Twelve top plumbing and HVACR students received honors in the plumbing and HVACR competitions of the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Contest, held June 25-29 in Louisville, Kentucky.

The PHCC Educational Foundation supports the plumbing and HVACR contests each year. The Foundation’s Plumbing Apprentice and Journeyman Training Committee makes up the majority of the SkillsUSA Plumbing Technical Committee, and members were on hand to set up and help with contest judging. The PHCC Educational Foundation also has a representative on the SkillsUSA HVACR Technical Committee, who assists with set up and contest judging.

Plumbing competitors and their advisors participated in a tour of nearby Zoeller Pump Company as a part of their contest experience this year, learning about how pumps operate and are manufactured.

Throughout the week, nearly 6,200 secondary and post-secondary career and technical education students competed in more than 100 trades contests. This year’s plumbing honors went to:

  • 1st Place Secondary – Nolan Moore, North Cobb High School, Kennesaw, Georgia
  • 1st Place Post-Secondary – Keith Ashby, Davis Technical College, Kaysville, Utah
  • 2nd Place Secondary – Benjamin Thibodeau, H. H. Ellis Technical High School, Danielson, Connecticut
  • 2nd Place Post-Secondary – Brian Ehly, Williamson College of the Trades, Media, Pennsylvania
  • 3rd Place Secondary – Michael Doherty, Burlington County Institute of Technology, Westhampton, New Jersey
  • 3rd Place Post-Secondary – James Tarver, Manatee Technical College, Bradenton, Florida

This year’s HVACR honors went to:

  • 1st Place Secondary – Ian McCleese, Collins Career Center, Chesapeake, Ohio
  • 1st Place Post-Secondary – Casey Dowell, Tennessee College of Applied Technology, McKenzie, Tennessee
  • 2nd Place Secondary – Jonathan Link, Waterloo High School, Waterloo, Illinois
  • 2nd Place Post-Secondary – Owen Dougherty, Penn College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
  • 3rd Place Secondary – Bryant Crow, Ozarks Technical Community College-Career Center, Springfield, Missouri
  • 3rd Place Post-Secondary – Blaine Feeler, State Technical College of Missouri, Linn, Missouri

Technical committee members for this year’s event included:

  • Robyn Bucknam, DEWALT, Mooresville, North Carolina (plumbing)
  • Bob Carpenter, SharkTech Academy, Atlanta, Georgia (plumbing)
  • Angela Collins, PHCC Educational Foundation, Falls Church, Virginia (plumbing)
  • Michael Copp, PHCC – National Association, Falls Church, Virginia (plumbing)
  • Danny Crigler, L & D Associates, Inc., Aroda, Virginia (plumbing)
  • Lynn Faulkner, Kentucky Association of Master Contractors, Frankfort, Kentucky (plumbing)
  • Roman Grier, Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute, Atlanta, Georgia (plumbing)
  • Robert Hahn, Co-Chair, Eastwick College, HoHoKus School of Trades, Union, New Jersey (plumbing)
  • Merry Beth Hall, Co-Chair, PHCC Educational Foundation, Falls Church, Virginia (plumbing)
  • Victor Hatcher, Tyler Pipe and Coupling, Tyler, Texas (plumbing)
  • Harold Moret, Copper Development Association, Atlanta, Georgia (plumbing)
  • Ryan North, SharkTech Academy, West Palm Beach, Florida (plumbing)
  • Dale Powell, Copper Development Association, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (plumbing)
  • Tony Senninger, Senninger Plumbing Co., Louisville, Kentucky (plumbing)
  • Ron Shanaver, Milwaukee Tool, Brookfield, Wisconsin (plumbing)
  • Jamie Simpson, Schaal Heating & Cooling, Des Moines, Iowa (HVACR)
  • Maureen Vasquez, PHCC Educational Foundation, Falls Church, Virginia (plumbing)
  • James Walls, Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute, Garland, Texas (plumbing)

The plumbing competition was made possible by the following generous industry sponsors:

Headline Sponsors: A. O. Smith; AB&I Foundry; American Supply Association; Bradford White; Copper Development Association, Inc.; Kohler; Tyler Pipe and Coupling; Viega, LLC; and Zoeller Pump Co.

Additional prizes, materials and on-site support provided by: A. O. Smith; AB&I Foundry; American Supply Assn.; BrassCraft Manufacturing Co.; Calculated Industries; Carhartt; Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute; Charlotte Pipe & Foundry; Copper Development Assn.; DEWALT Tools & Accessories; Irwin Industrial Tools; Kentucky Assn. of Master Contractors; Kohler; Lenox; Matheson Gas; Milwaukee Tool; Oatey; PHCC Educational Foundation; Plumbers Supply Co.; Reliance Worldwide Corp./SharkBite; RIDGID; Rothenberger USA; Senninger Plumbing Co.; Sioux Chief Manufacturing Co.; Southwire; Tyler Pipe and Coupling; UA Local 502; Viega, LLC; and Zoeller Pump Co.