The PHCC Educational Foundation partners with SkillsUSA to sponsor the plumbing contest each year. The Foundation also supports the HVACR Contest. The SkillsUSA Championships is the nation’s largest hands-on workforce development event for middle school, high school, and college/post-secondary students enrolled in career and technical education programs. The SkillsUSA Championships occupy 1.79 million square feet (31 football fields or 41 acres) of floor space. More than 6,000 students competed in 110 contests. 

The Plumbing Contest winners were: 

• 1st Place Secondary – Shadrach Roundy, Davis Technical College, Kaysville, Utah;

• 1st Place Post-Secondary – Christopher Hayes, Pinellas Technical College, St. Petersburg, Florida. 

• 2nd Place Secondary – Nicholas Gerasimov, Shawsheen Valley Technical High School, Billerica, Massachusetts; 

• 2nd Place Post-Secondary – Brent Offenberger, Rowan Cabarrus Community College, Salisbury, North Carolina; 

• 3rd Place Secondary – Benjamin Tuck, Putnam Career & Technical Center, Eleanor, West Virginia; and

• 3rd Place Post-Secondary – Chris Martinez, Texas State Technical College - West, Brownwood, Texas.

“The PHCC Educational Foundation is dedicated to improving the industry by helping students in the plumbing, heating and cooling fields reach their full potential. The SkillsUSA Championships competitions are an outstanding example of the professionalism that results when industry is joined with education,” said PHCC Educational Foundation CLO, Angela Collins. 

Technical committee members for this year’s event included: 

• Robert Hahn, chair, Eastwick College, HoHoKus School of Trades, Union, New Jersey (plumbing);

• Dale Powell, project manager, PHCC Educational Foundation, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. (plumbing); 

• Danny Crigler, III, L & D Coates Inc., Aroda, Virginia (plumbing);

• Roman Grier, Viega, Broomfield, Colo.=rado, (plumbing);

• Victor Hatcher, Tyler Pipe and Coupling, Tyler, Texas (plumbing); 

• Warren Lupson, Lupson Assoc., Silver Spring, Maryland (HVACR); 

• Harold Moret, Copper Development Association, McLean, Virginia (plumbing); 

• John Mullen, International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), Ontario, California (plumbing); 

• Patrick Peterson, TOTO, Morrow, Georgia (plumbing); 

• Larry Shoemaker, Deluxe Plumbing & Heating, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (plumbing); 

• Jeff Voss, Jeff’s Plumbing and Repair, Boone, North Carolina (plumbing); 

• Jamie Simpson, Schaal Heating & Cooling, Des Moines, Iowa (HVACR); and 

• James Walls, Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute, Garland, Texas (plumbing). 

The plumbing competition was made possible by the following generous industry sponsors: AB&I Foundry; Bradford White; Copper Development Association, Inc.; Rheem; Tyler Pipe & Coupling; Zoeller Pump Company; with additional support from American Supply Association; Delta Faucet Company, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO); Kohler Company; Moen; and SupplyHouse.com. 

Prizes, materials and on-site support was provided by: AB&I Foundry; Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute; Charlotte Pipe & Foundry; Copper Development Association; IAPMO; Kohler Company; Miller Mechanical Contractors and Engineers, LLC; Milwaukee Tool Company; Oatey; PHCC Educational Foundation – PHCC Academy; Sioux Chief Manufacturing; Tyler Pipe & Coupling; and United Association Local 72 in Atlanta.