Craftsmanship Awards honor industry’s best in Northeast Ohio

The top journeymen, apprentices and contractors from Northeast Ohio gathered at Cleveland Browns Stadium for the annual celebration honoring the local union construction industry.

Held on Aug. 29, the Building Excellence and Craftsmanship Awards honored those who helped build and re-build the region.

With hundreds in attendance, Tim Linville, Chief Executive Officer of the Construction Employers Association, gave a brief welcome speech and introduced Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne and other elected officials in attendance.

Ronayne called the event the Oscar night for the building trades and thanked those in attendance for their partnership. The region’s construction industry is an economic force, similar to the area’s medical, industrial and manufacturing sectors, he added.

Cuyahoga County will have an estimated $2 billion in new construction on the books in the next few years including a new county courthouse and a new correctional facility in Garfield Heights, Ronayne said.

“And wherever Browns Stadium will be, we’ll build it together,” he said regarding the debate on the future home of the Cleveland Browns.

Throughout his speech, Ronayne stressed the importance of “building together.” “Unions,” he stated, “are a huge driver of what makes communities and families stable.”

Following Ronayne’s speech, Cleveland Building Trades and Construction Council Executive Secretary/Business Manager Dave Wondolowski handed out the Apprentice of the Year award for each trade.

That was followed by Bill Nails, who serves as CBCTC Sergeant-at-Arms and Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons Local 526 Business Agent, who handed out the Craftsmanship Awards.

A video introduced each Craftsmanship award and highlighted the challenges faced on each project and how they were overcome.

The final award group for area contractors was handed out by Glen Shumate, Executive Vice President of the Construction Employers Association.