CHICAGO, IL - December 18, 2017 - The Metal Construction Association (MCA) is proud to announce the 2017 winners for the second annual MCA Triumph Awards, which honor the people and companies that go above and beyond to advance the metal construction industry each year.
"We are honored to recognize some of the most exceptional people in our industry with these awards each year. It's inspiring to see the enthusiasm and the variety of skills that come together to keep metal construction growing and thriving," says Jonathan Rider, MCA'S METALCON Liaison Committee Chair.
The MCA Triumph Awards recognize individuals and organizations in seven categories. The awards were presented on the opening night of METALCON, the leading show for the metal construction industry held in Las Vegas in October. The 2017 award winners are:
Industry Champion of the Year:
Dick Bus, ATAS International, Inc.
Dick Bus is the president of ATAS International and the vice president of BRIGHTSMITH Coaters. He has been involved in the metal construction industry for most of his life. In 1963, Bus's parents started the Aluminum Trim And Shapes company in the basement of their family home, where he worked with his seven brothers and sisters after school each day. Since, Bus has contributed to the industry through his career and by volunteering in many industry positions and committees. He served more than 20 years with MCA including the role of president. Currently, he is the president of the Metal Roofing Alliance. Bus has also represented the metal industry on the National Roofing Contractors Association's industry advisory board. Bus has supported many other industry associations, including CSI, AIA, USGBC, RCI, SARA, SCIP, MBCEA, all working to raise awareness and advancement of the metal construction industry.
Media Executive / Journalist of the Year:
Christina Koch, Retrofit Magazine and John Paul Lawrence, Modern Trade Communications
Christina Koch is Editorial Director of Retrofit Magazine. Under her direction, the magazine has won several awards, including national AZBEE Awards for editorial and design. Prior to joining Retrofit, Koch was the editor of several nationally circulated trade magazines, including a residential remodeling magazine and a commercial green-building magazine. She has traveled extensively across North America and Europe, meeting with architects, engineers, contractors, and manufacturers to learn about innovations and successes in design and construction. Koch is active in industry trade associations and has been interviewed by well-known news organizations, including The New York Times and San Francisco's KTRB-AM 860 radio station.
John Paul Lawrence acts as president of Modern Trade Communications (MTC), publishers of Metal Architecture and Metal Construction News magazines. MTC reaches more than 90,000 people in the metal construction, design and building professions. From architects to general contractors to building developers, the publications serve to educate and inform key audiences in the metal construction industry.
Corporate / Individual Citizen of the Year:
Drexel Metals and ATAS International
Drexel Metals embraces a long list of community activities that have earned its recognition as an outstanding corporate citizen. This year Drexel Metals sponsored 40 inner city kids to attend a four-week summer basketball camp. The kids were required to maintain good grades and were otherwise unable to afford the camp. Drexel Metals also donated all roofing materials to the Amazing Grace Ministries in South Jersey that builds homes for veterans. In addition, the company donated all roofing and wall materials for the Libertae Women's Shelter for substance, drug and domestic abuse. Drexel Metals is also engaged with the Industry Alliance for Progress, which has a partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities, to ensure families have a place to stay while helping their children get well. Drexel has also contributed to Habitat for Humanity projects throughout the U.S. All of these efforts meet the requirement for Drexel Metals to become a B-Corp, a new type of company that uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.
ATAS International is committed to bettering the world outside of normal business through involvement and dedication to many causes and charities. Years ago, the company began Casual Cash for Charities where employees pay for the privilege of wearing jeans on Fridays. To date, this effort has raised over $15,000 for a variety of local charities. ATAS participates in many other charitable activities throughout the year, including: Adopt-A-Highway cleanup; blood drives, food and coat drives; employee teams for walks and runs for charity; support of the Let's Build Construction Camp for Girls; participation in What's So Cool About Manufacturing? student video contest; involvement with DaVinci Science Center; donation of storage space and goods and services to Boy Scouts of America; support of Parkland's Girls' Soccer Program including volunteer employee coaching; sponsorship of Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) events at the Lehigh Valley Festival of Art, Science and Technology and Lehigh Valley Science Festival; and funding for the Sacred Heart Regional School's Summer Enrichment Program.
Emerging Business of the Year:
Barrett Hahn, Roofing Magazine
In spring of 2010, Carolinas Roofing published its first issue. Over the years, the magazine was so admired, its staff was approached several times to expand the magazine to surrounding states or launch additional roofing publications for other regions. After thoughtful consideration, the owners reinvented Carolinas Roofing as Roofing in January 2014. The new magazine builds on four years of solid editorial and design, as well as fulfills the owners' goals of educating the industry.
Young Movers and Shakers:
Shawn Haddock, S-5!; Brandon Kilpatrick, DI Roof Seamers, Canada; Haley Iselin, Metal Roof Specialties
Shawn Haddock has held many titles over the years with S-5! and is currently director of training and field applications specialist. With S-5! for over 16 years, he has longest tenure within the company. Prior to working with S-5!, he owned and operated a company installing S-5! products and systems. His background includes steel erection and metal roof installation, including Decra stone coated shingle products. He also heads the warranty department and the training department for staff, customers and installers. He supports the S-5! vision of growing and improving the metal roofing industry with active participation on several MCA committees, including previous co-chair on the retrofit committee.
Brandon Kilpatrick serves as the national manager for DI Roof Seamers' Canadian service and distribution centre. He fills multiple roles and has proven to be an asset to his company, co-workers, and team. Working across Canada, he travels representing a wealth of knowledge for his product offering and customer needs. Business development manager, Bo Newman, states "Brandon is a one-of-a-kind asset for us. I don't know where we would be without him."
Haley Dee Iselin serves as vice president of Metal Roof Specialties where she is building a legacy as a leader in the metal industry. While promoting the benefits of metal, she expends a considerable amount of energy to community involvement. She has worked with local high school students to build a house for the homeless with metal roofing and siding which won a first place award. Her commitment to Rebuilding Together South Sound is exemplified by her role as a board member and board president. Iseline has been recognized as a Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction and was also inducted into Pierce County's Forty under Forty, which recognizes the most influential young people in business. She also recently became a SMART recovery facilitator to help people whose loved ones are fighting the opioid epidemic.
Sales Person of The Year:
Ken McLauchlan, Drexel Metals and Chris Kroeter, ATAS International
Ken McLauchlan serves as the director of sales for Louisville, Kentucky based Drexel Metals. Employed within the metal industry for over 25 years, his experience spans managing installations, projects, and operations in the architectural sheet metal industry, to outside architectural sales on the manufacturing side of the business. His hands-on experience, coupled with his ability to understand and work within both aspects of the architectural sheet metal industry, make his knowledge invaluable to his customers and company. McLauchlan is known throughout the industry as an expert in the portable onsite roll forming process, sheet metal fabrication process, shop layout, and equipment procurement. McLauchlan has been recognized as a sales leader at numerous positions through his tenure in the industry.
Chris Kroeter is an architectural product representative for ATAS International, Inc. serving northern New Jersey, Metro New York and Long Island. His accreditations include CSI, CDT, LEED Green Associate and MCA certified installer. Kroeter is a three-time recipient of ATAS' salesperson of the year award for the overall sales growth within his territory, and observance of corporate goals and objectives. His consultative skills assist architects, contractors and owners in providing education on building envelope solutions. As a second-generation installer, his experience working as a contractor began when he was 10 years old. Mark Bus, national sales manager for ATAS, stated, "Chris brings a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge to the ATAS team and to our customer base. He is also very instrumental in driving the benefits of ATAS and metal throughout the industry at CSI, AIA, and MCA events."
Entrepreneur of The Year:
Jeff Patch, Premium Panels
Jeff Patch began his career began at a young age when he worked on rooftops with his cousins. He never thought he'd be working in roofing the rest of his life, but his jobs in roofing installation and fabrication funded his college education. After college he realized roofing was in his blood. Patch got a job in distribution and moved into inside and then outside sales. While working for a family owned roofing business, he discovered an unfilled need in the Denver roofing market. In 2000, he bought his first panel machine, a slitter and a 10' hand brake and started Premium Panels in his garage. He says, "Soon after I started business I realized that it was not going to be easy. It was a lot of hard work, long hours and very stressful times." The company nearly went bankrupt after 9/11 with no work for six months. The company survived and is now thriving with 35 employees and two locations that service over 25 states.
"I am excited that we continue to increase recognition of our industry's leaders and promising future leaders through the Triumph Awards. We are looking forward to including even more participants in the metal construction industry going forward," says Karl Hielscher, MCA Executive Director.
Nominations for the MCA Triumph Awards are open to anyone in the metal construction, metal building, metal roofing and metal erection industry. Nominations can be made on the MCA or METALCON websites in early 2018.
About the Metal Construction Association
The Metal Construction Association brings together a diverse industry for the purpose of expanding the use of metal in construction through marketing, research, technology and education. Companies involved in MCA gain tremendous benefit from association activities that focus on research, codes and standards, market development, and technical programs. MCA's market development efforts increase the use of metal materials in construction through the education of the building and design communities about the benefits of metal. For more information visit: www.metalconstruction.org.
###
