For Immediate Release

 

Lively Tech Student Earns Top Safety Award at National Competition
 

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA Feb. 28, 2025—Today, the North Florida Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), announced that Sunny Ruby, a student in the construction trades at Lively Technical College earned a top honor for Safety at the 2025 National Craft Championships (NCC). The winners were recognized at ABC’s Careers in Construction Awards ceremony during the national ABC Convention in Las Vegas last night.

 

“In the commercial construction industry, there is NOTHING more important than Safety. Our member companies build skyscrapers, work with electrical currents, and encounter countless other hazards that can be life threatening.  ABC trains employees in the best practices of safety for their personal benefit as well as the protection of their co-workers,” said Brandi Faison, Director of Education and Safety for ABC North Florida.

 

The 36th annual competition showcased the skills and expertise of the nation’s best craft professionals in trades such as carpentry, plumbing, pipefitting, welding, electrical, drywall, fire sprinkler, HVAC, instrumentation, millwright, power line, and more—all vying for top honors in 15 competitions, with skills on display in 11 crafts.

 

The competition also included a two-hour written exam and a six-hour practical performance test.

 

“I could not be more proud of our student competitors and their instructors, all of whom put in countless additional hours of instruction, study, practice, and preparation for this competition,” said DeeDee Rasmussen, President and CEO of the ABC North Florida Chapter.

 

The Pipefitting team hosted by ABC North Florida, included Thomas Pizzaro Park, Sunny Ruby, Bryce Koski, and Katelyn Whitfield. These four students were selected by their instructors at Lively Technical College, Daniel Schul and Melford Sims. While maintaining their jobs and schoolwork, they dedicated extra time to evening study sessions and practice to prepare for the event.

 

In the end, it was Ruby who brought home the Safety Award.

 

Sunny Ruby, who made a career change to construction after previously working in state government, shared her excitement about the achievement. "Winning this award is such an honor, and it really validates all the hard work I've put into making safety a top priority. The construction industry is all about teamwork and safety, and I’m thrilled to be part of such an incredible field."

 

"As our workforce training programs grow across the Panhandle, strong partnerships with technical and state colleges are essential. Together, we align education with industry needs, ensuring graduates meet employer expectations for competence, quality, and safety," said Faison.

The following Sponsors supported travel expenses for the competitors and their instructors:

 

ABC North Florida

Bear General Contractors

Bettinger Welding

Capital Sign Builders

Comfort Systems, USA, Southeast

Cook Brothers Inc.

Culpepper Construction

Dunlap & Shipman, P.A.

Greenhut Construction

Hensel Phelps

Jackson Cook

Lively Technical College

Lloyd Roofing

Morette Company

Nature Bridges/J.D. James Inc.

Prime Meridian Bank

Ram Construction

Shaffield Building Specialties

Smith Road Forge

Southern Standard Construction

Sperry Construction

 

Established in 1987, the National Craft Championships (NCC) are presented by ABC annually to highlight the future of the construction industry. Craft trainees and apprentices travel from across the country to demonstrate their skills, training and safe work practices and compete for top honors in their chosen craft. For ABC, this competition demonstrates a staunch commitment to the career paths the construction industry offers. This year is the 75th anniversary of ABC and the 40th anniversary of ABC North Florida.

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Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2025, Associated Builders and Contractors is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950.  Today ABC represents more than 23,000 member companies. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 67 chapters help members professionally develop their people, while winning and delivering construction projects safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members live. Visit us at abc.org or abcNorthFlorida.org.