Forging Connections, Building Success

SEAA and the industry lost a visionary leader and friend earlier this year with the passing of Eddie Williams at the age of 90. A founding member, Eddie was elected as the organization’s first President in 1972, giving a voice to small steel erectors during a time of significant regulatory changes.

As SEAA prepared to celebrate its 50th anniversary three years ago, Bob Beckner (President 1999-2000), now retired from Peterson Beckner Industries, reflected on Eddie’s impact: Eddie Williams opened the door for what SEAA has become. In the 1970s, safety wasn’t the priority it is today. His vision, and the example set by the founding companies, established the tone and goal of the organization from that day forward…Competitors could come together for a common cause.”

Eddie’s influence extended far beyond business. As noted in his obituary, “Eddie’s commercial business impact on the steel industry is only exceeded by the amount of friends he made along the way.” To learn more about the contributions Eddie Williams made to the steel erection industry, we encourage you to view the SEAA Thru the Years presentation from our 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Shaping the Future of Steel Construction

Guided by the foundational principles established by Eddie Williams, SEAA continues to invest in its members and the industry, focusing on increasing our footprint in the Midwest and West.

Since I joined SEAA as Executive Director four years ago, our membership has grown by more than 65% and cash reserves have increased by more than 50%. This issue of Connector includes our annual membership directory, showcasing diverse representation in 49 U.S. States, two Canadian Provinces, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

We’ve successfully hosted the Dave Schulz Memorial Golf Tournament in Denver, Colorado, twice, and last year’s Convention and Trade Show in Glendale, Arizona was a financial success.

An advocate for training, I am told that Eddie often argued that “a rising tide, raises all ships,” encouraging erectors to invest in their workforce even when some feared losing trained ironworkers to competitors.

Today, SEAA’s ironworker training and apprenticeship programs are a testament to his vision. To further enhance them SEAA has developed a Learning Management System with 94 Ironworker Training Videos, now

In Memory of Eddie Williams (1934-2025)

• President (1972-1973, 1980, 2003-2004)

• William Davis Service Award Recipient (2005)

• Person of the Year (2016) being translated to Spanish.

The SEAA Board of Directors voted on January 17, to name the annual Person of the Year award after Eddie Williams. “We would not be the organization we are today without his guiding influence. We chose to rebrand the award as ‘The Eddie’ as an acknowledgement of the devotion Eddie Williams had to this association for the purpose of improving the ironworking profession,” said David Deem, Deem Structural Services, and member of SEAA’s Executive Committee.

We have also invested in our own webinar platform, and this year we’ll be hosting quarterly roundtable discussions on topics such as production tracking, rigging, and mental health.

Our fourth Career Fair, where members demonstrated skills needed in this industry to more than 500 students, was our largest yet. More than 1,200 students have now learned about various career paths, the different types of equipment and processes used on jobs, the role of safety and training through these events.

Eddie Williams’ influence on SEAA and the broader construction industry is immeasurable. From his foundational principles of safety and collaboration to his unwavering commitment to training, his legacy continues to shape our direction. Renaming the Person of the Year award to “The Eddie” is a fitting tribute to his enduring contributions. As SEAA continues to expand its reach and invest in training, technology, and talent development, we carry the torch lit by Eddie and the 11 founding member companies, striving to achieve a stronger, safer, and more unified steel construction community for generations to come.

Pete Gum is Executive Director of SEAA