Former Local 17 MAC Competitors put skills on display at major trade show

When a prominent local contractor was tasked to help set up the display area for Johns Manville during the 2018 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition in Chicago, Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 17 turned to two former Master Apprentice Competitors to handle the job.

With over 70,000 industry professionals from across the U.S. and 165 other countries attending, all of the more than 2,000 Expo exhibitors setting up this past January at the McCormick Place in downtown Chicago are there to impress.

When Johns Manville asked Nelson Insulation to insulate all the mock ups for their product display area, Local 17 had two members who are familiar with pressure handle the job.

Seth Rouse and Kevin Clark completed the job in great style and with display-quality professional insulation. Rouse competed and represented the At-Large Conference in the 2011 Master Apprentice Competition (MAC) and Clark was the At-Large competitor during the 2015 MAC.  

“Both Brothers did a fantastic job showcasing Local 17's and the International's training,” said Local 17 Training Coordinator Robert McGuckin.

Clark recalled the MAC as a once in a lifetime experience and said it has set him up to gain experience with many materials and many applications. Clark also is a part-time instructor for Local 17 and recently taught at the IIIATF Advanced Pad class.

“I am proud to know that my skills are setting me up to be successful within the Insulators Union,” he said.

Congratulations Brothers Rouse and Clark, you are both great ambassadors for our industry.