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For L-374 retiree, giving back is a way of life Community service isn’t something John Beebe does. It’s much more than that. It’s who he is. The Local 374 (Hobart, Indiana) retiree has spent a lifetime giving back, volunteering, helping others, selflessly going the extra mile and stepping up. It’s not a brag. He doesn’t need a pat on the back. It’s just who John Beebe is. Beebe is well known as a go-to volunteer and overall champion for the Lake Area United Way; Lakeshore Area Regional Recovery of Indiana; the town of Highland and Lake County, Indiana, where he lives; the Northern Indiana Area Labor Federation-AFL-CIO, which he served as Boilermaker liaison for 61 years; his Methodist church disaster relief team; and Scouting America. Especially Scouting. Serving others may have taken root when he joined the Boy Scouts as a kid—and with 73 years of Scouting under his belt, those are some deep roots. “What intrigued me was the outdoors,” he says of his venture into Cub Scouts in 1952. He also admits, “I didn’t want to stay at home, because my mother would have me washing dishes.” If avoiding work was part of his motivation, the irony is that Scouts propelled him many years on a path that would hone his dedication to discipline, hard work and service to others. He eventually earned his Eagle Scout, went into the Scout’s Exploring program and was working as a lifeguard when a fellow Scouting enthusiast and Boilermaker recruited him to work a shipbuilding job. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do for a career, and he thought it could be a start. Turns out he had a knack for welding. After working a bit, then a short layoff and callback, he was told he’d be sworn in as a L-374 Boilermaker. Then came a war. Beebe was drafted and served in Vietnam. When he returned home, he took just a few weeks off before getting back to work. From then on, one job led to another, with his well-earned reputation as a good, hard worker and Eagle Scout serving him through the ranks. In one instance, he was called by a contractor to interview for a superintendent job he hadn’t applied to at Bethlehem Steele. They had his resume and wanted to talk to him, so he drove out and met with several gentlemen, one who sat against a wall and didn’t speak. At the end of it all, he was told to go get a cup of coffee. The silent man joined him and said, “Congratulations, you’re going to get hired. Those three guys work for me, and you’re getting hired because you’re an Eagle Scout. Eagle Scouts have leadership skills, and I know, because I’m an Eagle Scout.” Beebe has kept the cycle of goodwill going, volunteering his time with local Scouting throughout his life. Upon his return from Vietnam, he says the local program told him: “Boy we are glad to see you! You’re the new Scout advisor!” He’s remained close with the five men who earned their Eagle Scouts with him—they still get together once a month. His wife, who passed away in 1995, was an Explorer Advisor for the Scouts, and his kids were all into Scouting. He’s served the local Scouting Council and on the regional board. “It’s a good way to keep your kids off the street and out of trouble,” he says. “You never hear of an Eagle Scout getting into trouble.” With his background, it’s no surprise that organizations like United Way, area labor federation and other organizations have eagerly recruited Beebe over the years to fundraise, lend his leadership skills or literally lend a hand. When areas of Munster, Indiana, flooded in 2010 and destroyed over 3,000 properties, Beebe was among multi-craft union members working side-by-side to clean up neighborhoods. He was also instrumental in assessing and reporting critical needs and where help was most needed. Lakeshore Area Regional Recovery of Indiana gave him an award for that. His contributions over decades with the Northern Indiana Area Labor Federation-AFL-CIO earned him the prestigious George Meanie Award. United Way presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He’s met an astronaut, former First Lady Laura Bush and former Vice President Mike Pence. He’s even been recognized as a “Distinguished Hoosier” by the then-Indiana State Governor Mitch Daniels. But that’s not why he’s done it all. “I give back as much as I can,” he says. “This is your home. This is where you live. We all need to take care of our community. Everything I do, I seem to have a lot of fun. I don’t want to be parked in front of a TV in a chair, so I stay busy.” He has a solid reputation for staying busy helping others. "Brother Beebe is an example of what brotherhood means. He is someone Local 374, the labor movement and his community can count on—not out of obligation, but because he really cares about helping others," says IVP-Great Lakes Dan Sulivan. When Beebe addresses families during Eagle Scout presentations, he encourages the Scouts’ parents to read the definition of the Citizenship Merit Badges and what it takes to earn them. Those badges focus on a person’s responsibility to their nation, the community and society. “Read them tonight or tomorrow, then go back and read them again in a few days to understand what your child went through,” he says is his advice. “They don’t teach that in school anymore.” — Jun 3
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Local 83 member earns May NABTU Tradeswomen Hero award Jess Mendenhall is the most recent Boilermaker sister to be recognized as a Tradeswomen Hero by North America’s Building Trades Union. Mendenhall, who was honored in May, is a journey worker at Local 83 (Kansas City, Missouri). She embodies what it means to be a Tradeswomen Hero by blazing trails, breaking barriers and demonstrating exceptional leadership and skill as a Boilermaker. Since indenturing into Local 83 in 2012, Mendenhall has forged an impressive path in a male-dominated field, earning respect through hard work, fortitude and a drive for excellence. Her dedication to the trade and commitment to lifelong learning have made her stand out not just among her peers, but also to instructors and leaders across the country. Mendenhall recently became only the second woman in 20 years to complete the Boilermaker MOST Project Management course—which speak volumes about her ambition and perseverance. MOST instructor Gerry Klimo noted her strong presence and potential: “She’s outgoing and knowledgeable. I’ve taught 30 or more of these classes, and sometimes there are people who really stand out.” Her career has spanned coast to coast, including leading teams as a foreman in California and taking on complex emergency projects, such as a high-stakes, on-the-fly refinery rebuild in Toledo, Ohio. She’s also held roles as a project coordinator and instructor, giving back to the trade by sharing her knowledge and supporting others. Mendenhall holds a Certified Associate Welding Inspector credential and is close to completing her associate degree in business management, with her sights set on earning a PMP certification. Because she works as a union Boilermaker, she’s able to pay her school tuition in full each semester. For a full list of May winners and instructions on making a nomination visit https://nabtu.org/twbn/. Read more about Jess Mendenhall Read More — May 30
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USA’s first Central Illinois Sporting Clays Shoot a success The inaugural Central Illinois Sporting Clays Shoot hosted on May 3 at the Oak Ridge Sportsman's Club in Mackinaw, Illinois, exceeded expectations for the Union Sportsman’s Alliance. The USA hopes for at least 50 participants for new shoots, but the Central Illinois shoot had 70. “With a turnout like this, there is a lot of potential for this shoot moving forward. This will become an annual event,” said Chris Piltz, USA events manager. “This is at a great number starting off. In the next couple of years, we can get this to 100 participants, which is the average successful shoot number.” Members of Local 60, Local 158 (Peoria, Illinois) and Boilermaker staff competed in the shoot with fellow union brothers and sisters from the central Illinois area. The Boilermakers won the B class, with Boilermakers International Team-B achieving 2nd place and the Boilermakers Local 60 winning 1st place. “We all love supporting such a great organization that hosts events to raise money for projects and gets volunteers to help with the work. They also work to get the younger generations involved in conservation and outdoor activities. It's just a great organization,” said L-60 President Rex McMorris III. Making the new event’s success even better, Local 60 member Rich Rentsch, a Boilermaker for over 25 years, operates the Oak Ridge Sportsman's Club. The Club’s land has been used for trap shooting for 30 years. When Rentsch and his partners bought it in 2024, they overhauled the sportsman’s club with much-needed upgrades. After many landscaping changes and replacing manually operated target throwers with automated ones, Oak Ridge opened in October of 2024. “We want to continue to improve it every year,” said Rentsch. His vision for the next five years of Oak Ridge includes expanding the shoot courses, adding projects and skill-testing games, teaching youth hunters’ safety and hosting the USA Sporting Clays Shoot annually. See the Union Sportsman's Alliance event photos. View Gallery — May 29
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Kentucky welding competition advances recruitment The Kentucky Welding Institute 2025 National Senior Welding Competition in Flemingsburg, Kentucky, on April 16th offered students real-world training and scholarships—and opened the doors to future Boilermaker recruits. Chris Elmore, Southeast Recruiter for the M.O.R.E. Work Investment Fund, was happy to speak with over 100 seniors in the competition, as well as 100 more KWI students, plus most of the competitors’ parents who were observing the event. “Most of these kids in my area know what a pipefitter is or what an ironworker does, but not who the Boilermakers are. These events allow recruiters to close that knowledge gap. These events are where our most qualified candidates come from,” Elmore said. He said he’s already received multiple calls from seniors eager to graduate and join the apprentice program. Elmore knows the value of utilizing different recruiting techniques, from hanging posters and business cards in the school’s welding shops to social media posts. However, his favorite way of connecting is meeting with recruits in person. “I plan on attending as many of the KWI events as possible,” he said. — May 29
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Locals award service pins The following pins have been presented in recognition of continuous years of service in the Boilermakers union as reported by local lodge leadership. Note: Local lodge leaders can now submit service pins for fulfillment and inclusion in The Reporter here. LOCAL 1 • CHICAGO 50 YEARS — Edward Downs 45 YEARS — Kevin Brogan, John Burns, Michael Christy, Michael Cooley, James Gismondi, Patty Hess, Charles Miggins 35 YEARS — Richard Talty 30 YEARS — James Schremp 25 YEARS — Joseph Bogusz, Erik Grobe, Anthony Jeleniewski, Kris Lundquist, David Papineau 20 YEARS — Nicholas Lowman LOCAL 5 • NEW YORK 30 YEARS — William M. Cole, Bert McCormick 25 YEARS — David M. Spencer 20 YEARS — Joseph Ramundo LOCAL 40 • ELIZABETHTOWN KY 75 YEARS — Lloyd A. Remington 65 YEARS — Eugene Arnold, Lester W. Adkins, Howard Hardeman 60 YEARS — Denzil D. Barker, Raymond Caudill, William L. Hite, William Quertermous 55 YEARS — John R. Bayes, Carl R. Bentley, James D. Blanford, Robert E. Gregory, Darrell Reed, Randy O. Street, Richard W. Thompson, Donald P. Whitaker 50 YEARS — Luther C. Chaney, Gary M. Frank, Larry G. Guynes, John D. Lambert, Jeffrey V. Latham, Wilford E. Lee, Charles D. Moneymaker, Hovey A. Tankersley, James C. Thomas, Ronald C. Webster, Leo S. Williams 45 YEARS — Michael Adkins, William R. Anderson, Thomas K. Armstrong, Steven E. Arnett, Albert R. Brown, Ricky L. Cobb, Ronald D. Faith, Ronnie D. Givens, Jimmy M. Gower, Paul S. Hall, Scotty L. Hanberry, Anthony D. Harper, Gary L. Harper, Joe E. Hudson, Odie W. Hutchison, Craig A. Jenkins, Nickey J. Johnston, Ricky L. Kaufman, Randall K. Kiser, Byron R. Maddox, Anthony Mangina, Danny McCay, John A. Mohr, Jeffery D. Morgan, Ray A. Parrott, Paul E. Puckett, Michael R. Ritchie, Randy A. Roberts, Darrell C. Snell, Harrell R. Snell, Michael S. Sowash, Lawrence G. Thompson, Jimmy L. Vincent, Donnie R. Webster, Alvin L. Wilcox, Robert D. Wilkins, Roger G. Wood, Sherrill G. Woosley 40 YEARS — Stephen C. Blissit, Michael C. Dukes, Jerald Morris, Phillip D. Philips, Garland L. Pryor 35 YEARS — Kevin D. Boggs, Elmer R. Burchett, Michael E. Bush, Jeffrey L. Dowell, Franklin Jackson, Christopher Johnson, Donald W. Johnson, Raymond Justice, Johnnie Kitchen, Johnny L. Pennington, Michael E. Richmond, Clarence Jeffery Smith, Wylie W. Whitenack 30 YEARS — Kendall L. Adkins, Robert D. Roberts, Donald E. Sammons, Daniel S. Stanfill, David P. Tackett, Steven W. Vincent 25 YEARS — Cameron N. Bratcher, William K. Bundy, Johnny Chambers, David A. Clevenger, Rebecca Cochran, Larry Curnel, Billy W. Day, Raymond Desrochers, Michael A. Dietrich Ronald K. Douglas, William M. Evans, Marcus L. Garrett, William E. Givens, Bill Ronnie Hall, Thomas R. Hall, James Dale Harris, Jody L. Henderson, Matthew J. Hudson, Robert C. Kirk, Randal D. Lawson, David Marshall, Robert Minton, Michael Tracy Peveler, Steven T. Reeves, Kenneth B. Ritchie, Troy L. Ritchie, James R. Stewart, Jerrod R. Story, Karen L. Truett, Bridgette Via, Thomas W. Waugh, Lawrence Wethington, John D. Whitley, Michael L. Wilcox 20 YEARS — Nathan C. Curnel, Christopher Ratcliff, Jason D. Stephens 15 YEARS — William Campbell, Denny Wade Howard, Joshua L. Kiser LOCAL 60 • PEORIA IL 60 YEARS — James Miskell 55 YEARS — Jack Cooper 50 YEARS — Steve Bradley, William Holford, Darryl Koehn, Charles Witzman 35 YEARS — Jerry Goodwin 30 YEARS — James Baker, Gerald Johnson, Joseph Rayborn, Kenny Rogers, Joseph Wood, Roger Wood, Jeremy Wood 25 YEARS — Aron Knight, Rick Prince, Richard Rentsch LOCAL 83 • KANSAS CITY MO 50 YEARS — Ralph B. Hoffman, Richard F. Spiek, Jack M. Stoddard, Warren Wheeldon 45 YEARS — Robert Holly, Timothy Sheil 40 YEARS — John R. Blunk, Laverne Holmberg 35 YEARS — Lester W. Frederking, Tracy M. Huff, Harry R. Lowry, John McGinnis 30 YEARS — Linda Burnett, Dennis L. Creed, Daniel Harrington, Jeffrey A. Kuzelka, Theodore J. Wenke 25 YEARS — Chris Burks, James Dunagan, Corey Frederick, David A. Givens, Thaddeus Hassebroek, Kraig Morgan, Joshua A. Myers, Mark Shoemaker 20 YEARS — Jerry L. Bethel, Joshua Black, Adam Dale, Woody English, Adam Ewigman, Roberto R. Gonzales, Gregory A. Henry, Tatum Keister, Randy L. Knudson, Ryan R. Miller, Hoang Van Nguyen, Johnny Nguyen, Tai T. Nguyen, Duc Huu Pham 15 YEARS — Jack N. Cox, Jimmy Day, Luke Fitzmaurice, Russell Hinkle, Denver Jochem, Cuong Van Nguyen, Lawrence M. Prohaska, Darrin Ryder, Larry B. Sartin, Randy D. Stout, Aric Williamson LOCAL 108 • BIRMINGHAM AL 25 YEARS — John W. Keith, Dennis W. Pierce, Stanley L. White LOCAL 363 • BELLEVILLE IL 60 YEARS — Thomas E. Brown, Francis W. Davis, William F. Mulconnery, Roger Nichols 55 YEARS — Arthur Austin, Bennie Bailey, Terry K. Driver, Thomas G. Emmerich, Kenneth J. Emmons, Chuck R. Quiller, Gerald F. Veach 50 YEARS — Phillip W. DeShazo 45 YEARS — Reginald L. Conlee, Tyrus L. Longstreet, Peter Passiglia 40 YEARS — Ronald T. McNeely 35 YEARS — Eric B. Haas 30 YEARS — Floyd R. Beckham, Mark B. Carroll, Michael C. Cox, Anthony Palmisano, Michael P. Stechmesser, David A. Toring, Timothy P. Volluz 25 YEARS — Robert C. Black, Sharon K. Dobbs, Todd E. May, David Williams 20 YEARS — Ronald S. Boucher, Zachary Sisk 15 YEARS — Dennis J. Reed LOCAL 647 • MINNEAPOLIS 60 YEARS — George W. Shilts 55 YEARS — Richard L. Allord, Jerry W. Duden, Roger H. Kolbrek, Robert M. Staskivige 50 YEARS — Don D. Adkins, Brian J. Backer, Douglas N. Cummins, Michael T. Erickson, Wayne M. Everett, Melbourne W. Hertel, Mark K. Hickman, Robert M. Larson, John A. Legore, Willaim P. Leingang, Rudolph J. Morgando, Maynard J. Rathjen, Melvin K. Wappula, Glenn D. Wood 45 YEARS — Michael C. Bailey, Jerry L. Bistodeau, Kenneth M. Bunnell, Michael J. Horsch, Jeffrey Jarnot, Michaek A. Kiley, John C. Ladoucer, Thomas R. Luke 40 YEARS — Todd J. Shape, Michael B. Strand 35 YEARS — Merlin R. Gerdes, Mark A. Kieffer, Steven J. Loso 30 YEARS — Randy D. Bartell, Randy P. Hatzenbihler 25 YEARS — Randall K. Fincher, Joseph A. Newcomb 20 YEARS — Brandon D. Reichel, Ebrima Sanneh 15 YEARS — Caleb D. Harstad LOCAL D480 • CHARLEVOIX MI 25 YEARS — Thomas Zipp, Chad Diss 20 YEARS — Thomas Berry, John Fehrlen, Brandon Looze, Corey Purvis 10 YEARS — Joshua Crow , Brandon Johnstone — May 22