MCA Presents Industry Service Awards To Ed Karper And Karl Hielscher
Chicago, IL - The Metal Construction Association (MCA) presented its annual Patrick R. Bush Service Award to Ed Karper and Larry A. Swaney Award to Karl Hielscher in appreciation for their service to the association and the metal construction industry.
The awards were given on February 3 during MCA's Winter Meeting which was held virtually.
Patrick R. Bush Award
Ed Karper This award recognizes an MCA member who recently made significant volunteer contributions to the Metal Construction Association. It was established to honor Pat Bush, an influential long-time MCA board member.
The 2021 recipient, Ed Karper, has held many volunteer leadership roles on behalf of MCA. Among the positions Karper has held are chairman, vice chairman, treasurer/finance committee chair, METALCON liaison chair, and program committee vice-chair. Karper
is also an original member of the Metal Initiative team, and also a member of the original certification committee. He also was a member of the Ohio congressional lobbying group on behalf of the MCA for Energy Star® federal tax credits program
and the MCA representative to the Washington State Roofing Task Force for rainwater runoff.
“To say that Ed has been a major contributor to MCA and the entire metal industry is an understatement,” says James Bush, MCA’s executive committee chairman. “The list of his roles might be long but it’s nothing compared
to his accomplishments. This recognition is well deserved!”
Larry A. Swaney Award
Karl Hielscher Named for one of MCA’s founders and its first president, this award has been bestowed upon outstanding industry professionals for their contributions to the success of the association and the betterment of the metal construction industry. This year's
award goes to Karl Hielscher.
Elected to MCA’s board in 2009, Hielscher served through many board positions before serving as chair in 2014 and 2015. His service to MCA is unique, because he moved beyond the volunteer leadership position to become MCA’s executive director
from 2016 until his retirement in 2020.
James Bush commented, “Karl always put the association and its work first, and when it was time to buckle down, he really got things done. In addition to his own work ethic, Karl helped others make progress on MCA matters by helping everyone find
common ground, even when there were disagreements. MCA and the metal industry have benefited enormously from Karl’s dedication and commitment.”
About The Metal Construction Association
The Metal Construction Association brings together a diverse industry for the purpose of expanding the use of metal in construction through marketing, research, technology, and education. Companies involved in MCA benefit tremendously from association
activities that focus on research, codes and standards, market development, and technical programs. MCA’s market development efforts increase the use of metal in construction by educating the building and design communities about the benefits
of metal. For more information about MCA, visit www.metalconstruction.org.
