2023 Don Sherry Achievement Award Announced

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In the heart of every thriving community lies the essence of solidarity, and at the core of that spirit, often stands a dedicated union member. These unsung heroes are the backbone of progress, selflessly working towards uplifting the community they call home. Through unwavering commitment, tireless efforts, and a deep sense of responsibility, they embody the very essence of service to others.

Every year, we honor an exceptional union member, whose devotion to the community has left an indelible mark on the lives of countless individuals. Their story serves as a beacon of inspiration, illuminating the power of collective action and the positive impact that a single individual can have on a larger society.

Don Sherry passionately served the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters for nearly 20 years as a business representative and Director of Organizing. He was the President of Carpenters Local 175 and a dedicated advocate for worker’s rights and unions. Colleagues said his dedication to this organization was second to none. To pay homage to his legacy, the IKORCC gives the Don Sherry Achievement Award annually.

The Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters is proud to announce this year’s Don Sherry Achievement Award goes to Mitchell Carrillo.

Mitchell is an 18-year union member out of Local 1005. Mitchell has dedicated time year after year to giving back to communities across the United States with his unique skills as a carpenter. From being a volunteer fireman for over a decade to rehabbing 30 homes in Indiana with Habitat for Humanity, Mitchell represents the true essence of a Union Carpenter.

“If you know Mitch at all you know that has never done any for his work for publicity or a pat on the back. He does this humanitarian work because he loves people”, the Local 1005 nomination letter read.

Brother Carrillo took frequent trips to Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild those communities. When his IKORCC brothers and sisters (and countless others) needed help last December after devastating tornadoes, he got to work.

In recognizing the tireless efforts of union members like Brother Carrillo, we acknowledge the countless others like them who work selflessly behind the scenes, fueling the engine of progress in our communities. Their commitment serves as a testament to the strength of collective action, reminding us of the importance of supporting and empowering those who strive to uplift us all. We look forward to honoring our selfless members through the Don Sherry Achievement Award for years to come.

Please join us in congratulating our 2023 Don Sherry Award winner, Mitchell Carrillo!

 

To honor Don’s service and dedication, each year since his passing the IKORCC has given The Don Sherry Achievement Award. The award recognizes a rank-and-file member who has gone above and beyond in their service on the job site, with contractors, in MAC meetings (Member Action Committee), and in their community. In addition to giving an award in his honor, IKORCC delegates raise money each year during their annual conference and donate the proceeds to the Diabetes Foundation in Don Sherry’s honor.

 

Recipients of the Don Sherry Achievement Award include:

2018 – Glenn Downs, Local 599

2019 – Raymond Poer, Local 599

2020 – Cory Hudson, Local 285

2021 – Bobby Miller, Local 357

2022 – Travis Williams, Local 1005

2023 – Mitchell Carrillo, Local 1005

 

IKORCC Hosts Women’s Workshop

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The IKORCC Diversity Committee hosted its first Women’s Workshop in Greenwood, IN, on June 24th, 2023. This event was created to give local women the tools and inspiration to do hands-on projects themselves and not be afraid to lead the way while doing so.

Speakers included local leading women, giving their testimonies on what it means to be a woman in leadership positions. Co-founder and owner of Two Chicks and a Hammer, from HGTV’s Good Bones, Mina Starsiak Hawk, spoke on her entrepreneurial start in home renovation and her success with the local housing market near downtown Indianapolis.

Local politicians Deb Whitfield, Ali Brown, Michelle Davis, and Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch gave the attendees a look into why running for office, no matter your background, age, or gender, is important for your community. Sarah Walker and Molly Burns spoke on their experiences in the construction industry, along with Dr. Rebecca Estes from the Indiana Department of Education, with the same goals of educating, promoting, and empowering women in the workforce.

 

Following the speakers, guests visited our training center, where they experienced hands-on workshops. The workshop opportunities included repairing a hole in drywall, reading a tape measure, hanging a shelf, changing door hardware, installing flooring, and more. IKORCC members and apprentices taught the attendees valuable yet simple do-it-yourself skills that all people could benefit from learning. Each workshop was taught with industry standards and safety precautions to ensure the attendees would carry on those new skills safely at home.

Overall, it was a great day for local women, not only to learn new skills and about the IKORCC, but also to network with some leading women in the area.

Congrats to our 2023 Scholarship Winners

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Congratulations to our 2023 Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters Scholarship Program recipients! Forty students received a $1,000 scholarship toward tuition, room and board, or books to a trade school or college.

Twenty recipients earned scholarships based on their high school grade point average and SAT or ACT scores. Another twenty were selected randomly.

Recipients were sons, daughters, and dependent children of members of the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights. Parents or guardians must be members in good standing of the IKORCC for at least one year. The son, daughter, or dependent child must be a high school graduating senior or be attending a college, university, or trade school as a full-time student.

 

Congratulations to the following 2023 IKORCC Scholarship recipients:

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IKORCC Grayson Training Center Breaks Ground on Expansion

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Grayson, KY— With the growing need for construction workers in and around Kentucky, the IKORCC Joint Apprenticeship and Training Fund is expanding their Grayson Kentucky training facility.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 18, 2023, at the Carpenter’s Union Training Center at 574 Carpenters Way, Grayson, KY 41143 to launch the expansion. The event hosted apprentices, state and local officials, keynote speaker Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, local business owners, and IKORCC labor representatives.

“Today is an investment in creating more high skilled workers….it’s also a 5 million dollar investment in Grayson Kentucky.,” Governor Beshear told the crowd of nearly 110 attendees. Read more

IKORCC Magazine

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2022 was a BIG year for the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters. Take a look at our annual magazine for a letter from EST Mike Kwiatkowski, hub updates, healthcare and pension updates, ITC programs, Sisters in the Brotherhood, training updates, recruitment efforts, and stories of the incredible impact IKORCC members have in the […]

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Retiree Details

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Carpenters Union Donates to Local Career Technical Programs

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Friday, October 28, 2022, Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters Representative Jon Parman and the Ohio Joint Apprenticeship’s Director of Education Dan Sustin presented a $5,000 grant from the Regional Council to the Building Trades program with Knox County’s Career Center (KCCC).

KCCC’s program currently has 20 juniors and 20 seniors. Students in the class visited the IKORCC training centers in Columbus and Richfield for their annual open-house events this year. As the representatives delivered the check, students from the class presented both Parman and Sustin plaques to thank them for their partnership and dedication to preparing students like themselves for the workforce.

The grant money for the schools is intended to be used for additional training, such as new equipment to keep up with the upcoming work to the Central-Ohio area. Some systems, such as cleanrooms, are expected to be utilized in the upcoming projects in the area including at the Intel mega-site and the newly announced Honda Battery Plant.

In August, Parman and Ohio Joint Apprenticeship Area Coordinator Aaron Gunderman provided two additional $5,000 grants to Ashland County West-Holmes Career Center Construction Trades program and the West Holmes High School Building Trades program.

“We need this next generation,” Gunderman said. “The fact that there is just so much construction work coming…We want to help steer these young people in the right direction. We want to show them all the career opportunities they have in construction.”

The council is expected to continue with select grants for schools with strong carpentry programs within the region. 

2022 Election – IKORCC Endorsements

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“Educate. Agitate. Organize.” Those are the words United Brotherhood of Carpenters founder Peter J. McGuire spoke about the key tenets to build and maintain our union. Each year, the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters meets with current and potential legislators to educate them of Carpenter’s Issues. It is imperative to our mission to protect our members rights on the job and fight for other issues that impact how they work. Read more

IKORCC Hosts Appreciation Lunch at Yellowbud Solar Project

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WILLIAMSPORT, OH – On September 15, IKORCC leadership and staff took to the Yellowbud Solar Project to host an appreciation lunch for the workers. All union workers were invited to stop by one of the three setups onsite for their lunch made by The Scioto Ribber. For the over 220 IKORCC carpenters onsite, staff handed out shirts and tumblers to thank members for their work on the project. Nearly 500 trades workers in total on the job picked up lunch during the event.

“The Yellowbud luncheon was to thank those IKORCC members working onsite. They took the classes, came to work with a good attitude, and got the job done! This job is a perfect example of what the UBC does; we train, we show up with a can-do attitude, and we get the job done!”, IKORCC Director of Ohio Anthony Holbrook said of the event.

Thanks to IKORCC members’ professionalism and productivity, IKORCC Contractors, like Kiewit, are committing to using union carpenters and millwrights to complete their solar projects.

“The UBC’s performance both with safety and productivity has been outstanding,” David Marko Kiewit’s Labor Relations Director spoke about the IKORCC’s presence at Yellowbud.

Marko wrote the IKORCC to commend the performance reported on the Yellowbud Solar Project in Ross and Pickaway counties near southern Ohio.

The productivity of the solar energy work at the Yellowbud site is just one example of IKORCC’s ongoing efforts to continue learning from emerging industries and adapting to the needs of contractors.

Nearly $14 billion are projected to be invested in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio by the federal government due the Inflation Reduction Act being passed at the federal level. This legislation is expected to invest that money into large-scale power generation and storage in clean energy, including solar.

To date, IKORCC training centers have taught over 10,000 solar training hours and expect to more than double that by next year to keep up with the demand from contractors bidding on these new solar projects across the region.

2023 Scholarship Applications Now Open

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Applications are now open for the IKORCC scholarship program. Forty $1,000 scholarships will be awarded in 2023 to eligible member’s dependent children. Twenty of the scholarships are awarded based on scholastics, and twenty others via a random drawing.

The Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council scholastic scholarships are awarded based on 60% high school grade point average and 40% on

 SAT or ACT scores. Twenty scholarships will be selected by random drawing.

The scholarship is to be used solely for the purpose of education in the form of tuition, room and board, and or books.

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