Three top HVAC apprentices received awards in the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors–National Association Educational Foundation's third annual National HVAC Apprentice Contest, held on Sept. 30-Oct. 1 in Hollywood, Fla.

The Foundation’s HVACR Apprentice and Journeyman Training Committee members were on hand to set up and judge the contest, which was a highlight of the PHCC–National Association's CONNECT 2015 Product & Technology Showcase. A portion of the contest was hosted by the HVAC program at Sheridan Technical College in Hollywood, Fla., and technical assistance was provided by UA Local 725 and the Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Pipefitting Education Center in Opa Locka, Fla.

This year’s awards went to:

• 1st Place – Michael Pethe, UA Local 172 Training Center, South Bend, Ind. – sponsored by NIBCO Inc.
• 2nd Place – Wilson “Chip” Duncan, Shapiro & Duncan, Inc., Rockville, Md. – sponsored by AHRI.
• 3rd Place – James Lassandrello, UA Local 597 Training Center, Mokena, Ill. – sponsored by Milwaukee Tool

Foundation volunteers operating this year’s event included:

• Scott Balmer, Chair, ShoffnerKalthoff Mechanical Electrical Service, Knoxville, Tenn.
• Tony DeSantis, City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Cal.
• Dennis Lane, Schaal Heating & Cooling, Des Moines, Iowa
• Warren Lupson, Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute, Arlington, Va.
• Ken Nielsen, AccuAire, Inc., Reading, Mass.
• Simpson, Schaal Heating & Cooling, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa
• George Wallace, Sheridan Technical College, Hollywood, Fla.

The event was made possible by the following generous industry sponsors:

Headline Sponsors: Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and Coburn Supply Co.

Contestant Sponsors: AC Pro; AHRI; Coburn Supply Co.; Milwaukee Tool; NATE; NIBCO, Inc.; and RectorSeal.

Additional prize and materials sponsors included: AC Pro; Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI); Aireco, Inc.; Channellock; Copper Development Association, Inc.; Danfoss; Emerson Climate Technologies; ESCO Group; Fluke; Harris Products Group; Hilmor; Imperial/Stride Tool; Matheson Gas; Milwaukee Tool; NATE; NetBraze, LLC; NIBCO, Inc.; RectorSeal; RIDGID; Sheridan Technical College; TruTech Tools; UA Local 725/ARPEC; and Viega, LLC.