Brick, Stone, CMU Restoration
EBA EXPERIENCES
Industry Events and Networking Opportunities
Celebrating the Future—One Scholarship at a Time
Last week, EBA, in partnership with BAC Local 1, hosted our 24th Annual John J. Sabia Scholarship Golf Outing—an event dedicated to honoring hard work, craftsmanship, and the next generation.
This year, we proudly awarded $5,000 scholarships to 17 high school students whose parents work in our industry. That brings our total scholarship contributions to an incredible $1,000,070. Together, we’re building futures. We couldn't do this without you-thank you industry friends and EBA members for making this happen!
Congratulations to our 2025 scholarship recipients! We can't wait to watch you shine!
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Jocelyn Perez: Manor College
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Gabriela Fletcher: Kean University
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Joseph King: undecided
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Justin Pagano: Rider University
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Jason Dunn: Widener University
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Lucas Glibowski: University of Pittsburgh
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Patrick O’Neill: Rosemont College
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Brian Murdoch: Montgomery County Community College
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Jane Arlene Gentry: Delaware Tech
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Delaney Jordan: Stockton University
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Dennis Young: Villanova University
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Gabriella DiGiacomo: Gwynedd-Mercy University
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Grace Ford: LaSalle University
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Clareese Clyde: University of Pittsburgh
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Isabella Serano: Stevenson University
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Jonathan Anderosky: DeSales University
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Natalie Wynne: Valencia College
Phil Bachetti wins Eastern Pennsylvania’s SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 Regional Competition!
On September 19th, 2024, at Bac Local 1 Training Center in Philadelphia, PA, mason Phil Bachetti and tender Nick Bachetti with Giles J. Cannon took first place and won the Top Craftsman award at the SMBL500 Eastern Pennsylvania Regional event. Now they will move forward to compete in the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the World of Concrete Tradeshow!
Laying a record high 712 bricks in 60 minutes, the brother duo topped the competition with a large 296-brick margin above the second-place competitors. This duo’s skills and speed won them the “Eastern Pennsylvania’s Best Bricklayer” award as well as the Top Craftsman award and secured their tickets to Vegas while winning $1,000 in cold hard cash for being the regional champion and $1,000 for the Top Craftsman award. Additional details click here.
2024 Giant Jenga Tournament
The ACE Mentor Program of Greater Philadelphia recently held its highly anticipated 2024 Giant Jenga Tournament on February 22nd at the prestigious Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. The event successfully united architects, constructors, engineers, educators, and students, all rallying behind the common goal of promoting careers in the construction industry. Funds generated from the tournament will be directed towards scholarships benefiting both current high school students and ACE alumni pursuing further education in the industry.
Among the highlights of the tournament, Holstein White emerged as the 2024 champions, with McHugh Engineering securing the runner-up position. Congratulations are in order for all participants, whose contributions helped make the event a resounding success!
Masonry Hall Of Fame Awards Ceremony & Dinner
The 2023 MCAA Midyear Meeting was held September 17th through September 20th, 2023 at the historic Hotel Hershey in Hershey, PA. This marks the third year that the ceremony will be conducted as part of the Midyear Meeting. New inductees, Calvin Brodie, Stephen Getz, Daniel L. Hiltebeitel, and Bill McConnell, will be awarded their Hall of Fame plaque on Wednesday, September 20th.
SPEC MIX Regional Bricklaying Competition: September 28, 2023
Chris Weast wins first place at the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Regional Competition! Chris Weast and his tender Ed Wallace with Dandrea Masonry laid 453 bricks in 60 minutes to secure their first-place position. In addition, they had zero deductions, awarding them the “Eastern Pennsylvania Best Bricklayer” and “Top Craftsman” titles and prizes. The Weast-Wallace team walked away with $2,000 in cold hard cash, a 2-foot Stabila Level, Marshalltown Tool Bag, and most importantly, two plane tickets to battle at the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Championship taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the World of Concrete Tradeshow on January 24th, 2024. Additional details click here.
Young People’s Continental Congress (YPCC) - America 250 starts here!
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the First Continental Congress, the Carpenters’ Company of Philadelphia will collaborate with National History Day®, Generation Citizen and a consortium of history and civic organizations to convene a Young People’s Continental Congress (YPCC). In July 2024, student and teacher high school teams from all 50 states and U.S. jurisdictions will gather in Philadelphia to examine the history of our country’s founding principles as it relates to contemporary issues, democracy, and civic engagement. YPCC connects history to issues of contemporary relevance and engages young people in understanding and addressing them. Click for more information.
Enjoy your free time and unlimited weekends! Congratulations to the BAC Local 1 retirees!
Firefighter, EMS providers honored for life-saving actions
The Philadelphia Fire Department honored three members earlier this month for their courageous and life-saving actions on two recent incidents.
Paramedic Asia Johnson and Advanced EMT Amanda Matthews were named EMS Providers of the Year for rescuing a patient who — during a mental health crisis on a busy roadway — tried to jump off a ledge. Firefighter Sean Frazer, of Ladder 13 in West Philly, was named Firefighter of the Year for rescuing two people from a burning building.
“Their incredible work should inspire all of us to have hope and optimism, because we know that even on our worst days, there are people who will quite literally give themselves to save the life of a perfect stranger,” Fire Commissioner Adam K. Thiel said during a ceremony at Fireman’s Hall Museum. “That’s who we are, and that’s what we do.” Click for full article.
EBA is proud to support the Philadelphia Fire Department Foundation!
The 2022 BAC/IMI International Apprentice Contest • Boston, Massachusetts
Held every three years, the contest draws BAC’s top apprentices from around the U.S. and Canada to compete for the title of International Champion in their trade across 8 categories: Brick, Cement, Tile, Marble, Terrazzo, Plaster, Pointing-Cleaning-Caulking/Restoration, and Stone.
To qualify for the international competition, apprentices must participate and place in regional apprentice competitions, hosted by BAC Locals in the northeast, north central, and west. At the international competition, apprentices have to demonstrate their mastery of hands-on and theoretical skills through building challenges and written tests. First, second, and third place winners will be awarded in each craft category.
Carpenters Hall Quarterly Dinner Meeting
Continuing to shape the future at the Carpenters Hall Dinner Meeting! To learn more about the 300-year tradition of The Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia, please click here.
Preservation Alliance: 2022 Preservation Achievement Awards
Congratulations to our very own EBA Members, Joseph Dugan Inc. and Premiere Building Restoration–award winners at the 2022 Preservation Achievement Awards on June 8. Also celebrated is our friend and colleague, Casey Weisdock, for her dedication to the preservation of historic structures and other initiatives in the industry. Click here for more information.
Philadelphia Business Journal: Investing in Infrastructure Event on June 8th
Leaders from some of the region's largest transportation and planning agencies are prioritizing partnerships and calling for local government funding in order to secure competitive federal grants for major infrastructure projects. Key take-aways:
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With proper funding, these projects could transform Greater Philadelphia's transit landscape
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Infrastructure plans will be driven by a focus on quality of life
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Agencies will look to collaborate in a bid to make the region more competitive
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Leaders are looking at creative solutions to support the region's roads, bridges and highways
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Industry leaders aren't shying away from the future of transportation
Dragon Exemplar Awards Dinner
Drexel University Construction Management program celebrated their annual Dragon Exemplar Awards Dinner on April 5th, at the Springfield Country Club. This special night of recognition honored Robert MacIntosh, of MacIntosh Engineering, for his continued support of the program and our industry.
EBA sponsored elective at Drexel University: Masonry-New Construction & Restoration
This highly interactive course, taught by Colton Heimer from Joseph Dugan Inc., utilized two construction projects, one new construction and one restoration, as case studies. Students learned the fundamentals of the bid, pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases of a masonry project. The course culminated with a site visit and walk-through of active construction sites.
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ACE Mentor of Greater Philadelphia: 2022 Giant Jenga Tournament
This unique event welcomed over 350 members and friends of the design and construction community as they networked and competed for the reigning title of Jenga Champion. The Giant Jenga Tournament is not only fun and games; this year over $15,000 was raised to support the ACE Greater Philadelphia mentoring program. The money raised will go toward scholarships for current high school students and ACE alumni currently enrolled in higher education and focusing on an A-C-E (architecture, construction, or engineering) related career paths.
EBA’s Annual Christmas Celebration: December 2021
A cheerful celebration with friends and colleagues at our annual Christmas party held at the Springfield Country Club!
Block Kids: November 8, 2021
Lego building competition for kids grades 1-6, sponsored by the National Association of Women in Construction-Philadelphia Chapter.
DesignPhiladelphia Festival: October 6-17, 2021
DesignPhiladelphia is a 10-day festival held every October. The festival is produced by the Center for Architecture and Design in order to highlight Philadelphia as a hub for design excellence, support economic opportunities for local designers, and demonstrate to the public the impact of design on our everyday lives. Philadelphia is a DESIGN city – designers are a critical part of our local economy. DesignPhiladelphia provides them the opportunity, show them off to the rest of the world, and support them by serving as a resource to help them thrive. BrickWorks was a proud sponsor of this event, showcasing the beauty and versatility of masonry. Additional details for DesignPhiladelphia click here.
SPEC MIX Regional Bricklaying Competition: September 16, 2021
Mason Phil Bachetti and mason tender Nick Bachetti with the Williamson College of the Trades in Philadelphia, PA teamed up to earn the title, “Pennsylvania’s Best Bricklayer.” The Bachetti brothers beat out 9 other local teams, officially winning their shot to compete on the biggest stage in masonry, the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500, in Las Vegas at the World of Concrete Expo in January 2022. Additional details click here.
Annual EBA Outing: Golf and Giving! June 7, 2021
Presented by EBA and BAC Local 1
The John J. Sabia Sr. Scholarship Fund awarded $5,000 scholarships for the upcoming school year to 11 deserving students who are part of our EBA family. We are grateful for our Members and industry friends whose generous participation make this annual tradition possible. THANK YOU!
