve this community. It is times like these when we have the opportunity to hone our skills, help families live better lives and develop the community in which over 10,000 of our members and their families call home. If you’ve ever considered joining a trade, now is the time. History is unfolding in front of us. Bill Hann, Jr. Wabash Valley Contractors Association, Board President The Wabash Valley Contractors Association (WVCA) was proud to present several scholarships to area students at the organization’s recent award ceremony: Seth Payton, Carly Winning, Christian Biddle, Briar Herb, Douglas Grim, and Logan Grim, all attending Indiana State University; and Spencer Grim, attending Bellarmine University. Scholarship recipients must have a parent currently working for Membership Company of the WVCA. Additionally, they must have a GPA of at least 2.50 and be entering their junior or senior year at a four-year college or entering their senior year at a junior or vocational college. Also, at the award ceremony, the following honors were given to WVCA members: Ted Hazledine, Benchmark Steel, received the Cornerstone Award; George Pettit, AAA Electric of Terre Haute, received the Presidents Award; Tim Twitchell, Garmong Construction, received the Past Presidents Award; and Brian Stolt, Overhead Door Company of Terre Haute, received an award in recognition for past support to WVCA.
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