ROCKVILLE, Md. - The University of Washington Mechanical Contractors Student Chapter took first prize in the Mechanical Contractors Association of America’s (MCAA’s) 2009-2010 Student Chapter Competition. The competition results were announced during the MCAA Awards of Excellence Breakfast at the association’s annual convention in San Francisco. The team from Colorado State University took second place.

During the competition, 26 student chapter teams prepared proposals for the five-phased renovation of a 42,000-square-foot cafeteria serving the Denver Health Medical Center. The competition project was based on an actual project performed by Braconier Plumbing & Heating Co. in Englewood, Colo.

The four finalists were selected in mid-January by a panel of judges based on their evaluation and scoring of the written submissions from participating chapters. The other finalists that presented proposals during the convention were from the MCAA student chapters at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and Oregon State University. Both teams received honorable mention recognition.

The winner of the competition was determined after judging of the oral presentations by Don Giarratano of D/K Mechanical Contractors Inc., Anaheim, Calif.; Roeland F. Hoeke of H.T. Lyons Inc., Allentown, Pa.; and John A. Powell of Marelich Mechanical Co., Hayward, Calif.

Each of the four teams received a trophy and a cash prize with $5,000 going to the winning team, $2,500 to the runner-up, and $1,000 to each of the remaining finalists.

For more information about MCAA’s Student Chapter Competition, contact Ann Mattheis at amattheis@mcaa.org.

Publication date: 04/19/2010