TECh Award - 2016

Technical Education Champion Award

The Boards Association presents several important awards each year. A number of years ago, we began a very special award, the Technical Education Champion, or “TECh,” Award. The TECh award goes to the heart of what the colleges are all about in our communities. It recognizes key community and industry leaders who demonstrate an exemplary level of partnership with us to promote technical education and economic development.

The Technical Education Champion award is based on five criteria:

• The nominee’s promotion of the local college;
• Its financial support to the district and individuals associated with the college;
• Its utilization of the college for employee training, and by hiring our students;
• Its advocacy on the college's behalf; and,
• The nominee’s enhancement of the community as a whole.

We were honored to review a number of nominations for this year’s TECh Award. From the nominees, the committee selected one TECh Award winner. This year’s nominees were:

2016 Technical Education Champion Award Nominees

• Processed Metal Innovators (PMI) nominated by Chippewa Valley Technical College
• Tony Koblinski, Madison-Kipp Corporation nominated by - Madison College
• Pauline Jaske, Fairway Transit nominated by Waukesha County Technical College
• J.P. Cullen & Sons, Inc nominated by Blackhawk Technical College
• Mayville Engineering Corp. nominated by Moraine Park Technical College
• Church Mutual nominated by Northcentral Technical College
• Marten Machining nominated by Mid-State Technical College
• Mark Hanson, Bosch Packaging Technologies nominated by Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
• Mark Smith, Alliant Energy nominated by Lakeshore Technical College

This Year's Winner: JP Cullen & Sons, Inc., Janesville

J.P. Cullen & Sons, Inc. was founded in Janesville in 1892, and is currently the second largest construction company in Wisconsin. They have been a close partner with Blackhawk Technical College for nearly 30 years.

JP Cullen provides mentorships and internship opportunities for Blackhawk students and has hired many graduates throughout the years. They provide more than $25,000 in scholarships annually to technical colleges, University of Wisconsin Colleges, and private colleges. They also provide scholarships to area high school graduates. Blackhawk received scholarship funding of $25,000 over five years in 2007 and an additional $25,000 over five years again in 2013. Most recently, JP Cullen contributed a pledge of $25,000 towards the College's Advanced Manufacturing Training Center renovation project.

Whenever JP Cullen has been approached to assist with advocacy, they have not hesitated to help. Knowing the importance of the Wisconsin Technical College System, in 2014, Mark Cullen submitted his name for consideration as a member of the Legislative Council Study Committee on the review of the WTCS funding and governance. Although he was not chosen as a Study Committee member, he was the first individual in the Blackhawk District to write a letter in support of Blackhawk and the System and volunteer to testify when advocates were needed to address the Study Committee. When approached to become involved as an advocate in this effort, he conveyed to President Eckert, “Just tell me what you need and when.”

JP Cullen’s commitment and focus on technical education and training makes them a deserving candidate for the 2016 TECh Award.