The city that gave birth to the American labor movement provided a fitting backdrop for the
2025 Master Apprentice Competition (MAC) and the Joint Apprentice Training Committees  (JATC) Conference.

The competition and conference, held over a four-day period, honors and recognizes apprentices, strengthens camaraderie, showcases skill and demonstrates the power of training and learning.

This year’s event held special significance as it not only marked the 20th anniversary of the MAC,
but had three female competitors, the highest number of female participants in the competition’s 20-year history.

Inside the competition hall where competitors worked on mock-ups, 19 banners hung proudly — each honoring a previous year of the competition and displaying names of each winners’ Conference and Local Union—creating a powerful visual tribute to two decades of excellence and craftsmanship.

Speakers at the Opening Ceremony emphasized the importance of supporting and training apprentices. They reminded apprentices how the roots of labor, planted through sweat and solidarity, now nourish them, setting the stage for the next generation of Insulators.

While addressing the apprentices, Brian Cavey, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Mid-Atlantic States International Vice President, commended their
dedication and skill.

“You’ve been tested in the classroom and on the jobsite,” he said. “Now you’ve earned the chance to showcase your craft among the best of the best. No matter the outcome, you carry the pride of your local, your family and your mentors.”

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the state’s 43rd governor and a special guest at the Opening Ceremony, received a warm welcome before delivering remarks that underscored the importance of apprenticeship.

“You represent the future of this vital industry, and I can tell it is in good hands,” he said. “You are part of a critical piece of our future.”

Gov. Pritzker also reminded apprentices that, within a union, their craft not only sustains buildings but uplifts families.

“We can’t get anywhere in this country unless workers do well,” he said. “Because in the birthplace of American labor, the future is built not just with hands, but with heart.

“You [apprentices] represent the future of this vital industry, and I can tell that it is in good hands. You are part of a critical piece of our future,” added Pritzker.

Throughout the competition, it was evident that behind every apprentice stood families, journeymen and mentors whose dedication fueled the trade’s future. The competition was as much of a test of skill as it was an opportunity to share knowledge, forge relationships and strengthen the Brotherhood and Sisterhood of the union.

“There’s no machine, no shortcut, no app that can replace what we do with our hands, our heads, and our hearts,” said Thomas McGrath, Insulators Local 17 Business Manager. “Let’s honor tradition, celebrate excellence and continue building a union that’s not just strong, but unbreakable.”

Crowing A New Champion

After several days of competition, the MAC culminated in a formal evening of speeches and an
awards ceremony attended by family members and supporters.

John Stahl, Insulation Industry International Apprenticeship Training Fund Administrator, captured the pride of the moment.

“To each and every one of you, the apprentices that are competing here, I can’t tell you how proud I am,” he said. “You are the stars here. You are what makes us great. This event is about celebrating you  — our apprentices — and the history you are now a part of.”

To cap off the event, Alex Raglin of Local 1, St. Louis, Mo., was announced as the winner of the 2025 Master Apprentice Competition.