David Deem, Deem Structural Services, Longview, Texas

David Deem served on the SEAA Board of Directors from 1998 to 2004, and again during the current term of 2016-2018. He has been active in the association since 1995. David is president of Deem Structural Services LLC, an AISC Advanced Certified Steel Erector, which was founded in 2013.

He has more than 30 years of experience in the steel erection industry, and is a strong advocate for the advancement of industry quality and safety standards via education of personnel, and the promotion of organizations such as SEAA, AISC, and NISD. Among the technical publications he has assisted in writing are Detailing Steel for Value and Safety and Detailing Guide for the Enhancement of Erection Safety.

He and his wife, Tammy, enjoy motorcycles, water sports, and travel.
[email protected]

Eddie Williams, Buckner Companies, Inc., Graham, N.C.

From his beginning as a rebar laborer in 1952 to Chairman of the Board of Buckner Companies, Eddie Williams has devoted his life to the betterment of the steel construction industry. He was the founding president of SEAA in 1972, a position he has held on three occasions. In addition, he has served in leadership roles in every major trade organization in the steel construction industry.

Through his tenacity, Eddie secured SEAA a voice on the SENRAC Committee, providing the organization the opportunity to influence the writing of OSHA law that would govern how the entire construction industry would conduct business for the foreseeable future. SEAA recognized him with the coveted William Davis Service Award for his numerous contributions to the association and as Person of the Year for 2015. In 2005, he received AISC’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Joshua Cilley, American Steel & Precast Erectors, Greenfield, NH and Buckner Steel Erectors, Graham, N.C.

Josh is the current President of SEAA, beginning his term in 2016.

Josh is the President of American Steel & Precast Erectors and is a second generation ironworker. He bought the family business with his brother Mark in 2012 from their father Ray, a former SEAA board member and founder of the New England SEAA Chapter. ASPE conducts work throughout the Northeast United States and in Canada. It was one of the first erection companies in the country to hold AISC’s Advanced Certified Erector status along with PCI’s Certified Erector status.

ASPE was proud to be the recipient of SEAA’s Class I Project of the Year in 2012 for its work on the North Trail Pedestrian Bridge in Keene, NH.

In April 2016, Josh took over as President of Buckner Steel Erectors based out of Graham, NC. Buckner is consistently ranked in the Top 10 of ENR’s “Who’s who” in steel erection. American Steel and Buckner Steel have had a long successful history of working together, and now with Josh at the helm of both companies, their strategic alliance has only grown.

Josh splits his time between North Carolina and New Hampshire, but mainly resides in Bedford N.H., with his wife of 22 years, Jennifer, and their two children Emerson and Camden. Josh is an avid outdoorsman, golfer, loves to cook, and especially enjoys traveling with his family in their spare time. [email protected] and [email protected]

Jack Vernon Nix, Jr., Shelby Erectors, Inc.

Jack Nix is serving his fourth term on the SEAA Board of Directors. He has been a member of SEAA since 2008. Jack is CEO of Shelby Erectors, Inc., a Bridge Rebar and Metal Deck Specialist company.

Jack began working in the steel industry in 1985 for his father’s business, V&M Erectors, Inc., first as an ironworker, ultimately working his way up the ranks to foreman, supervisor, and CEO for more than 15 years. Later, he founded JVN Construction Management in 2013.

Jack and his wife, Jennifer, have two grown children – Shelby, who is studying to be a veterinarian, and Jackson, who attends the University of Central Florida and works part time as an ironworker for Shelby Erectors, Inc., where Jennifer serves as President. Jack and Jennifer reside in Key Largo, Fla. He enjoys golf, fishing and snowboarding.
[email protected]

Stephen Burkholder, S&R Enterprises, LLC, Harrisburg, Pa.

Stephen Burkholder serves on the Executive Committee as the Immediate Past President, and currently leads the Long-Range Planning Committee. During his time as president, Steve focused efforts on building a network of training and apprenticeship programs for ironworkers. In just a few years, association members are already reaping the rewards of his initiatives. More than a dozen ironworker training programs have been established in states from coast to coast, and at least two organizations have established DOL-approved ironworker apprenticeship.

Steve is president of S&R Enterprises, a steel and precast erector operating in the Continental United Sates and Caribbean. The company has received several Project of the Year awards—in 2007 for a Class II erection project and in 2012 for a Class III job building the Pegula Ice Arena at Penn State University.
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Stephen is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and an avid golfer. He and wife, Lisa, have four children—daughters Alexis and Maurah, and sons, Zachary and Brayden.
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David Schulz, Schulz Iron Works, Inc., Raleigh, N.C.

David Schulz joined the SEAA Board of Directors in 2007, bringing 40 years of experience in the steel erection industry to the association. He currently serves on the Executive Committee as the Vice President, Industry representative. He was awarded SEAA Person of the Year in 2009. For the last several years Schulz Iron Works has graciously served as the host company for SEAA’s Annual Education Fundraiser Golf Tournament at Lonnie Poole Golf Course located on the campus of NC State University in Raleigh, N.C.

David serves on the Safety Committee and helped to complete SEAA’s deck video that is part of the safety training program module. Always committed to safety as well as the advancement of the association and industry, Schulz Iron Works became an accredited SEAA Ironworker Craft Training and Assessment site in 2014.

He began his career in construction in 1973 erecting grain dryers and boilers. In 1986 David met his wife, Cindy, and in 1999 they formed Schulz Iron Works, Inc., which provides erection services primarily in the Southeast region. Schulz Iron Works prides itself in being a team-oriented supplier of steel design, supply, fabrication, and erection.
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When David is not working, he and Cindy can be found golfing and traveling.
[email protected]

Geoffrey Kress, Gardner-Watson Decking, Inc., Oldsmar, Fla.
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Geoff Kress has been a member of SEAA since 2007 and served as Treasurer for eight years.  In 2020, he was elected President of SEAA. In 2011, he was honored as the SEAA Person of the Year. He was also involved in the Canvass Committee that wrote the current 2011 SDI-QA/QC standard for installation of steel deck, serving again to update the new SDI QA/QC-2017 standard.

Geoff is vice president and a majority owner of Gardner-Watson Decking, Inc., which is a full service decking company that travels throughout the continental United States. The company was established in 2005. Geoff’s dedication to customer satisfaction has helped grow the decking company from one four-person crew to as many as 18 crews. In addition, Geoff is president and majority owner of G & G Distributors, Inc., a construction fasteners and safety supply company located in Oldsmar, Fla.
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Geoff spends most of his hours bidding, building relationships with customers, scheduling, and thinking of safer and more economical ways to install decking. Geoff’s interests outside of the work place including boating, snow skiing, hockey, and spending time with his 14-year-old daughter Jordan. He resides in Oldsmar, Fla.
[email protected]

Jim Simonson, Steel Service Corporation, Jackson, Miss.

Jim Simonson has been a member of SEAA since 2000, and is Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Steel Service Corporation, an AISC Quality Certified major structural steel fabrication contractor.

With over 37 years of experience in the structural steel industry, Jim started out as an Ironworker in 1979. He worked through various job titles and responsibilities in the steel erection field, through the fabrication side as a senior project management on some of the largest projects on the east coast, to upper management with one of the industry leaders in structural steel fabrication, with major projects in over a dozen states.

Jim, and his wife of 38 years, Elaina have two grown children. His interests include football, motorcycles, and boating.
[email protected]

Carrie Sopuch-Gulajan, Construction Insurance Agency, Inc., Manassas, Va.

Carrie Gulajan was appointed to the SEAA Board of Directors in 2011. She currently serves on the Executive Committee as the Vice President, Non Industry representative. She is the President of Construction Insurance Agency, Inc., whch has been an active member of SEAA since 1994.

Carrie has been an active supporter at the SEAA golf outings during the annual Convention and Trade Show as well as the annual Educational Fundraising Golf Tournament and has played an invaluable part in making the events a huge success for many years. She also serves as the current Convention Committee Chairperson. At the 43rd Annual Convention in 2015, Carrie became SEAA’s first woman to receive the Person of the Year award for her dedication to the association.

Carrie has been active in the insurance and steel erection industry since 1989. She has worked in multiple aspects of the industry including for an insurance carrier, a steel erection & bridge girder manufacturing company, and in 1998 joined Construction Insurance. She is a graduate of Fairmont State University.
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Carrie and her husband, Allen, have two sons and a daughter.  When not attending soccer matches with her children, she enjoys a quiet evening off.
[email protected]

Jim Larson, Steel Dynamics, Fairfax, Va.

Jim Larson has been a member of SEAA for 27 years, serving on the Board of Directors for much of that time, including stints as President and chairman of the Long Range Planning Committee. He was the first recipient of the William Davis Award presented by SEAA for outstanding service to the association and in 2012 was selected as SEAA’s Person of the Year. Now retired, he is a Director at Large.

Jim’s experience in the steel industry spans more than four decades, including expertise in steel fabrication, steel joist engineering, metal deck detailing, steel erection planning, and 10 years as a co-owner of a steel erection company.  He was involved in the SENRAC Sub Part R OSHA Steel Erection Standard, NCEER Steel Erection Manual re-write, AWS D1.1 Welding Code Committee, the AISC Roundtable to promote use of structural steel, and the SEAA/NISD Detailing Manual for Erection Safety.
[email protected]

Sherrie Wilkinson, L.R. Willson & Sons, Inc., Gambrills, Md.

Sherrie Wilkinson is serving her fourth term on the SEAA Board of Directors. She represents L.R. Willson & Sons, Inc., an AISC Advanced Certified Erector and PCI Qualified Precast Erector, and family-owned business with more than 50 years in the steel industry. Sherrie is L.R. Willson & Sons, Inc.’s Human Resources Administrator.

Sherrie and her husband, Dennis, have six children and seven grandchildren. Outside of her involvement in her family’s company she enjoys riding motorcycles, horses and playing with her grandchildren.

[email protected]