ABC of Wisconsin Carpentry Apprentice earns Gold
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin today celebrates an apprentice who won top honors at the 2026 National Craft Championships (NCC). Owen Spitz of AMCS, Inc. earned the gold award in Carpentry.
The 37th annual competition showcased the skills of more than 200 of the nation’s best craft professionals in trades like carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, power line and welding. The competitors vied for top honors in 15 competitions with skills on display in 11 crafts.
Spitz scored the highest of all competitors in the carpentry division. He was joined at the competition by three additional competitors from Wisconsin, including Joshua Clauss, Joseph Julga and Matthew Kuefler (plumbing).
All were recognized at ABC’s Careers in Construction Awards ceremony during ABC Convention 2026 in Salt Lake City on March 20.
The individual competitors advanced to the NCC after receiving the top score in their respective fields during ABC of Wisconsin’s Skill Competition on December 5 in West Bend.
Established in 1987, ABC’s National Craft Championships annually highlight the achievements of those who are the future of the construction industry. Craft trainees and apprentices travel from all over the country to demonstrate their superior skills, training and safe work practices and compete for top honors in their chosen craft. For the training sponsors, employers and ABC chapters, the NCC demonstrates a strong commitment to the career paths the construction industry offers.
“There are exciting opportunities to pursue multiple career paths in construction, and this national competition showcases exactly what those paths look like,” said 2026 Chair of the ABC National Board of Directors Thomas “Murph” Murphy, vice president, Power & Construction Group, Scottsville, New York. “These Wisconsin champions are outstanding in their crafts and have a bright career path ahead of them. Congratulations to the honorees and all competitors, who are true craft professionals.”
Construction Management Competition
Meanwhile, two teams of undergraduate students from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and the University of Wisconsin-Stout competed in ABC’s annual Construction Management Competition (CMC). Both schools qualified in the top ten teams for the final round of competition.
The teams from around the country were assigned the same construction management project to complete in advance, and then present to a panel of judges. Their pitches focused on construction of a hotel and conference center, and covered costs, timelines, safety planning, and materials required to complete the project.
While both teams qualified in the top 10, it was the UW- Platteville team that placed 3rd overall, and 2nd in estimating.
All CMC participants are active members of the ABC National Student Chapter Network, which connects local ABC chapters to colleges and universities with construction management programs to work toward the ultimate goal of building the talent pipeline and mentoring future leaders in the construction industry.
