Union Volunteers Help Build a Better Night’s Sleep for Local Kids

/in /by

In an inspiring show of community spirit, 25 volunteers from Central Midwest Carpenters’ Local 175, Local 1076, and their families recently teamed up with Louisville’s Metro United Way and Sleep in Heavenly Peace to help ensure that no child in our area sleeps on the floor. The build day, held in downtown Louisville on July 26, 2025, brought together volunteers from other trades and organizations who cut, moved, and prepared bed components for assembly.

The Build-A-Bed event featured speakers from other trade unions, Ford Community Cares, Luke Mickelson – The Founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, along with other local and state officials including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

In the months leading up to the event, our members dedicated countless hours preparing wood for the build. From the donation of the wood to sanding and pre-cutting the materials, their work ensured that every bed built was strong, safe, and ready for a good night’s rest. Read more

2025 Don Sherry Award Winner Announced

/in /by

The Central Midwest Carpenters is comprised of nearly 37,000 members, who form our tight-knit community and brotherhood. This bond has been forged through shared training, labor, and advocacy for workers’ rights. Our unity and shared goals are carried forward by those who strive for inclusivity and leave a lasting impact on the organization and its people. Each year, we celebrate a member who embodies these principles, and few have done so as profoundly as Don Sherry.

Read more

Getting Creative – CMRCC’s 2025 Hiring Combine

/in , , /by

Work is booming in Central Indiana, so the Central Midwest Carpenters had to get creative with bringing in new members and strengthening ties within the surrounding community. Last year, the Greenwood campus held their first ‘Hiring Combine’, where people hungry for work could come show their skills and dedication to contractors looking to hire. The event was successful, but it could be better going forward. (You can read about last year’s combine in the last CMRCC magazine.) Read more

Carpenters Caring Hosts Annual Golf Outing

/in /by

May 2025, members, partners, and friends of the Central Midwest Carpenters came together for the annual Carpenters Caring Golf Outing. The day offered time on the course with fellow members, United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) leadership, contractors, and partners, its purpose was clear — to raise funds that support union families during times of crisis.

Hosted at Warren Golf Course in Notre Dame, Indiana, the event drew an incredible turnout, with every sponsorship spot booked and dozens of additional sponsors stepping up to make a difference. Every swing and every sponsor helped fuel our Carpenters Caring fund, which provides year-round support to members facing hardship, loss, or tragedy. Read more

Scholarship Winners | 2025

/in , , /by

 

We’re excited to announce the recipients of the 2025 Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters Scholarship Program!

Forty outstanding students have each been awarded a $1,000 scholarship, which can be applied toward tuition, room and board, or books at their chosen college or trade school.

As in past years, twenty recipients were selected based on academic excellence, including high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores. The other twenty were chosen through a random drawing, ensuring opportunity and access for all eligible applicants.

These remarkable students are the sons, daughters, and dependents of proud members of the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters.

Congratulations to the 2025 CMRCC Scholarship recipients:

 

Read more

2024 Indiana Kentucky Graduate Speaker – Kyle Harvey

/in , /by

Kyle Harvey comes from a long line of tradesmen. His grandfather was part of the steelworkers’ union, and his father is a union operating engineer. Kyle’s affinity for hands-on work took root long before high school.

Read more

Military Outreach Makes Big Impact

/in , , , /by

Outreach Specialist with the Central Midwest Carpenters, Gavin Gottfried, along with three others across the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC), were given an award for the unwavering support that they have provided to the Military Veterans Program (MVP). They were presented a Flag of Valor by Executive Director of the UBC Millwright/Pile Driver Labor Management, Mark Benacquisto, at the UBC Millwright Leadership Conference held at the Carpenters’ International Training Center in Las Vegas.

Read more

Craft Spotlight – Justin Rogers

/in , /by

Justin Rogers joined Carpenters Local 285 in 2015. He loved framing, interior systems, and every facet of being a union carpenter. It wasn’t until a friend of his introduced him to door inspection and installation that he considered a change for himself. The friend owned his own automatic door company and had a constant stream of work coming in that sounded appealing to Justin, so he decided he’d give the world of doors a chance. Read more

Ohio’s Newest Journey-Level Carpenters: Class of 2025

/in , , /by

COLUMBUS, OH — On February 15th, 2025, the Central Midwest Carpenters Union celebrated 354 apprentices in Ohio who put in the hours, learned their trade, and earned their spot as journey-level members. They marked the occasion with friends, family, and the union brothers and sisters who had their backs along the way.

A highlight from the evening included the presentation of camo-colored hardhats to the graduating veteran, active, and reserve status apprentices in the United States Armed Forces. This segment highlights the Helmets to Hardhats program that offers those service members direct-entry into the construction trades. Attendees also heard from speakers including Ohio Carpenters’ Joint Apprenticeship and Training Program’s Director of Education Dan Sustin, graduate speaker Seth Hiser, and Central Midwest Carpenters Executive Secretary-Treasurer Matt McGriff. Read more

Craft Spotlight – Brandon Huffman

/in , /by

Brandon Huffman was introduced to the world of the Central Midwest Carpenters nearly 18 years ago when a friend referred him to the shop outside Columbus, Ohio, where he worked that produces Tectum soundproof panels for auditoriums, recording studios, and more. Ohio is not a ‘Right to Work’ state, so workers on a job vote to be unionized, and the only people who can perform work onsite are union members. Read more