Steel Industry Leaders Set to Gather in the City of Bridges for SEAA’s 2025 Convention & Trade Show11/14/2024
 The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) will host its 52nd Convention & Trade Show from May 6-9, 2025, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at The Landing Hotel at Rivers Casino. The event will bring together industry professionals for networking, education, and exciting excursions.
“We look forward to welcoming steel erectors, fabricators, and suppliers in Steel City! Our annual convention is an unmatched opportunity for networking, learning, and industry engagement for steel construction business owners and managers,” said Pete Gum, SEAA Executive Director. “We encourage members to register early, as hotel space is limited and high demand is expected with major events happening in Pittsburgh,” said Gum.
 The Dave Schulz Memorial Golf Tournament returned to the Golf Club at Omni Interlocken earlier this month. The tournament was named for former SEAA President (2018-2019) and 2009 Person of the Year Dave Schulz, who passed in 2020.
Funds raised during this tournament and from the Boom Lift Ball Drop, sponsored by United Rentals, supports Safety & Education projects for the association. The association would like to thank all of the players, sponsors, volunteers, and the SEAA staff who helped make this another successful event! View photos from the event here. We’re just days away from the 2024 convention and trade show and the association is excited to announce the recipients of its 2024 awards programs! In all, 14 member companies received Safety Excellence Awards, three companies were awarded World Class recognition for their Craft Training programs, and five projects across multiple categories were awarded Project of the Year. SEAA's 2024 award winners will participate in panel discussions during convention next week and will be presented with awards during the Presidents Dinner. Project of the Year For Project of the Year, entries could be submitted in four classes for Structural Steel and two classes for Miscellaneous Metals. Classes are based on contract value for that portion of the job. In all, six companies were recognized for effectively solving unique jobsite challenges while safely completing projects. Project submissions are chosen by an independent panel of judges.
Winners will get the chance to participate in a peer panel discussion at AISC’s Steel Conference and SEAA’s Convention, and will also be featured in Connector throughout the year.  The Trade Show is an integral part of SEAA’s Convention. For many years, the Welcome Reception has taken place on the Trade Show Floor. It’s a favorite part of the event because attendees get a sneak peek of the latest products. Decision makers include business owners, senior leaders and managers.
 Cindy Schulz, widow of Dave Schulz, with friends and family Dave Schulz Memorial Golf Tournament Sinks a “Hole in One” The Dave Schulz Memorial Golf Tournament returned to the Lonnie Poole golf course at NC State in Raleigh, North Carolina, for the first time since the tournament was named for former SEAA President (2018-2019) and 2009 Person of the Year Dave Schulz. Schulz passed away in 2020. “This homecoming would not have been complete without Cindy Schulz, Dave’s widow, and former president of Schulz Iron Works,” said David Deem, current SEAA President. Deem sported red tennis shoes in honor of Dave Schulz, who was a huge supporter of North Carolina State University and was frequently seen wearing red tennis shoes, even with a suit and tie. SEAA heads West for the 2024 Convention and Trade Show Scheduled for April 2-5 in Glendale, Arizona, SEAA’s 2024 Convention and Trade Show will feature a variety of education sessions, plenty of networking opportunities, the George R. Pocock Memorial Golf Tournament, a Pickleball Tournament at Chicken and Pickle, and so much more. Keep in mind that The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will be held April 6-8 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. This means that hotel rooms are at a premium. Registering and reserving your room early is highly recommended. When the SEAA block is full, we will not be able to get additional rooms. Discounts end on January 31, 2024. Director of Membership & Business Development Joins SEAA Staff SEAA has named Keri Goldstein as its Director of Membership & Business Development. In this new role, Goldstein will work with the board of directors and committees. She is responsible for member recruitment and retention programs. SEAA Takes the Pledge to Stand Up for Suicide Prevention SEAA has joined other industry association stakeholders of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP). Over 5,000 people working in construction die by suicide each year. That’s five times more than the annual number of jobsite fatalities. Be sure to click the red subscribe button above to receive your digital copy.
SEAA has partnered with member company Flawless Steel Welding to form a new peer group in Denver, Colorado. This Denver Peer Group aims to bring together individuals that are passionate about the steel industry to foster collaboration, networking, and knowledge sharing. Whether you have years of experience or are just starting out in the field, this group provides a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, exchange ideas, and stay updated on the latest industry trends.
If you're interested in kick-starting this peer group, we encourage you to join us on August 23rd at the Raices Brewing Company from 5-8 PM. We welcome Union or Non-Union Erectors, Fabricators, Project Managers, Safety Coordinators, Engineers, Architects, Vendors, and all steel professionals to join us on this exciting journey. To get involved or learn more about the SEAA Peer Group in Denver, please reach out to Victor Garcia at [email protected]. Don't miss out on this chance to connect with industry peers, expand your professional network, and contribute to the growth of the steel erection community in Denver.  The sold-out Dave Schulz Memorial Golf Tournament supporting SEAA’s safety and education projects raised more than $13,000. “For our first venture west, turnout for the tournament and participation in the Meet & Greet held the previous night was outstanding,” said Pete Gum, Executive Director. More than 80 people registered for the Meet & Greet and 60 golfers competed in the tournament. “We appreciate the support of sponsors, who made this a successful meeting,” said Gum. The tournament was held at the Omni Interlocken Golf Club in Broomfield, Colo., on September 16, where a scramble was played on three adjacent courses. Golfers repeatedly claimed that the greens, fairways, and mountain scenery made this one of the most beautiful courses they had ever played. The tournament returns to its original location in North Carolina in 2023. “We were thrilled that Denver local Kayleen McCabe, representing the McCabe Foundation, joined us,” said Carrie Gulajan, Events Chairperson. McCabe, who is a construction industry celebrity and former SEAA convention keynote speaker, is an advocate for careers in the construction trades. Peer Group Discusses Recruiting, Retention The meeting also included its first-ever Peer Group, a small discussion group of local companies which met the previous day, prior to the Meet & Greet. The theme of the discussion was recruiting and retention. “Two years ago, SEAA’s Board of Directors made a strategic decision to re-form committees, opening them up to members at large in order to provide more opportunities for member engagement. As those positions have been filled, we are now implementing phase two—local peer groups,” said Jack Nix, Membership Chairperson. Facilitated by Tucker Smith of BBSI and Victor Garcia of Denver’s Flawless Steel Welding, the group of about 10 shared struggles and best practices. “Peer groups are a safe place to speak openly. That dialog is critical to giving SEAA members in a local area connections and resources for improving their businesses and the industry,” said Nix. Following the Peer Group, area erectors, fabricators, engineering firms, and suppliers learned about new benefits of SEAA membership and heard about product and services solutions from sponsors Kenwood, Nelson Stud Welding, and Well Works.  Tournament Winners The following golfers took home prizes provided by these sponsors. First Place Team, Total Gross Score of 60: Zack Ganzell, JD Daniels, Austin Mouw, and Brian Hildebrand of Bigge Crane and Rigging Co. Hildebrand was also one of two people that got the ball Closest to the Pin. Second Place Team: Jerad Degenhart, Knight Hinman, Scott Hughes, and Randy Phillips of BBSI. Third Place Team: Don Laro and Jimmy Zolty of GWY and Erich Posdzich and Brice Davison of BDB Fabrication. Zolty also made the Longest Drive. Fourth Place Team: Drew Heron of Empire Steel, Pat Dunn of L&D Steel USA Inc., Glen Pisani of MAS Building & Bridge, and Nate Bloch of SDS2. Pisani was the other golfer that got the ball Closest to the Pin. Four individuals qualified for the putting contest: Brandon Rowbottom of Columbia Safety, Jack Nix of Shelby Erectors, Scott Seppers of Trivent Safety Consultants, and Zack Ganzell of Bigge Crane and Rigging. The Boom Lift Ball Drop, sponsored by United Rentals, brought in $1700. Half of the raffle pot is contributed to Safety & Education projects and half goes to the winner Thomas Newman of Trivent Safety Consultants. Mark Your Calendars
SEAA’s first quarter board meeting will be held in Tampa, Fla., January 19, followed by a Career Fair on January 20 in Lakeland. The Career Fair will be hosted by GMF Steel Group. SEAA is currently seeking area members and vendors that would like to have a hands-on station at the Career Fair. High School students will attend the morning session and adults, veterans, and post-secondary technical school students will attend the afternoon session. Contact Bryttany Marona at [email protected] if you are interested in participating. The 2023 Convention & Trade Show will be held March 28-31, 2023 in St. Augustine, Fla. Registration opens October 10. |
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