ABC of Wisconsin President John Mielke presents Wayne Belanger with special recognition for 37 years of service to ABC of Wisconsin.

WIS. DELLS, MAY 19, 2022 — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Wisconsin recognized Wayne Belanger for 37 years of service as part of the ABC of Wisconsin Apprenticeship Graduation Banquet as he prepares for retirement later this year.

Belanger, who was first hired in the apprenticeship program back in 1985, was instrumental in establishing the ABC of Wisconsin Apprenticeship program. The goal was to have the Apprenticeship Standards through the state of Wisconsin approved within 10 years of Wayne’s hiring, but they were approved in two years. By the fall of 1988, the program had enrolled more than 300 apprentices. Today, the program is educating roughly 2,000 active apprentices.

“There are many people over the decades who deserve credit for building our apprenticeship program, but none of those people are more deserving than Wayne,” said John Mielke, president of ABC of Wisconsin who referred to Belanger as “the father of the ABC of Wisconsin Apprenticeship Program.”

After helping the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin establish a successful apprenticeship program, Wayne Belanger transitioned into establishing educational programs for construction management team members. The program, Construction U, includes courses such as The Emerging Leader, Project Supervision, Project Coordinator, and Critical Skills.