IMI/IMTEF

BAC’s Bright Future on Full Display at the 2022 International Apprentice Contest

Over 70 BAC apprentices faced off at the 2022 BAC/IMI International Apprentice Contest this September in Boston, MA to earn the title of International Champion in their craft.

The competition floor buzzed with energy, excitement and nerves as the men and women who represent the future of the union showcased the skills they’ve been learning on the job and in the classroom during their apprenticeship. For many, earning the chance to compete at the international level was the culmination of months of practice and preparation, having placed in local and regional competitions to qualify.

Amber Weissman, PCC apprentice with the Wisconsin District Council, said having the opportunity to compete in Boston after placing in the North Central Regionals was a milestone in and of itself. “I had some pretty stiff competition at Regionals, so I was shocked to place, but it felt great,” she said. “The first thing I did was call my teacher and say, ‘Guess what? We’re going to Internationals!’”

Weissman was not the only one thrilled to compete. Her peers across the US and Canada all agreed that just qualifying was exciting — and a sign that their hard work in the apprenticeship program paid off. “This is the premier league,” said Marilena Montano, PCC apprentice from Local 13 Nevada. “Making it to Boston is a realization that you’re playing with the big dogs — and keeping up.”

Garrick Manning, brick apprentice with the Ohio-Kentucky Administrative District Council, was honored to compete on the international stage, but his accomplishments reached a new high when he won first place in Boston, becoming the 2022 International Brick Champion. Manning modestly credited the backing of his instructors and fiancée in making it where he is today. “I was lucky to have so much support. My instructors really helped me prepare and kept me motivated,” he said. “Having a career in this industry is a very rewarding experience, and it is open to anyone and everyone.”

Zhenyong Lin, International Tile Champion and an apprentice with Local 3 California, also reflected on his experience

Marilena Montano, PCC apprentice of Local 13 Nevada, competing at the International Apprentice Contest. First place winner and brick apprentice of the Ohio-Kentucky ADC Garrick Manning competing at the International Apprentice Contest. Local 1 New York Plaster apprentice Cameron Holder placed third at the International Apprentice Contest. First place winner Zhenyong Lin, tile apprentice of Local 3 California.

Apprentices competing at the 2022 BAC/IMI International Apprentice Contest.

PCC apprentice Amber Weissman from the Wisconsin District Council competing at the International Apprentice Contest.

winning first place in his trade. “I couldn’t believe it when they called my name at the awards ceremony,” he said. “Just being there was enough for me, but winning – that was everything.”

It is clear that his attention to detail and humility led Lin to that win. “I pay close attention to my mistakes,” he continued. “After I’ve finished working on a project, I always go back to see where I could have improved and where corrections need to be made so that I can learn.”

Of course, Lin’s mentality is a reflection of the pride he has in his work—a trait that connects BAC craftworkers everywhere.

Cameron Holder, plaster apprentice from Local 1 New York, certainly felt that pride when he placed third at Internationals. “It felt amazing being in Boston and competing. There was a lot of pride in that room when the clock ran out and we all took a step back to look at our work,” he explained. “Our talent, hard work, and dedication brought us here. It was a moment I’ll never forget.” //

2022 INTERNATIONAL CRAFT CHAMPIONS

BRICK

First: Garrick Manning, Ohio-Kentucky ADC Second: Kurtis Sutter, Ohio-Kentucky ADC Third: Joseph Cosman, Local 1 Connecticut

POINTING-CLEANING-CAULKING

First: Donald Murray III, Ohio-Kentucky ADC Second: Francisco Ramirez Esparza, ADC 1 of Illinois Third: Jakub Bialas, Local 1 New York

TILE

First: Zhenyong Lin, Local 3 California

Second: Edwin Rosado, ADC 1 of Illinois

Third: Gregory Gartner, Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware

STONE

First: Sebastian Tomaszewski, Local 1 New York

Second: Jorge Soriano, Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware Third: Jeremy Bercier, Local 1 Oregon/Washington/Idaho/Montana

MARBLE

First: Mason Steed, Local 3 California

Second: Angel Diaz Hernandez, Local 1 Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia

Third: Julian Valencia, Local 7 New York & New Jersey

TERRAZZO

First: Brian Dohring, Local 3 California

Second: Nick Hardwick, ADC of Eastern Missouri

Third: Arturo Banda, ADC 1 of Illinois

CONCRETE

First: John Fogarty, Local 3 New York

Second: Travis Probst, Wisconsin District Council

Third: Stephen Kocik, Local 3 New York

PLASTER

First: Luis Padron, ADC 1 of Illinois Second: Salvador Vargas, ADC 1 of Illinois

Third: Cameron Holder, Local 1 New York

2022 JBC Masonry Innovation Award Winners Celebrate BAC-Built Projects and Exciting Possibilities for the Masonry Industry

The winners of the 2022 JBC Masonry Innovation Award prove that leading architects turn to BAC signatory contractors and craftworkers to bring their forward-thinking designs to life.

The competition challenges designers to incorporate BAC materials into their projects in innovative ways, helping to keep masonry relevant now and into the future by aligning with the latest architectural trends. This work will continue the trowel trades in the generations to come.

PHILADELPHIA DESIGN FIRM LOOKS TO MASONS FOR CONSTRUCTION EXPERTISE

The skill of BAC installers shines at St. Joseph’s Arrupe Hall, a residential ministry for Jesuit priests in Philadelphia. The project earned Moto DesignShop this year’s JBC Award in the A/E firm category.

At the heart of Arrupe Hall is a curvilinear brick chapel. Its design pays homage to the Jesuit Christopher Clavius’ role in developing the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, which today is the most widely used calendar in the world.

The chapel is made up of 123 courses of bull nose and header brick. Together, they create an undulating screen that filters light and views inside the sanctuary. The screen steps back at each course by approximately 1/4 inch.

To bring the intricate design to life, each course of custom brick was laid out digitally in AutoCAD. A complete 3D Rhino model provided a visualization of the installation. Every brick in the screen was documented and labeled by its type and location. The masons on the project, members of BAC Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware, with signatory contractor Lepore, were given a coursing plan for each layer. The crew used Hilti laser positioning to lay each course according to the plans, which they referenced both digitally and in print.

The perforated structure gives masonry an unexpectedly airy look, while a thoughtful structural system provides rigidity. The brick walls were reinforced using vertical rods through the courses. This allowed the brick to act as a continuous membrane, so that it could be tied to horizontal and vertical structural members behind it. That system, in turn, was tied back into the building structure, creating a rigid hidden skeleton with only the brick membrane visible.

Bricklayers of BAC Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware constructing St. Joseph’s Arrupe Hall.

YOUNG OHIOAN ARCHITECT’S DESIGNS SHOW DEEP APPRECIATION FOR MASONRY

In Ohio, Eric Pros, Director of Design at DS Architecture, collaborated with IMI and BAC craftworkers to figure out how to make his designs a reality. The son

of a BAC Local 5 Ohio BAC member, he knew from experience that the union would have the answers.

Pros was honored with the 2022 JBC Award in the Young Architect category for a body of work he submitted that celebrates creative, and cost-effective, uses of masonry.

One such project is Lakewood Fire Station Number 2, which includes a brick feature wall installed by BAC Ohio-Kentucky Administrative District Council (OH-KY ADC) members with signatory contractor United Masonry. Eric worked with IMI to develop the details for the project using BIM for Masonry tools, and BAC apprentices built a mock-up of the wall in their training center. Rather than using special shaped units, the brick is rotated 30 degrees, forming a number “2” that’s meant to pay tribute to the proud legacy of the city’s heroic firefighters.

In another creative use of masonry, the Westlake Senior Community Center draws inspiration from ancient Roman architecture like the Pantheon. The design, constructed by OH-KY ADC members with signatory contractor Coates Construction, reimagines a standard running bond pattern with a unique quarter coffer that runs a full wythe. After testing designs at BAC’s training center, and with the help of IMI, the team created a jig as a template to make the system repeatable and easy to construct on site.

It takes innovation to revitalize landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places like the LN Gross Company Building. Eric’s team at DS architecture transformed the art deco garment factory into new office spaces fit for collaboration. Together with BAC signatory contractor Ameriseal & Restoration, the project team reused over 90% of the building’s original brick, despite decades of neglected mortar joints, and failing walls. On the building’s addition, the brick was tumbled and manually marred to blend with the historic units. The building is a shining example of masonry’s sustainability in adaptive reuse projects.

STUDENTS IN CANADA EXPERIMENT WITH 3D PRINTED WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The JBC Award also honors the next generation of architects and engineers with a student award. This year, a team of graduate architecture students at the University of Waterloo were recognized for their project Shedding Water, a 3D printed terra cotta rainscreen system.

The concept reimagines a typical roof-to-wall architectural detail, integrating water management into a continuous clay cladding rainscreen system on a supporting substructure. Each unit in the system has a unique shape, making 3D printing essential to the manufacturing process. Shedding Water represents a broader culture of experimentation with masonry materials that push the boundaries of how we design and build.

These award-winning projects are a testament to the innovation that takes place when designers and builders collaborate to create highperforming, beautiful buildings. //

BAC OH-KY ADC bricklayer installing a brick wall at the Lakewood Fire Station Number 2.

A brick feature wall of Lakewood Fire Station Number 2 was installed by BAC OH-KY ADC members.

St. Joseph’s Arrupe Hall in Philadelphia designed by Moto DesignShop.

New Class of Certified Instructors Equipped to Teach and Inspire BAC Craftworkers Nationwide

This fall, nineteen BAC members graduated from IMI/ IMTEF’s Instructor Certification Program (ICP), demonstrating their commitment to training the best hands in the business. ICP ensures BAC instructors have the skills and expertise to effectively teach the trowel trades to apprentices and journeyworkers throughout their long and thriving careers with BAC.

“The program teaches us how to not only be technically trained

instructors, but leaders with social and interpersonal skills,” explains 2022 ICP graduate Alonzo Freeman IV, BAC Local 3 Massachusetts/Maine/New Hampshire/ Rhode Island. For Freeman, mentoring is at the heart of those skills, and key to sparking a passion for the craft in young apprentices and journeyworkers.

Jorge Lopez de Arriaga, BAC Local 3 California, agreed. Arriaga says ICP helped him develop a more approachable teaching style, thanks in part to the mentoring he received from other certified instructors. “ICP taught me that a successful mentor can influence an apprentice just as much as a role model. We owe it to ourselves to get the next generation ready to become skilled journeyworkers,” he explained.

In ICP, instructors also learn how to teach according to a variety of learning styles. “The program

showed us how to make our lessons more inclusive and accommodating for different types of students and their personal learning styles,” said Robert Gatz, BAC Local 5 Pennsylvania.

For Stanislaw Kulasik, BAC ADC 1 of Illinois, ICP helped build his confidence and qualifications as an instructor. “The training I received during ICP will make it easier for me to prepare myself to teach, plan lessons, and set up the classroom,” he said.

Many ICP graduates see teaching and mentoring as a part of their personal and professional legacy, like Jackie Townsend, BAC ADC 1 of Illinois. “You will probably never read about me in the history books, but I am proud to know that I am leaving a long-lasting impression on our young adults,” she said.

Charles Schuett, BAC Wisconsin District Council, also takes great pride in seeing his students’ lives transformed by learning a skilled trade and joining BAC. “I’m fortunate enough to land on a career path that allows me to help tomorrow’s future leaders by training the underprivileged youth of today. This career has given me more purpose than I ever thought possible,” he said.

For Rocco Mateo, BAC Local 1 Pennsylvania/Delaware, earning this rigorous certification is a momentous occasion. The fiveyear program includes 200 hours of coursework and culminates in a teaching portfolio project.

Congratulations to the class of 2022 ICP graduates, who will undoubtedly help many young tradespeople find their love of craft and carry the union into a strong, bright future. //

2022 ICP graduates with BAC Executive Board members and IMI/IMTEF leadership.